THERE are some strange comments coming from the confused Tories at Westminster. Amber Rudd claims anything could happen if Theresa May loses the vote next week. Conversely, any thing could happen if she wins! This is the simplistic level at which the debate is being delivered.
To add to the confusion, Amber Rudd backs Theresa May but states if there were to be another referendum, she would vote to remain in the EU.
Then she maintains Theresa May will not resign if she loses the vote. Now what that is meant to signify? It is to strike fear into hearts of the average voter? Are we to quake? Theresa May has already lost three votes in the space of one day in the Commons. Her party and Cabinet are split into a myriad of different “factions” all thrashing around with no Plan B.
On a major issue like Brexit a defeat for May will surely end her premiership, which should have gone after she lost the last election and was help afloat by the DUP, who now are her staunchest critics!
Theresa May is insisting the vote goes ahead in the Commons. Given the current maths in the Chamber she is guessing for defeat. Is she really now scunnered with the whole saga and just wants to go, come what May, and leave her party in a real mess? Sadly, the country will be in a mess too!
John Edgar
Kilmaurs
READ MORE: Tories deny they plan to delay Brexit vote as May stares at defeat
ODDLY enough I find myself agreeing with parts of both letters from Alan Hinnrichs and Max Marnau (Letters, December 8) about the timing of the next independence referendum. There’s an element of trust required in the SNP strategists. However, I would say to Max that prior to the last referendum, we were sitting on 29% support and got to 45%. Support is is still around that mark and clearly that’s a much healthier base to start from. Add to that the fact that we have a greatly superior and better motivated network of activists.
As for Better Together mark two, it’s hard to see how the ferrets could stop fighting in the sack to put together a coherent campaign, and harder to see which credible individuals would be rash enough to associate themselves with it. And finally, the opposition are running short of myths to punt, following the Brexit shambles with Scotland being taken out of the EU against our will, the Spanish saying they won’t veto a Scottish application and other EU officials indicating they would welcome Scotland. If we can agree a currency option and nail the GERS myths, there are positive reasons to believe we will win this time.
Douglas Turner
Edinburgh
READ MORE: Letters, December 8
GOOD for you Max Marnau, stating the fact that the majority of Scots still want to remain part of the UK. We are deluding ourselves by ignoring the facts. How often have we heard Theresa May say that Scotland voted against independence in 2014? I am sick hearing these words from her, because she is right. There is no surge in the polls for independence, in spite of the mess of this totally incompetent UK.
M Patton
Address supplied
FOR many years now I have supported the case for an independent Scotland. I continually put the case to friends and acquaintances but my major gripe as I see it is that when independence is achieved – what happens then? I and many others do not feel that is properly addressed. Surely more emphasis must be put on the fact that new political parties will be formed – a proper Scottish Labour Party for one – and the people of Scotland will elect their own government.
Although this may seem obvious, I honestly believe if this matter is emphasised with more vigour then more people will join our desire for an independent Scotland.
Cameron W McKay
via email
ARGUABLY, the left should be most disgusted with Corbyn at present. Not for his lack of leadership but for his intellectual failure to recognise Brexit for what it is; the ultimate betrayal of the British working class.
Put aside the embarrassment that is regular corrections by either Starmer or Thornberry when he rambles incoherently about Labour’s incoherent Brexit policies, there is a more basic reason for real socialists to despair of him.
Brexit is a nearly concluded con and a complete betrayal of the post-war promise of equality made to the British working class after the horrors of two world wars.
Begun in Thatcher’s administration with the brutal miners’ strike and selling-off of UK assets to the highest bidder, the betrayal was continued by every subsequent administration. “Call-me-Tony” gave us a catastrophic, globally destabilising war and ramped up Major’s implanting of the private culture into public services (with huge contractors failing or collapsing in the last few months). The failure of fiscal regulation brought us the 2008 financial crash.
However, the gutter press faced almost no opposition when they played their part in convincing the British public that all our problems were the fault of the EU. Brexit is the last nail in the coffin and the final step of putting ourselves at the mercy of the very people who wrecked the country. And what has brother Corbyn done? Well, the answer – “nothing” – would be overstating the case.
Amanda Baker
Edinburgh
READ MORE: Corbyn hits out at European Union's 'failed neoliberal policies'
I AM really fed up hearing the integrity of the expression “integrity of the UK” when what is really meant is “the domination of Westminster”. Having watched the several truly facile, dishonest, pathetic attempts by David Mundell to avoid Gordon Brewer’s accusations yesterday, perfectly justified, of his failure to act on his previous assertions to resign in the event of what has in fact transpired, is it fair to believe anything he asserts is unreliable? He must have used the expression at least ten times in as many minutes!
J Hamilton
Bearsden
READ MORE: David Mundell 'doesn't believe staying in the UK is an option'
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