MS May, I cannot be the only person, by a substantial six-figure count at least, who finds your treatment of the Brain family work visa issue stupidly counter-productive, repulsively cruel, probably illegal, and certainly counter to any version of natural justice. Given the unquantifiable but certainly unaffordable cost of legal challenge, of course, this is most unlikely to be tested in the sequence of courts your department would undoubtedly drag it through – but it must surely be thoroughly questionable in law to open a path to study and work in this country, and then cut off the second part of the scheme after any individual has entered on the first part of that path, and in so doing has uprooted her family, travelled as far round the world as is possible to get here, and committed absolutely to life and work in Scotland.

It is all the more absurd that Kathryn Brain duly completed the studies on which their entry to Scotland was based, and has now obtained the offer of appropriate, related work which would enable her and her family to be self-supporting while working to improve the local economy. Her husband Gregg has also been offered a post, which would make the family even more secure and of course thoroughly unlikely to be in any way a charge on the public purse.

What you and your minions are doing might be compared to offering a car for sale to a buyer who needs it for transport to work, then, after they’ve paid for it – as the Brains did by taking the leap of coming here and investing in Kathryn’s degree – saying, “Oh – but you can’t have the engine, and we won’t let you buy another one either”. James Brokenshire might have a flimsy tissue of apparent justification in pointing out that the terms of a scheme might be subject to change – but not, clearly, under any scheme of natural justice, change blocking the way for those already accepted and arrived and embarked on the scheme. That’s the “logic” of moral illiterates.

Whether you are doing this to demonstrate that you have an ample supply of testosterone and no boundaries or principles in “controlling” immigration, or whether (perish the thought, but it’s unignorable) you’re demonstrating that, since the referendum result (won by the No camp on a fraudulent prospectus of lies and threats) those uppity Jocks are going to be publicly put in their place at every opportunity, is immaterial. A family who came here on a prospectus of fair opportunity, and a chance to prove themselves, have been cheated and are now being threatened by the sort of “We’re always right, so suck it up” life-wrecking tyranny that has gained totalitarian states opprobrium and infamy. This also, of course, wrecks the prospects of any other enterprising, ambitious and able would-be immigrants risking their future by trying to come here where they might help to repopulate and energise the Scottish economy.

So well done, Ms May; you’ve proved once again that Scotland’s business is never going to get fair or sensible attention from Westminster. More than a million and a half of us needed no reminding; but I bet you’re now in the process of enlightening a considerable number of the deluded who voted No nearly two years ago.

Colin Stuart Address supplied

THE Brain saga has again plumbed new depths of Westminster’s total disregard, nay utter disrespect, for what Scotland needs.

Let us all be honest for once, they do not give a flying fig for us or anything that happens north of Carlisle.

This family must be allowed to stay. End of.

Wendy Wilson Drymen

SATURDAY’S National featured a troop of Barbary macaque Gibraltar monkeys cooling off in the sunshine of Drummond Safari Park with melon-sized iced seeds. It is believed that Gibraltar will fall out of Britain’s imperial hands when the last monkey leaves the Gibraltar Spanish Rock.

Any fair-minded British Nationalist cartographer can see that Gibraltar, Malta, Malvinas, Ireland, Singapore, etc are closer to London and Westmonster. Therefore logic demands that they be ruled from London. English cartographers are responsible for the rest of the world saying England when they mean Britain and vice versa. Similarly during the 1979 referendum and beyond, British Nationalists in Orkney and Shetlands telt us that Edinburgh was too far away: yet somehow imagined that London was nearer. Talk aboot Nazi logic and Dover Hoose propaganda? Even the commercial airlines charge a cheaper fare from Edinburgh to Australia than they do for a fare from Edinburgh to Shetland.

It is also an ancient belief that when the last Labour cooncillor leaves Arfur’s Seat and their seats in Glasgow’s City Chamber heights that Scotland will fall out of British imperial hands. Some also believe that when the Sellick’s Forces of the Crown, Unionist Labourites climb doon frae the directors’ boax in Parkheid Heights that Ireland and Scotland will fall out of Britain’s Imperial hands.

Some, like Angus Og’s cousin in Sunny Govan, also believe that evolution took longer than devolution. Others try to disprove this theory by pointing to the Junior Oran Outing Walk, where Gawd’s little children are often seen to help their faithers walk upright. Some again, believe that when all the Offensive Behaviour Brit Nats are removed from High Office hights that Scotland will once again be free from bigoted primate rule.

Donald Anderson Glasgow


Time to take real steps to stop migrant drownings

ANOTHER 700 souls lost in the Mediterranean Sea trying to escape the terror that has been visited upon them by foreign powers. 

If we agree that under not only international law, but humanitarian law we must take in people fleeing conflict, then why not set up an immigration point in Libya, or another country close to the problem?

There we could vet anyone escaping war in their own country, and issue them with travel documents so they can board a ferry and be transported into Europe in a safe and humane manner. 

Syria has neighbouring countries such as Jordan (not a rich country by any standards) that have taken in millions of refugees from Syria with little or no help, and still do so. 

Is it not therefore time for Europe and other wealthy nations worldwide to start taking some responsibility for this evil, and to start pouring money and resources into periphery countries? 

That way we could stop these needless drownings and ease the suffering of these oppressed people when they do finally arrive in a Europe that is currently far from caring.

Jack Foley Hamilton


Letters II: Debate on the detail of neoliberal thought rages on ...