It’s the economy

Joyce McMillan (Perspective, 30 January) is correct: the Yes movement did campaign on the basis that “there must be another way” to run the economy. However, the problem for them was that they failed to answer any questions about what that alternative was.

This mode of operation for the Nationalists is continuing. For example, we know they oppose Tory austerity, and Labour’s alternative, but they fail to say what their plan is.

Despite this, Joyce McMillan may feel the SNP is challenging a “right-wing” Scottish Labour Party, but the reality is they have failed to redistribute wealth and opportunity in Scotland.

While Labour is outlining redistributive policies such as funding public services via a mansion tax and the 50p tax rate for highest earners, the SNP are busy creating divisions in the UK. That may be “social democracy”, but it does nothing for social justice.

Scott Arthur

Buckstone Gardens

Edinburgh

It is all very well for Joyce McMillan to call for a return to Keynesian social democracy. But she seems to have forgotten that it was its failure in the 1970s that led us down the road of neo-liberalism; what we need is a bit of economic pragmatism.

William Ballantine

Dean Road

Bo’ness