ANYTHING YOU CAN DO, WE CAN DO BIGGER?

But... is it no gonna run oot?
Not according to "that man on the telly"

So… yesterday much was made of the fact that 130 bosses of Scottish business came out in favour of the NoThanks campaign or whatever it’s called at the moment.

And today 200 Scottish business leaders have backed independence in an open letter to the Herald.

Brian Souter of Stagecoach, Clyde Blowers boss Jim McColl, and retired William Hill chief executive Ralph Topping are among the signatories who argue independence is in Scotland's economic interest. 

The letter reads: "We are involved in business and entrepreneurship at different levels in Scotland and around the world. We believe independence is in the best interests of Scotland's economy and its people.

"We will gain the powers to give our many areas of economic strength even more of an advantage in an increasingly competitive world. There will be more opportunities for our talented and determined young people to stay and succeed here in Scotland."

The letter goes on to talk about the real possibility of a British exit from the European common market and the damage that that would do to Scottish business.

[Perhaps that has been made all the more real a threat with today’s news that a right wing Tory MP has finally left the Conservatives and moved to Ukip. (Incidentally, much to his credit instead of crossing the floor as many MPs have done, he has resigned his seat and will stand as a Ukip candidate at a by election. Cameron must be cross!!)]

The signatories go on to say that they believe Westminster governments do not and never will pay sufficient attention to the interests of Scotland's economy. They talk about the tax raids on the oil industry (Danny Alexander, I believe) and the pension fund raids by Gordon Brown’s government, which were short term financial solutions to Westminster’s lack of cash, but lacked any kind of long term strategic thinking.

Scottish industry, they said, is so often treated as a cash cow rather than a strategically important part of a more prosperous and a fairer society.

Uncertainty is what the future is about.

Yesterday’s letter from pro-Union business leaders highlighted the uncertainties that surround leaving the UK  and they trotted out the tired old argument that by continuing to work together we could keep Scotland flourishing. I’m not sure that “keep” is an appropriate word. I’m reminded of the gentleman at THE debate who asked Darling: “If we are going to be better together in the Uk, why are we not better together now?”

This list of signatories, should you wish to pursue it. (It may help you in your choice of purchases) is appended.

In other news Mr Carmichael said that in the event of a Yes vote, something just a few weeks ago he hadn’t contemplated, he will resign from the government and work with the Scottish team to get the best deal for Scotland. I read a tweet about Dougie Alexander who, apparently said on BBC that in the event of a Yes vote, he would walk away from Scotland.  Awwww.

Incidentally, I've just noticed THIS article on the sidebar blog list. This is us being Better Together with the UK from a business point of view.

Signatories to the letter¨(in alphabetical order)

Harvey Aberdein, Managing Partner, Aberdein Considine

Sandy Adam, Chairman, Springfield Properties plc

Mohammed Afzal Ali, Director, Toor Investments

Irshad Ahmed, Director, Manspeak Ltd

Andrew Aird, MD of Border Couriers

Alistair Aitchison, Director, Kilted Kangaroo

Tony Aitken, Director, AP Aitken

Kenny Anderson, Co-Founder of Anderson Construction

David Anderson, Chief Executive, AP Systems

Ann and William Angus, Proprietors of Clunie Guest House

Lesley Ann Parker, Owner of Leap Scotland Ltd

Richard Arkless, Founder of LED Warehouse

Raja Aziz ur Rehman, Owner of R & M wholesale LTD

Tony Banks, Chairman of Business for Scotland and Balhousie Care

Frances Barron, Owner of Dessert Depot

Alistair Barron, Director, Barron Wright Partnerships

Alan Beck, Owner of Alan Beck Product Design Ltd

Craig Bedworth, MD of CGB Translations

Jim Bennett, Director of SIS Scotland

Ian Blackford, MD of First Seer

Ian Bremner, MD of Youngson Insurance Consultants

John Buchan Skipper, Fairline Surveyor, Aberdeen

Patrick Byrne, CEO of Pursuit Marketing

David Cairns, Chairman of Prism Tech

Alistair Cameron, Managing Director, Scotmas Group

Gen Cannibal, Director, Pro Genus Environmental

Mary-Anne Case, Proprietor, Blackhall Framing Gallery

Allan Chalmers, Director Chalmers Commercial Finance Ltd

Neil Clapperton, Managing Director, Springbank Distillery

Laurie Clark, Founder of ASC Group Ltd

Alan Clark, Owner of Clark’s Bakery

John Clark, Owner, Belmont Communications Ltd

Graeme Coghill, MD of Aberdeen Group Ltd

Ben Cooper Owner, Kenetics

Bob Costello, Sidlaw Executive Travel

Bill Coull, CEO at Comtest Wireless Europe

Gillian Cowan, Owner of the The Jewell Room

Paddy Crerar, CEO of Crerar Hotels

Gordon Darge, Proprietor of MAK Architects

Adam Davidson, Bo Concept, Scotland

Peter De Vink, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Financial General Holdings

