Sir, In reply to Brian MacFarlane’s letter, It is not all over yet (October 8), he, like many others, seems to forget that the referendum was a democratic vote which was won by the majority voting to remain as part of the UK.
It seems that those campaigning for independence, having lost the vote, cannot accept this and continue to campaign for independence.
This, of course, is their right, but the SNP themselves stated that if the vote was to stay in the UK there would not be another referendum for at least a generation.
Whilst upholding their right to carry on campaigning for independence surely their priorities now should be aimed at ensuring that Westminster keeps its promise of more devolved powers.
One of the other things the SNP keep repeating is that the Scots voters did not vote for a Tory government but they seem to forget that not all voters wanted an SNP government in Scotland.
Can we now please move on and concentrate on getting the best deal for the Scottish people from Westminster?
I Pearson. 1/R 8 Fintry Mains, Dundee.
Will moaning and whingeing ever stop?
Sir, Mr B Macfarlane’s letter of October 8 raises quite a number of questions.
The first, and main one, is: will the moaning and whingeing ever stop? The ink was barely dry on the result when it started.
The separatists were well beaten and considering the fact that those who didn’t vote at all were almost certainly happy with the status quo, 45% is quite a flattering figure.
The No campaign accepted the result, retired from the hustings, no triumphalism, no celebrity venue booked, no Champagne on ice! In other words the British way. One has to wonder about an organisation that thinks 45% is greater than 55%.
Despite having the psychologically favoured Yes option, despite bringing in legislation enfranchising 16+ teenagers, despite being opposed by the most flaccid and hopeless campaign at any election I have ever witnessed, they still lost!
Of course the separatists are entitled to keep their hopes for a separate nation, but dividing the nation once every generation is more than enough and it really is time to stop this macho, semi-sinister style of campaign and accept the will of the majority.
That’s the British Way. It’s called basic democracy!
J Davie. 33 Aberdour Place, Broughty Ferry.
Did non-Scots affect outcome of the vote?
Sir, I have been led to believe that in the recent referendum anybody living and working in Scotland was allowed to register as a voter, even if they were not of Scottish descent or had not applied for citizenship of our country.
If this is true, can someone tell me how many actual Scots voted and did any of what I have mentioned change how the voting went?
I know for a fact that other countries will only allow people to vote in any election if they are citizens and the length of time living and working in that country does not count.
June Reid. 12 Findhorn Street, Fintry, Dundee.
It’s an exciting opportunity for rail travel here
Sir, I have to say how pleased I am about the news that First Group lost its trains franchise and that the Dutch organisation Abellio is going to be running it over the next 10 years.
It’s time this country made changes to its rail network in order to keep on track with the rest of the world.
I know the decision has caused anger and resentment among unions. However, as a much travelled rail customer over the years across many countries in Europe, including the Netherlands, I have to say that the service is far better in the Netherlands than I have ever experienced in Scotland.
I have always found travelling on trains in Scotland to be, on the whole, a disappointing, overpriced, disorganised and a poor experience with a shortage of carriages leading to overcrowded and uncomfortable trains.
The proposed price changes are exciting, with a discount fare being offered for job-seekers. And 23% more carriage space across the network is bound to reduce overcrowding. I think this is an exciting opportunity for Scottish train travel.
Gordon Kennedy. 117 Simpson Square, Perth.
Denied access to national rail services
Sir, Among the many inducements cited as the basis for awarding Abellio the new ScotRail franchise such as low fares, new rolling stock, cycle hire, conspicuously absent is any intention to extend railservices to major centres of population presently unserved.
All these incentives completely bypass the 45,000 plus residents of Levenmouth and the East Neuk as long as the five-mile stretch of branch line between Leven and Thornton on the mainline remains mothballed under Network Rail’s control.
This continuing exclusion is a running sore for angry local residents denied access to national rail services.
Ken Maclagan. 2 Union Place, Leven.
Not the gentle well-mannered sport after all
Sir, In trying to judge the tone of M Morton’s letter, More than just a few boos . . . (October 8), I can’t work out if he was happy that the First Minister of Scotland was booed, or if he was merely reporting that there was a considerable amount of unacceptable behaviour which did not do Scotland’s reputation for friendliness any favours.
I must admit to having very little time for this extremely slow game, but did watch the presentations as a matter of interest, but only because it was held in Perthshire.
Football fans often come in for attack over their behaviour but after this incident it just goes to prove that idiots will turn up and try their best to spoil any occasion (however boring).
Now that the circus has moved on and probably won’t return for many years, I hope golf fans are a little more contrite when waxing lyrical on it being a very gentle and good-mannered sport.
Bryan Auchterlonie. Bluebell Cottage, Ardargie.
Never mind poll tax what about bankers?
Sir, I almost choked on my toast when I reached the centre pages of The Courier the other day and saw above Jenny Hjul’s column the headline Once you let one lot of crooks off the hook where do you stop?
She’s finally got round to writing about the bankers, I thought. But no, it was about people who hadn’t paid their poll tax . . . 20 years ago.
So the bankers almost bankrupt the world by their crooked greed, and systematically lose billions of pounds of customers’ money over an extended period of time and basically get away with it, while poor people, who, for whatever reason, didn’t pay a small sum in tax two decades ago, should be hounded for the cash because they had the effrontery to register to vote “yes” in the referendum.
Fortunately she’s only in the Courier once a week, so my blood pressure has six days to return to normal before her next dose of Tory tosh.
Les Mackay. 5 Carmichael Gardens, Dundee