Solo Scotland faces worse than Brexit

SIR, – For all the latest lamentations and sanctimonious wailing from Sturgeon and Blackford on the economic consequences of Brexit, there has been no consensus, agreement, or clarification on the Growth Commission’s economic prospects for an independent Scotland. It was not even debated or discussed at the SNP conference. Instead we had much smug bragging and empty boasting.

The economic consequences of Scottish independence would be a severe challenge to Scotland in the short term, the medium term and even the very long term. It would take an economic miracle to become successfully self-sufficient and at least a generation to achieve.

Judging by current SNP performance in Scotland, the required austerity would be many times worse than recent UK experience in overcoming the 2008 crash and the legacy of Labour’s reckless extravagance.

The breaking up of a 40-year union with the EU when compared to a 300-year union with the UK and the relative balances of trade is a factor of more than 10 times more challenging.

The short-term excitement and feelgood factor of marching and flag-waving is no substitute for the very hard work and very real sacrifice that would be required for such a dramatic and major change.

A little political candour would not go amiss. A silly statement painted on the side of a bus pales into total insignificance compared to a 650-page nonsensical fairy story published on Scotland’s future. There is nothing inevitable about Scottish independence. It just makes much less sense than even Brexit.