Scottish Government's latest independence paper on social security is completely pointless – Scotsman comment

Current ministers cannot hold the government of a future independent Scotland to their promises so what’s the point in making them?

The Scottish Government’s latest independence paper is its ninth – yes, you read that correctly, this is what our government is all about these days – and details what the benefits system would be like after breaking free from the dead hand of the, er, Union dividend, which provides Scotland with proportionately more cash to spend on public services.

However, forgetting such realities, Scotland would spend more than £250 million on removing the two-child benefit cap, scrapping the bedroom tax and reforming Universal Credit within five years of becoming the world’s newest nation. Or would it?

Independence is not going to happen any time soon for the simple reason that not enough people in Scotland want this to happen. There is also no prospect of a referendum being granted by the UK Government. And, even if it did happen, whoever was in charge wouldn’t be bound to adopt the suggested policies.

So, for all the good they are doing, ministers might as well be arguing about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. If only they didn’t have a country to run...