The SNP have done a great job, despite challenges imposed by austerity | Letters
The letters by Alex Gallagher, Maureen Henry and Gerard Scott (30 April) show that the correspondents' unswerving attachment to the union is clouding their appreciation of the facts. In most areas where the Scottish government has competence, Scotland outperforms the other nations of the UK. This is despite successive cuts to the Scottish block grant and the Scottish government spending in the region of 60m per year trying to mitigate austerity measures introduced by the Conservative-led government at Westminster.
This is the reason for the SNP currently having a more than 20% lead over the second-placed party in polls in all three levels of government (Holyrood, Westminster and the EU); people recognise that they are doing a good job with limited resources and severe handicaps imposed by an external agency. An independent Scotland in full control of all of its finances, both raising and spending, would be able to do so much more for the people of this country than is currently possible.
Liam Cunningham
Glasgow