Years of failure

John Milne (Letters, 24 June) is a very patient and honest man. He at least recognises that the past 35 years of the Union have been “a failure”.

There can be no argument with that given the UK’s performance on every long-term social and economic measure is woeful. He then asks us to be patient as he believes things will improve in the future and asks us to recognise the “value of the Union”.

This is very strange logic – ascribing value to something that is a failure. What is even stranger is that he bases his arguments on the writings of Gordon Brown, the man who is largely responsible for the financial predicament we currently find ourselves in and who ran the economy for 13 of the past 35 years.

I wonder how long Mr Milne thinks we should wait before deciding to bring the powers of government within our own democratic reach: 40 years, 50 years, a lifetime?

I can see nothing in the policies or tone coming from the Westminster parties that ­suggests to me that things will improve.

The direction of travel seems to deteriorate with every passing day. I’m afraid my ­patience ran out some time ago.

Andrew SR Gordon

Craiglockhart View

Edinburgh