Euro kidding

It would appear Keith Howell (Letters 8 April) is gearing up for Project Fear Mark 2 with his airing of the old canard about the strictures Scotland would face to join the EU.

However, it would seem that Mr Howell is attempting to set a fox running which has already been shot and either hasn’t heard, or chooses to ignore, that the president of the European Commission, Jean-claude Juncker, has categorically stated that no country will be forced to join the euro. This might explain why Sweden, which joined the EU in 1994, does not use the euro and has no intention of joining the uro one or the ERM.

Beyond that, the UK and Denmark negotiated opt-outs, and a further six EU members who do not fulfil the joining criteria Mr Howell claims will

cause austerity do not use the euro.

Mr Howell describes the assurances given to Scotland, including the fact that Spain will not veto an application from Scotland, as “wishful thinking”. However, it seems it is he who is pinning his hopes on Scotland being the only potential member of the EU which will be hit by punitive

joining conditions. If that’s the best Project Fear can come up with, it’s not surprising that a desperate tone has crept into the Unionist argument.

GILL TURNER Derby Street, Edinburgh