I HAVE been a designer of chemical equipment for more than 40 years using complex mathematical models, measured or estimated data and a host of assumptions. The final result included a service factor to allow for variations in the accuracy of the answer – usually of at least 20 per cent.

I imagine the recent economic forecasts of how the UK would perform in or out of the EU would be even more complicated and uncertain, as nation economies do not answer to the laws of science or fluid mechanics. Accordingly, it does seem strange that these various economic predictions all appear scattered on the negative side if the UK were to leave the EU, being described in such unquantitative terms as very bad or . Perhaps the economists just use a dart board suitably scored to suit Mr Cameron’s EU campaign, as he scripted last year.

John Batley,

Willow Cottage, Buchlyvie, Stirling.

JUNE 1975 was a missed opportunity for the UK: in the referendum a majority voted to stay in the European Community, while our first oil was produced from the North Sea.

Since 1973 Britain has paid £380 billion into EU coffers. Total tax receipts from oil and gas production since 1975 have exceeded £330 billion.

So, instead of investing in an oil fund for future generations, we have sent all our oil money to the corrupt, unelected regime in Belgium.

We should remember that when membership is granted to key US ally Turkey and to Albania, a further 82 million people will be free to come and live in the EU.

On June 23, we should head for the exit.

Terence Moore,

111 2/1, Petershill Road, Springburn, Glasgow.

LIKE Richard Mowbray I too am ''appalled by the hypocrisy, disingenuousness, the deceit and manipulation being displayed by the party leadership during the EU referendum campaign'' (Letters, May 19).

However unlike Mr Mowbray, a Conservative voter, I hold this opinion on all matters pertaining to the actions of the present Conservative leadership in their self-serving, vindictive and utterly contemptible governance of the UK.

As he quotes Abraham Lincoln to support his case against the Conservatives he may gain comfort from some other words attributed to Lincoln, which may soon come to pass: ''A house divided against itself cannot stand.''

James Mills,

29 Armour Square, Johnstone.

HAVING been open to listening to and viewing every argument for and against the EU membership, I am still very undecided which way to vote on June 23. What I am more convinced about is the need for Scotland to become independent. Whatever the result of the referendum, Scotland will be answerable to and dependent upon another government and I cannot see the better of the two facing us: Westminster or Strasbourg? Rather we go on “survival mode” and find our own level to self-govern - or must I face facts of life and surrender to being a minnow, easily gobbled up by the larger fish?

Janet Cunningham,

1 Cedar Avenue, Stirling.