Readers' letters: It’s time Scotland quit the UK says Blyth

"The British economy is a joke, a giant financial entity that just sweats assets and collects fees.”

Scottish-American economist Professor Mark Byth from Dundee backs independence

It’s time Scotland quit the UK says Blyth

Jill Stephenson (letters September 9) misrepresents Professor Mark Blyth. She omits the essential point that he supports an independent Scotland.

He’s on record as saying we would be economically viable and that remaining tethered to a failing UK is a recipe for disaster. In his words, “[Scotland] is a dynamic, innovative, small, well-governed country.”

Independence would give Scotland the freedom to act in its own economic interests and not be dominated by another nation. He says we could reverse the Brexit fiasco by re-joining EFTA to restore free trade, capital and labour movement between Scotland and the world’s largest free trading bloc.

Finally, he believes the Union has been bad for Scotland by removing our autonomy and emasculating our innovative power.

He calls the British economy “a joke,” a giant financial entity that doesn’t add value to the economy but “just sweats assets” and collects fees.

Our prospects as an independent nation are bright. His advice to the Scottish government is that it should urgently do the necessary preparatory work to secure our independence. Then he advises we get out as soon as possible.

Leah Gunn Barrett, Edinburgh.

So, money does not grow on trees

I see that Ms Barrett has still not understood the disastrous consequences of printing money (letters, September 9).

Modern Monetary Theory (or the Magic Money Tree) does not work. If it did, why are other countries not using this economic tool?

There is a very simple reason - it would cause hyperinflation, as was seen in Zimbabwe and Venezuela. Conventional central banks aim to keep annual inflation at less than 3 per cent, Venezuala’s was running at 65,000 per cent in 2019.

Public services need to be paid for and that is done by taxing people and businesses.

Jane Lax, Aberlour.

Seeking answers

So the majority of Scots don’t want Indy ref2I

The poll led by Scots in Union, asked 1040 adults and got 52 per cent saying No. What a surprise!

This represents 0.019% of our population, hardly a majority - even the Tories have more support in Scotland.

Roddy Watson, Edinburgh.

Rely on nuclear

You claim that tidal arrays provide 'clean, reliable energy' ('£6.4m for tidal turbine company', News, 7 September).

Unfortunately it’s not reliable all the time: when the tide turns twice a day, generation stops. Nor does this happen at the same times every day, so it's doubly unreliable.All renewable generation is unreliable in one way or another. However, nuclear power can provide reliable electricity 24/7 and does so.

Steuart Campbell, Edinburgh.

Battery buses

It's good to see that Lothian Bus' "next generation" of four battery electric buses appear to be operating succesfully on service 10 to Western Harbour.

This is in direct contrast to the six single deck Wrightbus electric vehicles that entered service 2 October 2017 on service 1 to Easter Road.

The question is "Where are they now? The inter-net cites "operating difficulties". Nevertheless, it questions who funded their purchase?

It would appear that the new double deck buses are sponsored by SP Energy so that if they eventually go the way of the Wright bus product, neither Holyrood nor Lothian Buses will be "out of pocket"!

Alasdair McFarlane, Dalgety Bay.