HENRY McLeish’s article (Trump & Brexit must provide wake-up call to progressives, The National, February 11) sits uncomfortably alongside Kevin McKenna’s opinion piece “Gathered in mourning for the death of Scottish Labour” in The National’s sister paper The Herald.

If Mr McLeish’s contention is that Labour is the answer, then we are asking the wrong question. His thesis is that “Trump and Brexit, and nationalism are the threat, so we should waken up to that”. But he fails to recognise that, in the UK, it was Labour that was instrumental in pushing for devolution. According to George (now Lord) Robertson, it would kill nationalism stone dead. It could have been foreseen, and it was foreseen, that providing the structure and the furnishing of a parliament would be the first rungs on the ladder towards independence.

The main plank in their case for devolution was that Scotland was being governed by a Conservative government without support here. The Unionist parties at Westminster had themselves to blame for the rise of the SNP – pouring extra money into Scotland to thwart them proved futile. They failed to recognise the direction of travel – they had no policies to forestall their advance.

The new-found camaraderie among the Conservative and Labour leaders, to save the Union, resulted in their supporters decanting to the SNP, without whose support they would not have gained power. The SNP have become a voluntary coalition covering a wide range of views. Effectively, the Unionist politicians handed power over to the SNP.

Labour, are responsible, too, for the £160 billion of borrowed money that was poured into public services – it is unacceptable for them to now claim that our so-called “share” of that, some £15bn, represents Holyrood’s deficit. If the services were so essential, why did they not increase the rate of income tax by the 6p required to cover it?

Regarding Brexit, it was Labour, too, who were evangelical about the EU, once they purged their party of recidivists. They hoped for some kind of a “socialist internationale”. Former Labour EU commissioner Lord Mandelson admitted that Labour had gone fishing to attract more EU migrants to the UK, to vote Labour. We became so swamped that the government could not keep count. Indigenous workers saw their pay undercut and their jobs lost. They could not get adequate health, housing and education services. So, it was no wonder that voters in some constituencies overwhelmingly voted for Brexit.

The SNP should be careful what they wish for – they may think Mr McLeish’s article “interesting” but he would support Labour’s ambition to sweep them out of power.

Mr McLeish castigates the Prime Minister for associating with new US President Donald Trump. Fear is widespread, but we have to get used to the fact that he is the President, and, while American citizens, too, will be in trepidation, their tradition demands that they respect the office, whoever occupies the White House.

Labour has a love-hate attitude with America. They despise it on the one hand, yet, as in the case of Tony Blair with George W Bush, they allow themselves to be seduced into action that the UK alone would not have pursued. But we have to remember that Labour was, at that time, trampling all over Tory territory – left-wing callers into phone-in programmes describe Labour as just another Tory government.

No. Labour were the problem. So far as Scotland is concerned, with their virtual wipe-out at Westminster, they themselves have forfeited the right to any political or economic credibility.

Douglas R Mayer, Currie

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HARDLY a week goes by and we see another example from the Tories of the arrogant disdain they treat Scotland. This time it is a leaked UK Government memo which shows key industries will be a low priority for the UK Tory government in Brexit negotiations (Tories don’t rate fishing as high priority in future EU talks, The National, February 11). Listed are construction, water, telecoms, steel, oil and gas, environmental services and medical – some, if not all, key employers in Scotland.

Meanwhile, we often hear of how they want a special deal for the bankers in the City of London; or how the Nissan car factory in Sunderland will be protected in a secret deal – an area which voted 61 per cent Leave, with Scotland voting 62 per cent Remain!

In the coming local government elections, voters can send a message to the Tories that they will not be treated as a low priority in the Tories’ Brexit negotiations because they will claim every vote as an endorsement for their plans. If people turn out and vote for candidates opposed to these plans they can send them the message that the Tories can’t treat Scotland’s industries as a low priority.

Graham C B Roberts, Glasgow

TAKING into consideration the number of Tory MPs in fishing communities likely to be affected by the wrath of the fishermen if they get a bad deal in the Brexit negotiations, you can see why changing the Common Fisheries Policy is far down the priority list.

The UK Government will probably somehow blame the SNP and threat of Scottish independence into the bargain.

John Jamieson, Edinburgh, via thenational.scot

SURELY any of us who have watched the treatment meted out to our 58 Scottish representatives recently by braying yahoos in sharp suits on the Tory benches must find our continued presence intolerable in what is quite patently an English parliament with a totally English agenda.

What our representatives have to say is treated as totally irrelevant, and as is often the case not even listened to by English members who adjourn to the bar and only return to vote us down. Is there any reason why we should continue to accept the behaviour of these people? Unless our country is treated with respect by these so-called honourable members, is there any point in the Union?

Surely even the Unionists here, at least those who call themselves Scots, must find this Westminster charade obnoxious. The basic fact is that Scotland voted under the current electoral system to send 56 nationalists to represent us in parliament. This, as both Tory and Labour frequently aver, is a mandate – but not when the naughty Jocks do it, of course. Scotland must walk away from the disaster in London and leave the lemmings to dive off their cliff.

R Mill Irving, Gifford

IN reference to the two letters regarding pro-life group in university (Letters, February 11). Religious beliefs have come and gone over the thousands or perhaps millions of years, therefore it is very arrogant of these pro-life groups to think that they have the answer to unwanted pregnancy. It would be a difficult enough time for a young woman without having the pro-lifers breathing down her neck.

Mairi believes in free speech, so will she allow an intelligent young woman the freedom to make up her own mind? As for Lesley’s contribution – “contraception does not work” – can she explain why women no longer have families of five and more, including the women who profess not to believe in contraception?

There is no place for religious groups in educational establishments, especially schools.

Rosemary Smith, East Kilbride

I THOROUGHLY disagree with Julia McDowall’s review of the BBC two-part programme The Moorside, shown on Tuesday. I felt the BBC were plumbing the same depths as Channel Five and “poverty porn”.

I have made my feelings known to the BBC and would urge others to do likewise. There is no place in BBC programming for this squalid trash posing as entertainment.

Terry Keegans, Beith