Sir, Your columnist Jenny Hjul takes Nicola Sturgeon to task because she has “challenged Unionists to “spell out in detail” their plans for Scotland if independence is rejected”, Ms Hjul’s stance being that “on the big issues . . . the case is already made for staying within the United Kingdom”.
This is the United Kingdom which has been in gradual decline for over 100 years, one of the most unequal countries in the developed world, with the rich getting immeasurably richer, and the poor being driven into the ground, run by a cabal of millionaire ex-public school chums with little knowledge of, and less interest in, the needs of ordinary people, whether Scottish or English.
Ms Hjul specifically mentions issues such as economic stability, membership of the EU and defence as being reasons, beyond dispute, to remain in the UK.
This is the economic stability of the City of London, which played a large part in bankrupting the western world and, because of the feeble measures put in place to curb the bankers speculative greed, is quite likely to do so again.
Membership of the EU is more likely to be terminated by UK referendum than by expulsion of an independent, economically strong Scotland.
In an independent Scotland, defence would mean defence, not reckless and disastrous military adventures in parts of the world which are none of our business.
So, for me, Ms Hjul, the case for staying within the UK has certainly not been made.
Les Mackay. 5 Carmichael Gardens, Dundee.
Better to stick with the devil you know
Sir, I fully understand David Roche’s call for people to “make Scotland a better place, free from the dead hand of Westminster rule”. It might even resonate with me come referendum time, but for one thing.
Can someone please explain to me how removing the “dead hand of Westminster rule” and replacing it with the even more moribund hand of Brussels, is going to make Scotland a better place?
If Scotland were truly to be free and not reliant on the EU for alms and handouts in return for doing what we are told by Brussels, I just might be convinced to support a call to “make Scotland a better place” in September.
However, replacing one set of “foreign” rulers with another, especially another as undemocratic as the EU, seems to me to be utter folly. I’d rather stick with what I know.
(Captain) Ian F McRae. 17, Broomwell Gardens, Monikie.
Thinking too small?
Sir, The proposed separation of Scotland from the UK is small thinking and selfish. If there is to be any separation of the UK it should be at the level of Stoke on Trent, which would give the North East and North West of England a partnership with Scotland, with which to make a real job of getting a better deal for the less affluent parts of the UK. It could be called the Northern Alliance.
The loss of Scotland from the UK is probably politically and economically quite attractive to the Southern part of the UK anyway, so achieves nothing in the larger and better order of what could be done.
Malcolm Parkin. 15 Gamekeepers Road, Kinnesswood, Kinross.
“Dull and drab” Perth shock
Sir, Recently I chatted with a much-travelled relative businessman, during the course of which I asked him what he thought of Perth.
It was a shock when he said “dull and drab” an opinion held by many people he came in contact with.
I asked him: “What, then, would you do about it?”
“Perth needs a well placed, good hotel to start with,” he said.
I immediately visualised the council offices in the High Street ideal!
Where would the council workers go, the City Hall of course.
Your article in Friday’s paper certainly brought home to us that we have a very special building in our midst. The council could share it with a tourist information centre if they considered it too big!
Mrs F. Kirkland. Flat B7 Oaklands, Perth.
In danger of losing identity
Sir, Your correspondent George Betty (letters column, January 8) might do better to learn at least a little about native place names rather than work towards total elimination of an ancient tongue.
If nothing else, such knowledge could at least be used for the benefit of much-valued tourists.
Like the majority of my fellow countrymen, I cannot speak my native Welsh, but that same majority would, like me, have no difficulty in directing someone to Abertawe (Swansea), Castell Nedd (Neath), Hwlffordd (Haverfordwest) or a thousand other places named in both the native tongue and English, even though it is nearly 60 years since I first came north.
I think that if you lose your culture, you lose your identity.
Laurie Richards. 100 Crail Road, Cellardyke.