IF weekend polls are to be believed (and frankly that’s a big “if”) the Tories are “surging” in Scotland towards an astounding nine, 10, 11 or is it 12 seats? (depending on the Yoon rag you happen to be reading) in the upcoming General Election.

This, we are told by these same “soothsayers”, will put an end to the dream of independence.

This then leads to the following observations: 1. If the Tories really see this election as a vote on Scottish independence then surely the return of a simple majority of independence-supporting MPs provides a clear mandate for that outcome.

2. Who are these people who would support “Rape-Clause Ruth” who has absolutely no meaningful policies for Scotland except SNPBaaD and TheresaGood?

3. Independence is coming and no amount of dissembling and “shouty” politics from Ruth, Theresa or the massed ranks of the Unionist propaganda machine will stop it.

It’s a matter of when, not if!
John Murphy
West Lothian

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Is killing millions compatible with 'British values'?

SIR Michael Fallon is scathing on Jeremy Corbyn’s reluctance to use our nuclear “deterrent” in defence of “our way of life” – unlike Theresa and Sir Michael, who would do the Christian thing and incinerate millions of people with the push of a button in order that British values be maintained.

People killed or maimed in countless numbers who, much like us, would have no real say in who their government decided was the “enemy” just because their own dear leaders held a different political philosophy to that of our dear leaders.

Have they learned nothing from the tragic military adventures of our once-dear leader, Tony Blair? Sadly no, for the cost of such adventures do not fall on political leaders, it is the ordinary soldier or civilian caught up in their leaders’ madness who must pay the price, too often the ultimate price.

The only cost to the politician is that they may go out of fashion and be replaced with a more up-to-date version of the dear leader or leaderene. Then they must forego the heady intoxication of power for the mundane matter of making money, often recounting to other purveyors of war how best to utilise their assets for the maximum profit.

These are the “values” that Corbyn clearly does not understand or support, and he will be condemned for it.
James Mills
Johnstone

IN the last few weeks we have seen the accuracy of the 59 missiles fired from US warships against an airfield in Syria from somewhere at sea. And how the decision to carry out the attack seemed to be very sudden and somewhat surprising.

In the recent past we also became aware that the UK Government kept secret the news that there had been a failed UK missile launch, albeit a test.

Living in the west of Scotland, it is a sobering thought that such an accurate attack could be launched against Faslane with devastating effect on all of us, coupled with the fear the fear that, even if they had warning, the UK Government might not tell us. After all, it could well take our minds off independence.
Robert Johnston
Airdrie

RUTH Davidson has just launched her new campaign poster in Edinburgh: “We said no, we meant it.”

Excellent choice of slogan for the party that loves to say No – especially to Scotland.

Ruth herself also likes to say No – to answering questions on her support for the “rape clause”, for instance, and her robust support for benefit sanctions, including the removal of thousands of Motability vehicles.

My advice to her: “Sit Down, Ruth! Just take some time to consider those who are unable to stand up for themselves” (many of whom are unable to stand at all).
James Stevenson
Auchterarder

REGARDING the STUC call for the PM to allow the Scottish Government to have control over immigration (Union leaders call for ‘bespoke’ migrant policy, The National, April 24).

The last thing this Tory Government, in a Westminster Parliament dominated by English MPs, wants is an economically strong Scotland which can only be achieved by control over issues like immigration. Pigs will fly before they allow that to happen.

And don’t look for more powers being devolved on leaving the EU. More likely powers will be taken away. We must not rise above our station. We are too small, too stupid to be allowed to have control of our economy. Better leave it to the grown-ups in Westminster who know how to run a country.

Scotland needs more immigrants like the Canadian Zielsdorf and Australian Brain families and we should be doing more to stop this Tory Government from deporting these families and others they no doubt have in their sights.
Norman Henderson
Clydebank

MAGGIE Thatcher was portrayed as a vampire-like figure sucking Scotland’s oil and life blood. Ruth Davidson, once hailed in a previous life as a sensible moderate, is now vying to be a 70s mini-Thatcher, or a mid-15th-century perversion of Vlad the Impaler, impaling Scots instead of Ottomans.

Instead of supporting the 15th-century Prince of Wallachia, she supports the Medieval Prince of Wails, as the next on the throne to reconquer Scotland. May’s Tank Commander prefers to support the 19th-century Brutish Empire, where natives were strapped to cannons and executed and rapine was widely executed without any due clause.

Jeremiah may be seen as Corbyn the Barbarian to the fat merchants of the Tory Home Counties (Home Counties? What does that make the rest of England? Foreigners?) but to the Pictish/separatist hordes of barbarians North of Hadrian’s Wa’ he is seen as Corbyn the Hanoverian and a Royalist undead wimp at that. Theresa may wipe the floor with him every week as does Nicola Sturgeon, Hammer of the Three Tory stooges: Davidson, Dugdale and Rennie. Ruth the Inhaler, Kezia the Complainer and Wee Wullie the Inbetweener end up impaled at FMQs as regular as bats returning to hang in their HQ caves in the Kingdom of the Blind.

Why play their game for the House of Horrors in Warminster? Why not take the fight to them and concurrently run a Holyrood election, thus changing the whole course of the debate, as did the Scottish Guerrilla fighters who took the fight to England in the Wars of Independence?
Donald Anderson
Glasgow