Sir, – Hopefully, when the EU referendum hysteria settles down, perhaps some rationality will return to the debate.
Nicola Sturgeon has painted herself into a corner. She has committed herself to joining the EU at any price without even seeing what deal will be done with the UK on Brexit and the trade and cultural deals which await Britain with the rest of the world.
It is difficult to comprehend why Ms Sturgeon would wish our nation to be shackled to the euro and the claustrophobic environment of Europe where policies, laws and regulations are by diktat rather than consent.
In the EU, nations lose sovereignty and laws passed by an elected legislature are subject to the supremacy of the European Court of Justice.
Commissioners decide policy and have the power under the Treaty of Maastricht to override in secret any decision of the European Parliament at will and even to issue commission regulations that bypass it altogether.
An independent Scotland (even if it could meet the fiscal requirements of joining the EU) would have as much influence over the way the EU governs our lives as a sapling has in stopping an advancing glacier.
I do not believe that Scots want to become subordinate to a faceless elite whose allegiance is big politics and big business.
It would appear that the English and Welsh working men and women have rumbled the set up while Ms Sturgeon voted with the one place her party used to eagerly vilify: London.
I have every confidence that in time the majority of Scots (and Northern Irish) will see through the EU grip on control and join their English and Welsh compatriots in resisting the dead hand of European hegemony by seeking in union with them the amazing opportunities that the world has to offer.
Iain G Richmond.
Guildy House,
Monikie.
SNP should accept result
Sir, – There may be nothing legally or politically to stop Ms Sturgeon holding a second Scottish independence referendum but what about morally?
Alex Salmond pledged that there would be no second referendum for a generation, even if he lost by just one vote.
I took him at his word, and I think most people did.
There was not a second question on the ballot paper in 2014 asking people if they wanted a second referendum.
If Ms Sturgeon seriously wants to subject the people of Scotland to yet another referendum then the “how often” question is the one she should start with.
On September 18 2014 the people of Scotland were asked a question and there was a clear majority in favour of Scotland staying in the UK.
That was the decision. That was the result.
Perhaps the England football team should now offer Ms Sturgeon its manager’s job, then the next time it loses a match she can refuse to accept the result and insist on it being replayed over and over until her team wins.
Sheena Leszke.
23 Tayside Crescent,
Aberfeldy.
We owe apology to Europeans
Sir, – I want to apologise unreservedly to all members of the European Parliament for the crude, abusive criticism directed at them by Nigel Farage during Tuesday’s debate on the UK’s vote to leave the EU.
I was shocked by his insults, including an accusation that hardly any of them had ever done a proper job in their lives.
Jean-Claude Juncker’s response was admirably restrained, but I felt totally ashamed of Mr Farage’s attack.
His arrogance, triumphalism and sheer nastiness will now have a huge adverse impact on David Cameron’s attempts to offer an olive branch to his European counterparts.
Mr Farage is dangerous. Thanks to him and to a large proportion of Brexit voters who think like him, the UK is now seeing the unleashing of xenophobic attacks on bewildered Europeans and on those from further afield.
He has given carte blanche to racist thugs who would have been prime candidates as Hitler’s stormtroopers.
I urge everyone who has an interest in retaining good relationships with our European neighbours to publicly condemn Nigel Farage for his arrogant attack on the entire European Parliament membership.
Carolyn Taylor.
16 Gagiebank,
Wellbank,
Broughty Ferry.
Bring on new referendum
Sir, – In reply to Mr Robert I G Scott (June 28) I wonder if he is perhaps running a bit scared at the thought of another Scottish independence referendum? He seems to feel the outcome will just be exactly the same as the last one and would just be a waste of time.
Well I wonder. He says Better Together campaigners organised by Conservatives, Labour, and Lib-Dems can be resurrected to effect the same outcome.
How many of those who voted No back then, did so because of all these Better Together campaigners telling them the only way Scotland could remain in the European Union was to stay within the United Kingdom?
David Cameron did so knowing he had already promised a referendum on Europe. How disillusioned, if not even betrayed, those voters must feel now when we are being dragged out of Europe against our will.
Bring on the next referendum and this time get it right for Scotland.
Robert Donald.
Denhead Farm,
Ceres.
A threat to Scots people
Sir, – Proud Scots who are also supporters of the union are weary of hearing Nicola Sturgeon say she speaks for all of the Scottish people.
The truth is she speaks only for herself and her inward-looking party.
Delusions of grandeur had her summoning the media to Bute House so she could pontificate in presidential style.
She announced that Scotland had, by a large majority, voted to stay in the EU. Ms Sturgeon ignored the fact that more than one million of her fellow Scots, just short of a fifth of the country, voted for Leave.
The First Minister also appears to take perverse pleasure in constantly threatening the Scots with another referendum.
RHL Mulheron.
28 Cowgate,
Tayport.
EU would not take Scotland
Sir, – The idea the SNP may attempt to justify the outcome of the Leave vote for another Scottish referendum or for Ms Sturgeon to pretend there can be some special arrangements for parts of the UK who voted to Remain cannot be taken seriously.
It was a UK-wide referendum which was based on much better terms (rebate, opt-out clauses and currency) than an independent Scotland could ever achieve in the future.
Many of us who supported a UK-style Remain would never vote for any lesser Scottish terms that may eventually be on offer.
Ms Sturgeon should know an independent Scotland could not be accepted by the EU because its fiscal deficit is well short of the criteria required to join and would require a bail-out package from day one.
Then there is the fact we export 65% of our goods and services to the rest of the UK compared to only 17% to the EU making it a nonsense to argue we should protect the minor market at the expense of our existing, larger, domestic market.
We have challenging times ahead but it is not only irresponsible for the SNP to indulge in political posturing but it is potentially very harmful to our economy.
Ian Lakin.
Pinelands,
Murtle Den Road,
Milltimber.
We are better off sinking ship
Sir, – The SNP and its associates ignore the delayed-action earthquake bomb which Brexit has dropped smack onto the European project.
The British vote has caused panic in Brussels because it will lead to other referenda which will have the same result.
The anti-federalist forces across Europe will be so energised by Brexit that Britain will be the first but not the last to exit. So why should Scotland board a sinking ship?
It would appear that democracy is only acceptable if the result is the “correct” one.
The independence referendum was, according to Alex Salmond, a once-in-a-generation event. Yet minutes after the Prime Minister had resigned on Friday morning, Mr Salmond had elbowed his way onto the BBC Today programme to claim a second referendum was inevitable.
William Loneskie.
9 Justice Park,
Oxton,
Lauder.