Surely John Swinney is having a laugh asking the Chancellor for more money to pay wage increases? Westminster has been throwing money at Scotland since the pandemic was at its worst and to blame anyone except the SNP Government for the situation we’re in is sheer brass-necked hypocrisy. Scotland’s finances have been mismanaged to a point of no return by the reckless spending of various finance secretaries, all under the watch of Nicola Sturgeon. And still, they try to convince us that we would be better as an independent country. If their selfish, uncosted, crazy plans ever do achieve independence get your savings under the mattress before they get their mitts on it. Ian Balloch, Grangemouth.