Sir, – Some elements among Scotland’s trade union and labour movement are alarmed to the point of panic at the repeat near wipe-out of Scottish Labour MPs.
With each election success, but based on a minority of votes cast, the SNP leadership keep banging on about a second Scottish “independence” referendum and it is becoming increasingly irksome to the majority of Scotland’s inhabitants.
We have already had a referendum on that topic and, by a margin of two million votes to 1.6 million votes, we decided to remain in the UK.
Scotland’s separatist losers’ argument is worse than that of the EU remainiac losers.
Support for independence languishes at 45%, has not budged since 2014 and once we leave the European Union, probably without a deal, will plummet.
At the weekend the SNP EU spokesperson admitted that after January 31, when Britain exits the EU, Scotland would have to reapply for membership and, as a new accession country, would eventually have to adopt the euro and join the Shengen travel area.
In the interim period they have no idea whether to continue using sterling as Scotland’s currency or launch an entirely new currency for which they have no adequate support funding mechanism.
The SNP leadership’s attraction to financial, economic and social masochism is not shared by the great majority of Scottish voters and should be resolutely opposed by the country’s trade union and Labour movement.
If it becomes unavoidable and to put the issue to rest, give the whining nationalists their referendum, just to shut them up, when they are in no position to win, like autumn 2021, with radical federalism on the ballot paper in an all-Britain poll.
Raymond Mennie.
49 Ashbank Road,
Dundee.
Sour grapes over poll result
Sir, – As someone who writes periodically, I find it hard to accept there are some who write to your column who are published regardless of what they write.
I refer on this occasion to the Rev Dr John Cameron whose latest letter (More childish behaviour, Courier, December 19) beggars belief.
What a childish, sarcastic, sour grapes of a letter directed at the Scottish Nationalist Party who won a landslide victory at the recent election.
It comes across to me that he has written this to salve his “petted lip” after his beloved unionists were almost wiped out in Scotland. Some people can accept defeat graciously while others sulk and deride.
It surprises me that a man of the cloth can be so cynical in his observation of an election outcome.
Robert Donald.
Denhead Farm,
Ceres.
Johnson’s defeat was even bigger
Sir, – It is entertaining as always to read the latest nonsense from Dr Cameron et al on why the remarkable victory which the SNP achieved in the recent general election is, in fact, a defeat.
It is indeed true that the SNP achieved 45% of the vote; which gave them 81% of the seats in Scotland.
Apparently this means they were beaten.
By Dr Cameron’s logic, as the Conservatives achieved only 43.6% of the vote (56% of seats), 56.4% voted against them and they have suffered an even bigger defeat; therefore Mr Johnson’s government should stand down.
I look forward to an explanation from him as to why this is not the case; it should make us laugh.
John Craig.
West Cottage,
Guthrie, Forfar.
Hair’s election analysis unfair
Sir, – I read with disgust that Kirstene Hair, recently sacked as MP by the good people of Angus, said that the thrashing of the Tories in Scotland had nothing to do with Scots getting their freedom from Westminster’s nasty Tory domination.
This is rich indeed.
Nowhere in Scotland did a single Tory put forward a positive policy during the campaign.
Every single leaflet, every single giant banner polluting rich farmers’ fields only said “Vote Conservative to stop a second independence referendum”. Every single one.
For Ms Hair to now argue, after her rejection by the people, that the election was nothing to do with the right for the people of Scotland to decide our own future is a bare faced whopper of the sort that her former boss Boris Johnson would be very proud.
The earliest plan of this toxic Tory Government – to cut taxes for the rich corporations and hedge fund companies that fund the Conservative Party – illustrates exactly why Scotland rejects the Tories at every possible opportunity.
K Heath.
Cortachy,
Kirriemuir.
Sauce for the goose…
Sir, – The reasons people vote the way they do are many and varied.
The first minister of Scotland believes there is now a mandate for another referendum on Scottish independence.
I would suggest the recent increase in the number of SNP MPs has more to do with anti-Brexit sentiment than with the Scottish Government’s record on health, education, transport etc.
I would also suggest the surge towards the Conservative and Unionist Party had more to do with “getting Brexit done” than anything else.
But if the first minister believes she has a mandate for another referendum, surely she should acknowledge that Prime Minister Boris Johnston and his new government have a mandate from voters in England to maintain the union.
As with Brexit, it is for the whole UK to determine its future and not for one part of it to demand self-determination.
What may be sauce for the goose should also be sauce for the gander.
C J Allan.
Mansefield,
Tealing.
No comeback for nuclear vets
Sir, – I note the Queen’s Speech included an increase in the Armed Forces Protection Bill.
But what protection is being made, for Service Nuclear Veterans to combat the courts of the War Pensions and Armed Forces Compensation Chamber?
Unlike the British criminal courts, there appears to be no redress to correct the incorrect decisions made by these “kangaroo” courts.
David Whyte.
Blackcraigs,
Kirkcaldy.
