I WANT an apology and I think I am entitled to it. My belief in self-determination for Scotland reduced to “extremism” because Sunak declares it so. My belief in self-determination for Scotland, democratically given voice in the current UK parliamentary system, labelled “extremist” because Sunak finds it at odds with his. My belief in self-determination for Scotland likened to positions held by authoritarian states because Sunak ... I guess it takes one to know one.

I just want out. Only a UK extremist would deny me the right to choose.

I Easton
Glasgow

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SO the current Prime Minister believes that Scottish nationalists are extremists – what a surprise. In compiling his list of extremists, I wonder if he considered any of the following:

• a former prime minister and a chancellor (now the PM) who wilfully broke the Covid rules to have a drink and a laugh while families were denied the last chance to see a dying relative;

• a former prime minister who lasted less than 50 days but managed to crash the UK economy in that short period;

• a government who appoints an energy regulator that does nothing as UK consumers are fleeced by energy companies making obscene profits;

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• a government that spends £37 billion on a track and test scheme for Covid which failed, but no-one has explained where the money went;

• a government which refuses to act against the massive fraud committed via dodgy Covid contracts and schemes;

• a PM who seems to have a knack of signing off massive contracts with Infosys – a firm owned by his wife’s family;

• a former chancellor who owed £5 million in taxes but was allowed to clear that debt without any criminal proceedings – of course he’s a member of the same party which hounds people who claim benefits, but clearly under the UK there are different rules for the rich.

The UK now has probably the most corrupt government we have ever seen – the amount of public money funnelled to friends, family and funders of the Tory party (including their MPs) could easily have improved public services, but obviously that was too radical for them to even think of.

Cllr Kenny MacLaren
Paisley

NOW, I’m no legal expert, but one thing I do know is when the Prime Minister made his stupid remarks about me, the SNP and half the Scottish population, he did so outside of the protection of the chamber of the House of Commons. In other words, unlike inside the chamber, the laws of criminal slander apply. I wonder how long Mr Sunak’s fortune will last against 2.5 million lawsuits?

Andrew Haddow
Glasgow

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THE recent stooshie about the word “nationalism” is back to haunt us. Quite simply, we are not nationalists. I have already covered this in previous letters. For brevity, there is British nationalism and English nationalism. Using Freudian analysis, the UK Government is transferring its guilt about nationalism onto us. It also demonises immigrants, the poor, the unemployed, migrants (700, 000 English people happily live in Scotland) and occupants of small boats.

Nationalism is a colonial word and really means, for example, “Iceland, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Scotland are, or were, too wee and too stupid to look after themselves”.

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The colonialist British rule of engagement is Britannia RULES THE WAVES and no country can survive without it. Arrogance and exceptionalism abound. A country is either ethnic nationalist or civic nationalist. The idealised type of nationalist countries were Italy, Germany and Spain. NONE of these countries were fighting for independence. The term “nationalist” is a misnomer in the Scottish context.

We are a movement of social democrats who merely wish to regain independence backed by the United Nations' right to self-determination. We do not need rUK's permission to become independent. Nor did Rhodesia, the United States, Canada and a host of others. If not now, when?

WJ Graham
East Kilbride

“WE are going to road-test all of our policies to destruction in opposition” – this is the quote from Anas Sarwar on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland on Tuesday.

What does “road-testing to destruction while in opposition” actually mean in terms of policies? How does the testing work? Who does the testing? How will he report on changes to the policies?

This seems to be just more “word salad” from the Scottish Labour leader, as we all are aware that UK Labour holds his leash and will dictate what Scottish Labour can and cannot do or not do.

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Road-testing to my mind would mean taking a policy to government and taking it through the committee stages.

Starmer will not want any “wedge” issues to create divisions that Sunak could take and run with.

It would or could lead Rishi to declare that UK Labour were “extremists”.

Alistair Ballantyne
Angus

SO half of Scotland’s population are extremists, and an accelerating number in Wales, and of course at least half of NI – no mention of any of them in the speech. The fact we are being attacked on so many levels and are considered a threat to the future of the UK shows Westminster knows we have over 50% support for independence. The words from Sunak make Humza’s “let’s make Scotland Tory(MP)-free” speech look tame!

Flora Robertson
via thenational.scot