UK has positives

Scotland has been immensely important to the success of the Union. Scots ran much of the British Empire and today continue to hold important positions throughout Britain and the Commonwealth.

Scots have been responsible for many of the world’s greatest achievements in the arts, sciences, business and industry and success in these areas continues today.

England, Wales and Northern Ireland need Scotland as much as Scotland needs them. So much more unites us than divides us. Some 400,000 people from the rest of Britain live and work in Scotland and some 800,000 Scots live and work in the rest of Britain.

Thanks to the Barnett formula people in Scotland are £1,200 per person per year better off in terms of public spending than those in England. Scottish finances, jobs, pensions and defences are far more secure in the UK than they would be with independence.

When Scotland’s two main banks and the Grangemouth refinery nearly went under the UK government came to the rescue and also gave help to the Irish Republic.

The present arrangements work so well because we are in the UK currency union. Why throw all this away for a risky leap in the dark with no idea what the currency will be?

Finally, following the Calman Commission recommendations, all three main political parties have agreed that Scotland will have much greater control over taxation, spending and welfare after a No vote.

Why abandon 300 years of shared history? The referendum is not a general election.

There would be no going back from the uncertainties of independence.

Stephen J Edwards

Musselburgh Better  Together Campaign

Musselburgh

East Lothian