WOULD it not be a great idea to honour the dedication of the Balmeddie Golf Course staff by holding a mass urination up bye (Woman accused of ‘publicising’ opposition to trump, The National, April 5)?
On a more serious note, I read that police visited the house of the unfortunate victim of the eager staff at Trump Balmeddie at 10pm regarding what might or might not have been a very minor misdemeanour (I believe the term is committing a public nuisance).
The police should be questioned as to why the matter was of such momentous public concern that it could not wait until after breakfast the next day. I have observed from various reports over the years that the constabulary in the north east seem to be unusually chummy with the Trump camp up there. Possibly more questions should be asked?
Robert Mill Irving
East Lothian
CAROL Rohan Beyts has been accused of trying to publicise opposition to Trump’s Aberdeenshire golf course by pursuing damages over being filmed urinating there. All I can say is, they started it!
John Macanenay
Glasgow
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It's the Tories who are to blame for the UK's divisions
I CANNOT let pass without argument the current obsession of the Unionist camp that Nicola Sturgeon and her supporters are responsible for any divisive influences adversely affecting the Government of the UK.
The reality is that the divisions are entirely the result of Conservative actions. The 2016 EU referendum followed an election pledge by David Cameron to encourage his Tory supporters in the General Election, and it is evident that neither he nor any of his advisers thought for a second that the Leave vote would prevail.
His boast before the referendum that he would continue to lead the country irrespective of the result, and his rapid departure in its wake, reflect conclusively the judgemental disasters he had caused.
This was further exemplified by the Conservative leadership acrobatics immediately thereafter, exposing the deep division in their ranks at the highest levels. The elevation of Theresa May and her personal disavowal of an election to consolidate her position were proof positive of their nervousness.
Does Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson lay the responsibility for that fiasco at the door of Bute House? Or does she have the courage to admit her party’s responsibility for the whole episode? I suspect that she will forever suffer from selective amnesia. That condition appears to be one of the attributes necessary for high office in the Conservative Party.
Other reasons for the divisions in our political society presently are the behaviour of English MPs at Westminster, by "Unionist” MSPs at Holyrood, by the PM herself and by the Speaker of the House of Commons.
The PM disregarded the opinions and aspirations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales prior to composing her famous letter starting the Brexit process.
It would appear she did not even discuss these. The complete disrespect exhibited by English MPs for the opinions expressed by their opponents in the House is unacceptable.
The Unionist contingent at Holyrood displays a level of antagonism to its opponents which is equally unacceptable. Its contemptuous attitudes and resultant actions do not encourage the cohesion which is necessary for the wellbeing of our family of nations.
John Hamilton
Bearsden
TO indyref or not to indyref, that was the question, but not any more thanks to the recent defeat of the Tory alliance by Holyrood’s two Scottish parties. The only question now is when.
Although a Yesser, I take the long view on timing, despite Unionism’s hellish legions informing me that not only do I not want another indyref, I don’t want one ever!
However, I do believe that indyref2 and Brexit should be left on “simmer” while we address the looming council elections. In fact, the only time I will mention indyref2 is to point out to those who don’t want another indyref – because they’ve been told they don’t – is that it won’t be happening for two years. So, to spike Unionist guns it has to be Brexit: not our fault; council cuts: Westminster austerity; referendum sickness: what does a referendum have to do with getting your bins emptied? Let’s get busy.
Malcolm Cordell
Dundee
THERESA May and Boris Johnson were, rightly, quick to condemn Russia’s continued support of Syrian President Assad’s regime after dozens of people died in a suspected chemical attack .
Speaking during a weapons selling mission to Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Mrs May called on Russia to help bring an end to the Assad regime and so lessen the suffering of the Syrian people.
She made no mention of lessening the suffering of the people of Yemen affected by the Saudi offensive using British-made planes and bombs and with technical help from the British military. It is clear that the Assad regime could avoid much British criticism if it would only follow the good example set by the Saudis and buy British!
James Mills
Johnstone
IT hardly needs pointing out that the Unionist media, quietly chortling, have not censured Ruth Davidson’s disgraceful rudeness towards the First Minister in Parliament recently (nor have they queried why the Presiding Officer allowed it).
No matter, it will prove to be counterproductive: Davidson’s foam-flecked fans may have loved it, but fair-minded Scots will have been appalled. Clearly, the Leaderette of the Scottish Conservatives has got carried away by her own kick-ass fantasy ... Don’t mess with Rough-House Ruthie. Pathetic. More seriously, she and Theresa May are being patronising and offensive when they tell us it would be “unfair” to ask the Scots to vote in an independence referendum without us knowing the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.
These will take years: not one person in 10,000 who voted Leave had the faintest idea what the outcome would be (and, like the hapless Davis, Buffoon Boris and their boss, they still don’t).
We must not let “perfidious Albion” – the French learnt 100 years or so ago that you can’t trust "les Anglais" in negotiations, and are about to re-learn it – get away with dragging us out of the EU so that it will be MUCH more difficult once we have voted to be independent to get back in. Make no mistake, they will do this to spite us and punish our impertinence – if we let them.
David Roche
Perth
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