Letter: Coalition cuts undermine debt theory

The unionist scaremongers' latest claim is that when Scotland becomes independent its share of UK debt will be disastrous (your report, 13 June).

However, David Cameron and George Osborne justify the current cuts in funding by saying that they are designed to get the UK out of debt in the lifetime of the current UK parliament.

Since the SNP does not intend even to hold a referendum until the second half of the current parliament, by the time we become independent the deficit should be repaid anyway, according to the UK government.

So where's the problem ?

Peter Swain

Innerwick

Dunbar, East Lothian

The headline on your front page (13 June) implies that, by staying in the union, Scots could avoid paying their share of the national debt. This is hard to believe.

The projected rate of increase of UK debt suggests that it might be better to agree a fair share now and avoid the future increase.

Stephen Salter

Blackford Road

Edinburgh

It IS interesting to note that the only additional concession being offered to Scotland by Westminster is to allow the Scottish Government to borrow money to fund major projects such as the new bridge over the Forth.

This could be an astute move in providing a suitable length of rope for the SNP administration to commit financial suicide and face the consequence of additional borrowing against projects without any tangible revenue.

In times of considerable financial restraint and budget cutbacks it does not seem like a sensible strategy to go and borrow more money and increase the Scottish debt.

Dennis Grattan

Mugiemoss Road

Bucksburn, Aberdeen

The position put forward by the Institute of Economic Affairs that an independent Scotland could be saddled with a 110 billion national debt is fundamentally flawed.

This figure is garnered through looking at Scotland's share of the debt based on public spending.

However, Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland figures show that when the last UK government was racking up debt, Scotland had a current budget surplus of 3.5bn from 2005-6 to 2008-9, compared with a UK deficit of 72.3bn over this same period.

It therefore seems rather bizarre that while Scotland has demonstrated a surplus and run a balanced budget every single year, it should be penalised for the UK's gross failings.

Alex Orr

Leamington Terrace

Edinburgh