Eurozone claims undermine SNP

DUNCAN Hamilton's article (Insight, 14 February) in support of both the euro and EU intervention to rescue the debt-strapped Greek economy highlights contradictions in SNP economic policy.

First, he acknowledges the eurozone economies have not converged sufficiently to withstand the stresses caused by a single interest rate, and thus advocates "greater convergence" as the solution.

But the UK has enjoyed currency union for significantly longer than the eurozone, yet the SNP argues interest rates set for the South-east of England may be inappropriate in Scotland. Thus, presumably, insufficient convergence here then? And how long would EU convergence take in view of UK experience?

Second, as regards EU intervention in Greece, he lauds the "advantage of collective action" and a "mechanism for urgent intervention and support which is ultimately in all our interests".

However, despite a similar argument in favour of the UK in the wake of the bail-out of the Scottish banks during the financial crisis, the SNP's raison d'tre continues to be the dissolution of such domestic collective support mechanisms.

These two examples highlight the contradictory nature of the SNP's "independence in Europe" aspiration, and suggest Scottish nationalism is less about independence versus political unions, and smaller versus larger governmental entities, than straightforward antipathy to the UK per se.

Stuart Winton, Dundee