Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – The Scottish national Party has some members who have socialist values, whilst others have leanings towards the Conservatives, Liberals, etc.
What all SNP members have in common is a desire for Scotland to be an independent nation.
Now that there is to be a referendum on whether or not Scotland gets independence it seems to me that the days of the Scottish National Party are numbered, because once the referendum is over and done with, either way, the SNP will be no longer required.
I say this because the purpose of the SNP’s existence is to gain independence for Scotland. Therefore, if Scotland votes ”Yes” to independence the SNP will have achieved its purpose.
If that happens the SNP should immediately disband as, in all future elections thereafter, the main issue for Scottish voters would be to decide the shape of the Scottish Government and voters would be required to decide if they wanted to be ruled by Socialists or Tories or Liberals, etc.
If the SNP (in an independent Scotland) still consisted of members of various different political leanings (as at present) there would inevitably be internal disputes within the party.
In other words people living in Scotland should then vote for political parties such as Scottish Labour, or Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Liberals, etc, according to each individual voter’s view as there would be no further point in voting for a nationalist party in future elections if Scotland already has independence.
However, if the result of the referendum is ”No” to independence then the SNP should still disband immediately thereafter because they would have failed in their purpose, (to achieve independence), as Alex Salmond and David Cameron have both agreed to accept the result of the forthcoming referendum.
Kenneth Brannan.42 Greenlee Drive,Dundee.
Do we need Mary’s Meals?
Sir, – Your extensive and informative article, “Make a meal of it” (October 19) reveals a shocking fact: in rich Scotland, a major food producer, children go to school starving! It is well-known that since 1955 governments, even Labour, have seen the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer in real terms.
Older people on meagre state pensions have to choose between heating and eating, while power companies and supermarkets get richer and pay larger dividends.
Perhaps we need Mary’s meals which you reported on earlier? These have been a lifeline to children in Malawi where I sponsor (with monthly contibutions to planinternational.com), six-year-old Emmanuel Zimba who thankfully is healthy and well-fed but most likely on maize and little else.
We all need daily intakes of first-class protein such as fish, eggs and lean meat.
Fortunately there is one vegan source of first-class protein: the small seeds called kinwa from the Andean plant Chernopodium quinoa. Kinwa is as easily cooked as rice and may be added to porridge, soups, stews, cereals and baking without change of flavour. A breakfast of oat and kinwa porridge with fruit and juice is a sustaining meal easily prepared. Kinwa can be bought at supermarkets and health food stores.
Will our present government be the first since 1955 to allow the poor to become better off? Please tell us how!
Peter Murray Spencer.Castleroy Crescent,Broughty Ferry.
Equality the key issue
Sir, – Gordon Wilson, chairman of Solas, did not, as reported in The Courier, October 19, state the ”people who seek equality are a danger”. He did state that he was against changing the definition of marriage for everyone in order to allow same-sex couples to marry.
Gordon Wilson is not against equality. But the key issue is what we mean by equality. I suspect that the Scottish Government and the rest of our political leaders are not (yet) for equality for brothers to marry or men to have more than one wife.
I am grateful for the opportunity to correct this.
David Robertson.Solas CPC,St Peter’s Free Church,4 St Peter Street,Dundee.
New link would be a real boon
Sir, – In Saturday’s Courier Michael Levack puts forward a very valid argument for the Aberdeen western peripheral route.
The same points would also apply to Perth if the long-proposed link from Inveralmond across the Tay to connect with the A93 and A94 north of Scone was ever constructed.
The extra bridge over the Tay, coupled with the reduction in the volume of unnecessary through traffic, would improve the environment of Perth, Bridgend and Scone beyond imagination.
How much longer must we wait?
Ian Sansom.116 Stormont Road,Scone.
Contention is at best misleading
Sir, – I am in agreement with the comments made by West End Community Council chairman Andrew McBride in his assessment of the proposed change to the site of the V&A Dundee Waterfront Project.
His assessment of the terms of the design brief and the conditions regarding cost and delivery within a timescale are correct and it is inconceivable that only after two years V&A at Dundee should have discovered a discrepancy in these requirements. V&A at Dundee’s contention that a major change to the site will not compromise the building’s conception and its design is at best misleading.
To draw a comparison, not a hundred yards away Tayside House would have been a perfectly acceptable building on another site.
Alex Gouick.13 Westfield Place,Dundee.
