THE “victory” in the House of Commons for Parliament to accept or reject the future negotiated deal on transition with Brussels is to be welcomed, when one is resisting draconian No 10 powers in the “Great Reform Bill” (MPs get power to delay Brexit after May loses key vote, The National, December 14).
But the EU, if any future deal negotiated between the Brexit team and the EU team is rejected by the Commons after the negotiation, may not be agreeable to renegotiation. Already, comments are being made to this effect in Brussels. If the UK Tory government cannot guarantee that its members cannot back it, then that is the UK problem to fix beforehand and put its house in order!
Similarly, the date of leaving is fixed at two years after Article 50. Even if Parliament wants to “overturn” that next week in an amendment, it is not binding on the EU. The interim period about to be negotiated must be completed by October 2018 to enable the 27 EU national parliaments and the EU Parliament to deliberate on it. That time scale has been set by the EU, which is the dominant player in this Brexit saga, neither the UK Parliament nor government.
The symbolic internal victory for parliamentarians in London underscored Theresa May’s split party, but the EU will decide the ultimate shape of the post-Brexit relationship.
John Edgar, Stewarton
DEAR Catalonia, We have watched in horror the scenes from your streets on October 1. Following on from the terrorist attacks on Barcelona, it was hard to believe that the violence was being perpetrated by the same government who turned up a few weeks previously, to condemn terrorist violence on your streets, only to create far greater civilian casualties with their actions.
Furthermore they imprisoned politicians and civic leaders using tactics not worthy of a supposedly democratic government in the 21st century. We in Scotland have a bond with all oppressed people because we understand oppression from a very personal angle. So we have gone to marches and meetings with you, we have met you for coffee, beer, and support.
We could not allow ourselves to enjoy Christmas without families whilst Jordi Cuixart, Jordi Sanchez, Oriol Junqueras, and Joaquim Forn are being denied the same opportunity to spend Christmas with theirs simply because they organised a referendum.
With this in mind our group Bridges For Indy have organised an Eight Scottish City Bridges for Indy Special co-sponsored with ANC Escocia where we will share solidarity with our new friends.
We will hold hands, we will fly each others flags, we will sing each other’s songs. We will not be quiet and we will not go away until the last hiding place for state fascism is brought out into the light of public scrutiny and found seriously wanting. We are on Facebook @brigs4indy should anyone want to join us this Saturday. Visca Catalunya. Visca Caledonia
Dave Llewellyn, Edinburgh
A PLANNING application has been lodged by New City Vision (NCV) property development company to build 700 apartments on the site of the Govan Graving Docks. These properties would be 600 high end flats and 100 affordable properties.When pressed further on the affordable properties I was told by a representative of NCV that they would be “mid-range affordable”. Therefore, we will have 700 expensive flats being built in Govan, some more expensive than others. These properties will be built on a unique historical site with very little in the plans for preserving what is there.
There is an alternative plan for this site. It includes Glasgow building a maritime centre which would feature Glasgow’s shipbuilding and industrial past. It would acknowledge the Clyde’s importance in the story of the emigrants who left from the docks to go all over the world; it would include a reference to the place of the slave trade in the growth of Glasgow; it could provide training and good quality, long-term employment for the people of Govan and Glasgow.
It could be a world-class tourist attraction which would bring much money to the area, to Glasgow and to Scotland. It could be a wonderful educational resource.
I appeal to our SNP councillors in particular and to all councillors in general to oppose the luxury flat plan and to support the vision of a city-supported maritime centre such as that built in the city of Belfast dedicated to the Titanic. Having previously asked SNP councillors for the south west of the city for their support I am not confident that they support the maritime centre idea: one appeared to support NCV and from the others there was a deafening silence.
If you wish to object to NCV building 700 luxury flats in Govan please lodge your objection at: bit.ly/GovanDocks
Sandra Durning, Glasgow
ALL we hear at Holyrood is moaning from the Unionist parties. Look at the mess Labour left at Wastemonster – a note saying “no money left”. And the Tories have doubled the UK debt and are hammering the mentally ill and disabled. The sooner Scotland goes it alone the better and keep our own gas and oil revenue and all our own natural resources, as after Brexit the Tories will decimate our remaining industries.
Come on Scots, we need OUT.
Stevie, Motherwell
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