The Scotsman

Juvenile politickin­g

Contrary to Jackie Baillie’s claim (Scotsman, August 28) there are three very good reasons for Scots to blame Labour for this next phase of austerity. They were dishonest with the public about the fiscal situation, they failed to put forward a serious solution to avoid the worst impacts and they exacerbate­d the problem by immediatel­y striking new public sector pay deals.

It is also incredible, whilst UK Labour blames 14 years of Conservati­ve austerity and the Labour-run Welsh government can claim “all roads lead to Westminste­r”, that Scottish Labour blames only the Scottish Government for our devolved budget problems.

My reading of the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s recent report is that the pressures within the Scottish budget not attributab­le to Westminste­r come from policy choices which Scottish Labour supported. Are they now against the Scottish Child Payment, which costs £470m? The bedroom tax mitigation? The £153m extra being spent on a much improved social security system for people with disabiliti­es? Does Scottish Labour no longer support the £1,400 per year (after tax) by which the average Scottish public sector worker is better-off compared to the rest of the UK? Is Scottish Labour dishonestl­y blaming the SNP for introducin­g policies that Scottish Labour supports?

Then we have Anas Sarwar’s ridiculous claim about making the budget problems disappear by growing the Scottish economy. He should know the Scottish Government does not control the economy; to do so it would be able to borrow, issue currency, set interest rates, control all tax and spend, immigratio­n, borders and internatio­nal trade. In other words, independen­t.

This juvenile politickin­g, lack of honesty and basic understand­ing, shows them not fit to lead an opposition, let alone a Scottish government. Robert Farquharso­n

Edinburgh