BfS home truths
No SOONER had the ink dried on the open letter written by business leaders in support of the Union did we see a letter in support of independence by the business arm of the Yes campaign, Business for Scotland (BfS).
Whilst the pro-Union signatories were all big hitters with major business interests in Scotland, cross-border and internationally, the same cannot be said of BfS members.
Attempts by BfS to give the impression that, in its own words, it speaks for “all sorts of companies from all over Scotland”. The reality is somewhat different.
A report in a Sunday paper on 31 August stated that close examination of Business for Scotland’s membership list shows that the group has only a tiny number of members who employ significant numbers of Scots and literally none with a substantial cross-Border trade. The majority appear to be sole traders and guest house owners.
It could hardly be less representative of the industries that provide the majority of Scotland’s private sector jobs and which, according to the No campaign, are at risk from a Yes vote.
Until now, the business sector in favour of a No vote has been afraid to speak out publicly for fear of recriminations from the SNP government and, indeed, there are still a great many in that category.
Donald Lewis
Beech Hill
Gifford, East Lothian