No mean country

Labour leader Ed Miliband quite reasonably suggests that benefits be reduced to young people who either have no training or qualifications or are not currently receiving training and therefore have no real prospect of getting a job; instead they would receive a smaller means tested benefit (your report, 18 June).

Unfortunately, given the SNP’s grossly over-egged spin, the Scots youngsters who lost this benefit would almost certainly cast their vote for independence and the reason is blatantly obvious.

In its relentless referendum propaganda the SNP has created the illusion of Scotland as a nirvanic land of plenty with government handouts galore to the unemployed.

Make no mistake about it, it is the unemployed lured by this vision of illusory largesse who might just tip the vote in favour of independence and this fact is not lost on the nationalists either.

However, the truth is that post-independence all the SNP’s grandiose promises about welfare and benefits would vanish quicker that snow off a dyke as the harsh economic realities set in and the money was simply just not there.

Once again, the only people who win either way are the politicians in Holyrood and Westminster whose income is guaranteed by those fortunate enough to still be in work.

Brian Allan

Keith Street

Kincardine-on-Forth