Thanks a lot Mr Salmond
Sir, – On Friday night, whilst watching the Cancer Charity Special on Channel 4, I got excited at Sainsbury’s TV advert, ”25% off all wine”.
I rushed up to Sainsbury’s at Dundee’s Claypotts junction on Saturday to get a few bottles to help eke out my pension. I do after all enjoy a glass of wine with my meals at the weekend.
Enthusiastically I entered the store hoping to be able to afford some better than normal wines thanks to the 25% discount, only to find the offer did not apply to Scotland.
Why? Because it breeches the Scottish Government’s ‘Binge Drinking’ law. So thank you Mr Salmond for deciding to curtail my limited enjoyment.
Well I suppose I could have been charged with being drunk in charge of a Zimmer at the weekend!
Bob Wilson.39 Maule Street,Monifieth.
Early-season pantos
Sir, – Irrespective of one’s political beliefs, the party political conferences always bring an air of hilarity and mirth prior to the start of the real Christmas Pantomines with the various actors always seeking centre stage!
John McDonald.14 Rosebery Court,Kirkcaldy.
Scotland could lead the way
Sir, – As a follower of Jesus I am totally against nuclear weapons. I am, therefore, deeply saddened that the Scottish National Party at its conference in Perth voted to remain a member of NATO yet rid Scotland of Trident if it wins the independence referendum.
For me nuclear weapons are evil, the total and utter opposite of peace. How then do I vote in the forthcoming referendum?
There are many issues on which I support the SNP and I believe Scotland could be a successful independent country. However, I cannot now vote SNP and the ”no” camp will keep Trident and membership of NATO if they win.
I want to vote and spoiling my ballot paper will achieve nothing.
If, however, there was the coming together under a different banner of people of faith and none opposed to nuclear weapons and NATO, SNP MSPs and party members prepared to give up their membership of the party because of this decision, then I believe we could challenge this evil.
It would mean some MSPs resigning their seats and standing again in a by-election and being elected under a new banner. It would take us into unknown territory. But the people of Scotland would be seen as giving the world a new lead in the search for lasting peace.
Grahame Lockhart.Myrtle Cottage,15 Scott Street,Brechin.
Armageddon autumn 2014
Sir, – It is now official that Armageddon will be with us during the autumn of 2014, when the children of Scotland will be asked to draw upon their cache of knowledge and experience to decide upon independence.
An historic occasion for the country and one which should be heralded with fireworks and cannon, were it not for the uncertainty and fears for the future.
A vote for independence will result in the country being led into the hands of the European Economic Community and euro, without a vote, only to swap one feudal system with another.
Is this the kind of democracy we want?
Independence is not enough we need to know what kind of country our vote will create. We have no indication whether Scotland will be socialist and nationalise public utilities, capitalist and encourage investment and growth, service for tourism and tax haven. Are we do be a democracy, a presidential republic, or a dictatorship?
There are so many unanswered questions, no information and so little time I believe Scotland will be conquered by politicians.
Alan Bell.Roods,Kirriemuir.
Who, exactly, is eligible to vote?
Sir, – Now that the holding of the referendum on Scottish independence has been agreed, I am wondering who is entitled to vote.
Will it be anyone on the current register, including English students studying in Scotland? Or will there be a residency qualification: five years; 10 years?
What about those of Scottish descent? My father left Dundee as a young man and I am of 100% Scottish ancestry on my father’s side.
His brothers all remained in Dundee and I still have cousins there, while my ancestors hailed from Dundee, Brechin and further north.
Deirdre Krymer (nee Fraser).34 Twisden Road,London.
“Local intervention” to remove Trident?
Sir, – The SNP conference in Perth produced an enthralling and passionate discussion over whether or not to endorse a resolution re membership of Nato, with the provisos that the removal of nuclear weapons, from an independent Scotland, is paramount to any agreement as soon as possible within an independent Scotland.
There could be a way out that may satisfy all who have now endorsed this SNP resolution by the way of joining the growing band of Nuclear Free Local Authorities that are on the increase throughout the UK and Ireland.
The many Scottish cities and towns that have harbours that could accommodate a nuclear weapons establishment or submarine base would then be accountable to the local authority.
Could this small part of ”local intervention” be the way of speeding up the process of the complete removal of America’s and Westminster’s Trident programme from our shores? Nuclear carrying ships have been refused docking in other towns in nuclear free bases before.
Bob Harper.63a Pittenweem Road,Anstruther.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.