Alan Dickson, Director, Bradshaw’s Nursery

Elaine Donegean, MD of Wedding Wise

Andy Donnell, Owner of Lightning PC’s

Scott Downie, Managing Director of Hungry Boy Productions Ltd

Peter Drummond, Director, Peter Drummond Architects

Colin Dunn, Director, Plexus Media

Brian Durkin, Braid Wines and Altar Supplies

David Dwyer, Inspire Web Development

Andrew Fairlie, Chef Proprietor, Restaurant Andrew Fairlie

Shahid Farooq, Director, Smartways

Tricia Fox, MD, Volpa Marketing

Athole Fleming , MD of Athole Design

Paul Fletcher, Managing Partner, at Enabling Innovation

Alasdair Forbes, Primary Partner, Achvaneran Farm Partnership

Hugh Fraser, Managing Partner (Middle East), global energy law firm, former Group Head of Legal Wood Group

Kevin Gibney, Director, Get-A-Reel.com

John Gibson, Director, Broxburn Properties

Alistair Gilchrist, Founder, AJG Business Consultancy Ltd

Donald Gillies, Owner, Gillies Transport Islay

Andrew Graeme, CEO of Inchbrakie Group

Sir Patrick Grant of Dalvey, MD of Grants of Dalvey

Cynthia Guthrie, Joint MD of Guthrie Group

David Halliday, Owner of David Halliday Solicitor

David Hanley, Director, Competence Matters

Kat Heathcote, Director , Witherby Publishing Group

Gordon Henderson, Owner, Foxlane Garden Centre

Joe Henry, Founding Director, Planys Cloud Limited

Bobby Hill, Chief Executive, Hydracrat

John Hunter-Paterson, Owner of John Hunter Paterson Insurance

Dr. Arshi Ilyas, Director of Innovation Business Ltd.

Carole Inglis, Owner, Isle of Skye Fudge and Chocolate Company

John Innes, British Venture Capitalist of the Year and Venture Capital Chief Executive of the Year, former Chief Executive Amor Group

David Keegan, Director of Bothy Bikes

Kevin Key, Director, A Star Sports

Alan Knight, Director of Invisible Emperors

David Lafferty, Owner, Aqua Energy

Joe Lafferty, MD of Lifetree

Steven J Lawrence, Director, TCD Architects

Ian Lawson, MD of Pest Protection Services

Derek Louden, Financial Director& Company Sector, ITP Solutions Ltd

Alison Mabon Founder, DM Roofing

Iain Macbeath, Owner, Macbeath Architects

Dan MacDonald, Chief Executive MacDonald Estates

Professor Sir Donald MacKay, Former Chairman, Scottish Enterprise, founding director of an oil company and a bank and non-executive director, Malcolm Group

Colin MacKinnon, Owner, Strathaven Airfield

Marie Macklin, Chief Executive, Klin Group

Donald Maclean, MD, Business Cost Conusltants

Niall Maclean, Director, Geo-Rope

Lewis Maclean, MD of Maclean’s Highland Bakery

Alex MacLeod, Director, AG Tech Limited

William MacMillan, Director, Firth Plumbing, Heating and Roofing.

Graeme Macmillan, Owner, Macmillan Financial Planning

Mohammed Mahmood, Director, M & K Scotland Ltd

Mark Mair, MD of Skibo Technologies

Khalil Malik, Director, K Malik & Co Accountants

Nasim Malik, Managing Director, GFS Mortgages

Derek Mallon, MD of the Restaurant Group

Brandon Malone, Solicitor Advocate and law firm partner

Jack Marshall, Director, Tapside Coffee

Sir George Mathewson Chairman, Toscafund and former Chairman and Chief Executive, Royal Bank of Scotland plc

Jim McColl, Chairman and CEO of Clyde Blowers plc

Gerry McCusker, Owner, Dog Digital

Helen McDonough, Owner, Kennedy + Co Hair

Ian McDougall Owner, McDougall Johnston

Gordon McFarlane, Owner of Uplift Media

James McGoochin, Director, J.M. Builders.

