Letter: Calman queries

Another predictable nationalist navel-gazing response to the Calman recommendations from Douglas Mayer (Letters, 14 December).

The one thing of which we can be certain from the nationalist side is that the cure for all our financial ills is to break up the UK and go it alone in the manner of Iceland or Ireland. Oh, and of course pulling out of Nato and ending all UK defence connections.

Perhaps Mr Mayer could also consider the option of returning to a pre-devolution state when Scotland did at least well as it is doing at present - and infinitely better than it could ever be broken off from the rest of Britain - with no revenue-devouring 500 million Holyrood, no 129 MSPs and staffs, or no Calman Commission to excite the nationalists. However did we manage to survive and prosper for all those years?

ALEXANDER McKAY

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh