THE comment from Richard Leonard MSP – one of the contenders for Labour’s branch manager in Scotland – that he would oppose a second independence referendum for Scotland highlights what a poor the choice Labour members face. With Leonard now following Sarwar’s lead in opposing the people of Scotland having their say on their future, both candidates make clear that they are content to let the austerity policies of the Tories hammer Scots. They will be happy to see more powers stripped from Scotland’s parliament while all the time claiming the SNP Scottish Government should do more with powers it doesn’t have. Leonard and Sarwar will bring nothing new to Scottish politics, with both focussed on harping on about SNP Bad and trying to outdo the Tories as the saviour of the British state in Scotland.

Cllr Kenny MacLaren
Paisley

KATHLEEN Nutt reports the two Labour-in-Scotland contenders for leadership, Richard Leonard and Anas Sarwar, pronouncing against “nationalism”. British or Scottish? Westminster or Holyrood? (Leonard ‘will lose supporters’ after ruling out support for indy, The National, September 18)

They both say they stand for “progressive socialism” without defining what that is. Yet, they are retro-unionists deep own.

Labour at Westminster, even under Corbyn, have displayed through their voting actions in the Westminster lobbies regressive unsocialist tendencies by abstaining on many measures brought in by the Tories on bedroom tax, sanctions and the like.

It is revealing that the two contenders for Labour-in-Scotland at Holyrood never talk about potential additional powers for Holyrood or are outraged by the power grab at Westminster. Mundell has just stated, or been told to announce, that not all powers from the EU post-Brexit will return to Holyrood. Where will Leonard and Sarwar be on that? It is not very promising. They cannot even support Labour-in-Wales’s joint formal initiative with the SNP government in opposing aspects of the Great Reform Bill which are detrimental to Holyrood in the first instance. Leonard has stated: “No coalition, pacts or deals with the SNP”! Standing up for Holyrood is to them an anathema!

Leonard and Sarwar are mere Westminsterites mouthing a faux socialism and outdoing each other on being faithful Unionists. Which means putting Westminster first!

It seems that progressive social democratic measures and policies attuned to Scottish needs can only be attained through the SNP and partners at Holyrood.

John Edgar
Stewarton

I READ with interest Sandra Durning’s letter (The National, September 18) in which she spells out the difference between the rules governing the employment of teachers in Scotland and England. The fact that the leader of the opposition in Holyrood, Ruth Davidson, did not know this would suggest that she has little or no interest in what is actually happening in Scottish schools.

Ruth Davidson’s constant berating of Scottish education is devaluing the efforts of teachers and all those involved in delivering the service.

My two grandchildren who attend a rural state primary school have the privilege of receiving a broad educational experience from a dedicated staff. The detailed end-of-term reports are written by staff who know and care about their pupils. The school promotes healthy living and healthy eating initiatives and issues regular newsletters to parents to keep them up-to-date.

The newsletters are of a high standard in respect of content, language and presentation and as such may be helpful to parents for whom English is not their first language. The homework is designed to encourage parental involvement, which is excellent. My grandchildren thoroughly enjoy school and their verdict is that their teachers are “brilliant”.

I am certain this is what is happening in the vast majority of Scottish schools and this must be highlighted. Alas, Ruth Davidson and her party, for political motives, never cease to denigrate all things Scottish. Good teaching relies on good morale, so let the politicians recognise success while identifying and resolving problems where they exist.

Thomas L Inglis
Fintry