Ron McGregor, Co-Founder McGregor Garrow Architects

Ivan McKee, Partner, Partner, Greenfold Partners

Duncan McKellar, Owner, McKellar Sub Sea

Fiona McKenzie, Director and Co-Founder, Centre Stage Music Theatre

Sheila McLean, Director, Muriel Management Ltd

Brian McManus, Managing Partner Pisces Engineering Services

Ian and Thea McMillan, Directors, Chambers McMillan Architects Ltd

Isabell McNicoll, Owner, Business Time Saver

Les Meikle, Owner, Wise Property Care

James Meldrum, Proprietor of Mel Décor

Robert Miller Director , McAdam King Glasgow

Morag Milligan, Operations Manager, Milligan’s Coach Hire

David Morrison, Director, Sangobeg

Barry Morrison, Owner of Barry Morrison Timber Harvesting Ltd

Stephen Mulhern, Owner of Lendrick Lodge

Brian Munro, Owner, Pat Munro Construction

Jil Murphy, Co-Founder Thin Red Line Design

Alan Murphy, Owner of Inverness Cash Registers

Ron Murray, Founder, Safety Scotland

Yvonne Murray Director, Northern Roots Events

Omar Nabi, Director, Ahmad & Nabi McMulan

Muhammad Naveed, Managing Partner, Clyde Accountants

Mian Naveed Qasar, Chief Executive, Vision International Ltd

Alan Neill, Director, Neill Technical Services

Bruce Newlands, Director , Kraft Architecture

Richard Nicol, Chief Executive Commsworld

Douglas Norris, MD Of Datec

Mairi Oakley, Owner of Darach

Eunice Olumide, Entrepreneur

Eddie O’Neill, Owner, Translations for Industry

Gillian & Kevin O’Neill, Founder of 29 Studios

Sandy Orr, Co-Founder, Mint Hotels

Mike Peddie, Owner of Secret Scotland

Dr. Mireille Pouget, Director of Erin

Professor Nathu Puri, Founder, Purico

Jamie Rae, Chief Executive, Craignish Development Group

Frank Ralph, Shorline Motors and Property Limited

Mohammed Ramzan, Chairman, United Wholesale Grocers

Anne Rendall, Vine Marketing Group

Nighet Riaz, Owner of Riaz Property

Andrew Richardson, Owner Tax Assist Accountants

Mark Riddell, MD of M3 Networks

Jan Robertson, Manager of Willow Bank House

Andrew Robertson MD, 1st Eco Tech Ltd

Michelle Rodger, Founder of Tartan Cat Communications

Vivienne Rollo, Owner, Kishorn Seafood Bar

Bill Samuel, Private investor

Jim Savage, Director, Chemikal Records

James Scott, Former Executive Director, Scottish Financial Enterprise

Adrian Searle, Co-Founder of Freight Books / Freight Design

Ashfaq Shaq, Director, A Shah & Co Ltd

Kenneth Shaw, Owner, Canape Wines

Mark Shaw, Chief Executive, Hazledene Group

Kevan Shaw, Owner of KSLD

Tommy Sheppard, Director of Salt’n’Sauce Promotions

Muhammad Shoaib, Shoaib Associates

Alan Simpson, Owner of Minute Man Press Paisley

Helen and Mark Smith, Directors, Montana Home Care

Mark Sorsa-Leslie, Director, Zargonic

Sir Brian Souter, Chairman of Stagecoach Group plc

Stewart Spence, Owner of Marcliffe Hotel

Jim Spowart, Founder, Standard Life Bank and Intelligent Finance

Alasdair Stephen, Director Owner, Hebridean Homes

Neil Stephen, Partner, Dualchas Building Design

Philip Stewart Owner, Kangaroo Print

Gary Sutherland, Director, Harrowden IT

Neil Sutherland, MD, Makar Ltd.

William Tait, Director, Klondyke Fishing Company Limited

Frank Taylor, Owner of Indigo Sun

Robert Taylor, Director, Iformis Ltd.

Michelle Thomson, Director, Your Property Shop

Christine and Robert Thomson, Owners of Cairngorms Solutions Ltd

Ralph Topping, Retired as Chief Executive of William Hill plc this month

Angus Tulloch, Edinburgh Fund Manager

David Urquhart, Founder of David Urquhart Travel

Malcolm Wadia, Director, Plysim

Abdul Wahid, Director, Kashmir Stores Ltd

Dr. Jim Walker, Chief Executive, Asianomics Group

Gerry Wallace, MD, GEM Lift Services

James Wallace, Owner of Alba Business Service

Euan Walls, Owner of Innovate Create

Terry Walls, MD of TEW Stationers

Ron Warbrick, MD of Frame Shop and Gallery

Dennis Webster, MD of Fireisk

Fergus Weir, MD of Teclan Ltd

Robertson Wellen, Proprietor, Ferintosh

Allan Whiteside, MD, Direct Line Timber

Willie Wilson, Owner, Thistle Pharmacies

David Wood, Owner, Northern Oils Group

Ivan Wood, Director, Ivan Wood and Sons Ltd

Ronnie Young, Director of Aquatron Ltd

Lorna Young, Owner, Indigo Words

Muzaffar Yusaf, Owner, Yusaf Co. Ltd