Better Together’s powers offer is a trap

The issue as to whether Westminster can be trusted to deliver these powers is not the most important consideration. What is more important is whether any new powers they offer will improve our economy and create new jobs in Scotland.

The main suggestion made by the unionist parties so far is allowing the devolved parliament to collect part or all of our income tax. How this will improve our situation baffles me. Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont has already stated our devolved parliament will not be given powers enabling us to be better off than other regions of the UK.

I sincerely hope no-one will be conned into believing the additional powers being offered will create jobs and improve the quality of life in our country.

Another amusing aspect to this panic attack is the fact that these worthless powers are being announced by  Gordon Brown, as the leaders of the unionist parties are too toxic in Scotland to do the job.

The only way we can create jobs, protect our national health service and improve the quality of life in Scotland is by voting Yes.

To restore our national sovereignty and pride and give us a government with all the economic levers of power over all taxation and control of our natural resources, please, fellow Scots, take this leap of faith and vote Yes.

Jim Carson

Larchfield

Midlothian

I am concerned that Better Together is not being honest when it comes to the benefits of tax-raising powers it may (or may not) eventually transfer to Scotland in the event of a No vote.

Firstly, it neglects to mention that any monies raised in Scotland from these powers would not be subject to the Barnett Formula, the formula that guarantees increased resources for Scotland to part compensate for the disproportionately high revenue the UK receives from it.

This means a devolved Scottish Government within the UK would immediately have to increase taxes in Scotland above the UK rate just to stand still.

Secondly, it argues that independence would require a Scottish Government to raise taxes in order to plug an alleged gap in public finances and to protect the NHS.

However, its solution amounts to exactly the same thing. It states quite openly that the tax-raising powers would allow a devolved Scottish Government to protect the NHS in Scotland from any Westminster cuts in public spending.

What it fails to make clear is its plan can only work if taxes are further increased in Scotland to address the subsequent cuts in the block grant such Westminster policies would inevitably engender.

So the choice is clear: you can vote Yes and accept Yes Scotland’s argument that tax rises would not be inevitable in a newly independent Scotland as the Scottish Government can prioritise what is important to the people of Scotland, while making use of monies freed up from not having to fund sundry UK priorities.

Or you can vote No and see either the very tax rises Better Together says it wants to protect you from, or increasing austerity and the inevitable, creeping privatisation of the NHS. These tax-raising powers for a devolved Scotland within the UK are a trap Scots should avoid.

Stuart Allan

Nelson Street

Dundee

As a postal voter I have already cast my vote, before the recent attempt at blackmail by the Better Together campaign and feel very angry at this late development – caused by the initial lack of interest in, and commitment to, devo-max.

I seem to recall that David Cameron insisted on the option of devo-max being removed from the ballot paper.

I also recall that Margaret Thatcher delayed and indeed reneged on a promise to devolve power to Scotland – that took 18 years.

How are we to trust anyone who is now promising more devolved powers?

Eric Simmons

Glasclune Court

North Berwick

Gordon Brown is offering a timetable and that is all; he knows he cannot deliver on the substance.

No parliament is bound by the deliberations of the parliament before; it is only bound by those acts which have received the royal assent.

There will be a new UK parliament in the late spring of 2015 and all the indicators point to the next government being a Tory-led coalition with Ukip. How will Gordon Brown deliver greater powers to a Scottish Parliament in a Westminster so governed?

Also, the markets are said to be jittery at the probability of an independent Scotland. As the value of a currency is dictated by the wealth that supports it, the market has woken up to the fact that sterling will not be so valuable if it loses the backing of the wealth of Scotland.

The question is when will Westminster wake up to this fact and see a possible currency union as being attractive?

Scotland only needs to hold its nerve and be “Scotland the brave” and vote Yes to independence on 18 September to be sure of a future which is fair and just.

Brian Rattray

Gylemuir Road

Edinburgh