Vote for… nothing

D. Jamieson asks the question, where's the positive vision for “Scotland in Union” (Letters, 22 April). How do you answer a whole array of assertions that independence is better than the Union without these being backed up with actual facts? Not a single set of figures is presented to back up why we should take the biggest step collectively we would ever have to make.

He asserts that “Scotland has a wealth of natural resources, a highly educated population and a highly developed exportdriven economy, our country would thrive as an independent nation outside the UK”. Statista’s most recent figures: “In 2019 exports from Scotland amounted to £86.48 billion, while imports amounted to £93.45bn, resulting in a net trade balance of negative £6.97bn” So without oil to help, Scotland now has a significant deficit to finance.

With regard to thriving outside the UK, GERS paints a different picture. For 2019/20, “Scotland spent £15.1bn more on public services than it raised in taxes last year” – BBC. SNP supporters like to discredit GERS, and Finance Secretary Kate Forbes actually promised us her version. We are still waiting.

Scotland cannot “thrive” outside the UK with such a trade deficit on top of the budget deficit. Matters will not have improved as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is remarkable that the SNP put forward an independence draft bill without attaching any costings. How can you vote for something that is presented as a nothing?

JOHN PETER Monks Road, Airdrie