Sir, - It is true that hardly anyone in Scotland voted Tory in the general election in May. However, because lots of English and Welsh people did, we will suffer the pains of a London, Tory budget.

It is certainly now clear that when George Osborne said that we were “all in it together” and when others united with the Tories in the “better together” camp, they didn’t really mean it.

Contrast a few examples of his support for the wealthy: reduced top rate of tax and inheritance tax free up to £1 million, with his attack on the poor: reduced working tax credits; end of housing benefit to those under 21 and an arbitrary benefits cap that takes no account of need.

Few, if any, in Clackmannanshire will reap the benefits handed out to the rich - who do you know that plans to leave a million in their will?

However, lots of local working families will feel the pain of reduced tax credits while the attack on housing benefits for under-21s will hit single parents (women in the main) and homeless people in temporary housing disproportionately. Year after year, more than a quarter of a £1 million will be ripped from the poor and the local economy from this one cut.

So it should be no surprise that the Tories continue to feed the over privileged in our society at the expense of the poor. That’s why the people of Clackmannanshire and Scotland don’t vote for them.

But how much of a surprise was it when the acting leader of the London Labour Party announced Labour’s support for Osborne’s so called welfare reform?

Those, who mainly out of misplaced loyalty to a long gone Labour Party, voted labour in the recent past should note that while the Labour and Tory parties are still together, things are far from better. - Yours etc., Archie Drummond Benbuck View Coalsnaughton Fracking - for it or against it?

Sir, - I note that The Times front page (Thursday 16 July) claims that the SNP Government told the head of Ineos (£650 millions invested) that they are not against fracking.

What a coincidence that my letter [on the subject] was published one day earlier in your very newspaper.

So it seems you’re ahead of the news.

Just watch this space. - Yours etc., Bob Cuthbert Alloa