TODAY we are Fools, tomorrow we will be Fools and in May we are Fools, in allowing ourselves and the UK to become the laughing stock of the world by our Westminster masters.

Hopefully now your readers, of all political persuasions and none, must recognise that we are subject to the most archaic, outmoded method of government in the Western world.

Angela Merkel states that the British system is akin to that of the 1700s, which might suit our Eton-educated buffoons as they hide behind pomp and ceremony whilst feathering their own nests and egos.

Is it acceptable that the grandson of Sir Winston Churchill should shout across the chamber, telling the leader of a party to “f*** off back to Skye”? No.

Should important business take place in a room that, when busy, looks like an illegal cattle truck? No. Are we getting value for money? No. Are the day-to-day issues concerning more than 60 million people being attended to? No.

The European Parliament seems to operate in an open and controlled manner. The Scottish Parliament has had 20 years of civilised and constructive debate, although the current government is often criticised for not doing the day job in their quest for independence. This may be true, but what has been happening in Westminster for the past three years?

Two major parties, badly led, not giving a hoot about the welfare of the electorate as they strive for power, maybe hoping that increased food bank use and poverty, low-paid jobs and the lowest pensions in Europe will take a back seat and disappear. Surely, change has to happen without delay. We cannot allow our lives to be channelled by self-serving, non-caring politicians in their London cess-pit.

We must have a system that will enable a fairer society to give hope to the many and not the few, which we have not had since 1979.

Sandy Coghill
Sligachan, Isle of Skye

IN Robin McAlpine’s article (Here are 10 questions for backers of Growth Commission proposals, March 30) he raises the issue of delegates at the upcoming SNP conference being asked to support the Growth Commission proposals, including committing an independent Scotland to continue paying towards the UK national debt.

The Scottish economy has made a positive contribution to the UK economy for decades, and if the UK Government handled oil and gas resources differently this contribution could have been much greater. Between 1979 to 1995 inclusive Scotland paid £26.7 billion more to the London Exchequer than it had received – £5,080 approx for every Scot. From 2005 to 2015 inclusive the balance of trade in goods with all nations shows Scotland exported £50,463 million more than it imported. England imported £1,117,901m more than it exported.

READ MORE: The 10 questions on Growth Commission currency plan that must be answered

From 1999 to 2014 inclusive Scotland paid more tax per person than the UK average by a total £12,200 per person. This includes revenue from Scotland’s geographic share of oil and gas. If the Westminster government had handled oil and gas more effectively, the revenue received could have been much more. Since oil was discovered in the North Sea in 1969 the quantity recovered in UK waters was slightly more than in Norwegian waters. However, the revenue received per barrel of oil equivalent by the Norwegian Government was $29.8 while the Westminster government only received $11. So from 1969 to 2015 the Norwegian government received $1,197 billion in revenue while Westminster received $470bn. That is $727bn less than Norway.

By investment of this revenue, Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global exceeds $1 trillion (£706bn), equivalent to a credit of £133,072 per person. By comparison, the Westminster government has achieved a UK national debt of £2,164bn, equivalent to a debt of £32,780 per person.

Given the contribution that Scotland has made over decades, there is certainly no reason an independent Scotland should continue to contribute towards repaying that UK debt in the future.

The sources of all the above facts can be checked at www.scotlandthefacts.com

Jim Stamper
Bearsden

FOR some time I’ve been pointing out that England is regressing into a dystopian amalgam of 1984 and V for Vendetta. The hatred recently directed against Scottish representatives in London has the distinct whiff of the 1930s and should alert every Scot to the state sponsored tyranny that’s coming.

Make no mistake, once the emboldened English regime leaves the EU it will target Scotland with punitive enactments. Look at what the liars did in the aftermath of 2014 and since then.

The presence of Scots in the English parliament does not help us as it merely lends the appearance of legitimacy to a regime that is our enemy. We must act soon to have the Treaty of Union formally dissolved and take our country back before a fascistic nightmare engulfs us.

Linda Horsburgh
Dundee

THE scenes in London the other day showed us very clearly the vast difference between Scottish and English nationalism. What we saw was English nationalism red in tooth and claw accompanied by some Orange flute bands.

Obviously among independence supporters here we have a few nuts who misbehave, but I have yet to see a baying mob outside our Parliament trying to intimidate Unionist members. In fairness to the English, I must say that demonstrating Remainers have behaved in a decent and dignified manner also.

I once heard the chair of the parliament in Costa Rica, where a rabble were trying to intimidate members, call the rabble “indécente chusma”. This description applies to the rabble in Parliament Square. It means indecent scum.

R Mill Irving
Gifford, East Lothian