THE Covid-19 crisis has resulted in many tragedies, including the deaths and serious illness for many thousands – the result of delay, inaction and cronyism by the Westminster Government. The list of contracts given to companies without being advertised and announced without any semblance of competition is increasing daily. Heads of public bodies are being appointed without any expertise in the field they are supposed to be administering, simply because they, or the companies they control, donate to the Tory party. All of this at a time when we are still supposed to be complying with EU rules to protect trade which is both free and fair.

It saddens me to think what will happen when these rules end in January. No doubt when Rishi Sunak finally does announce his budget we will be told that we all have to tighten our belts. Pensions may be frozen, inflation-proofing ended and VAT may be increased – measures which will continue to punish those who were totally innocent of blame for the spread of infection.

How much longer do we have to tolerate the incompetence and arrogance of the government in London?

Pete Rowberry
Duns

A BARN-STORMING speech from Mhairi Black last week, but will the words be followed by actions?

Come back to Scotland and fight for independence, you would do more good up here in Paisley than the current First Minister is doing to further the independence fight, what with her wasted mandates and begging for a Section 30.

It is in my humble opinion that it is time for the 45 MPs to quit the comfortable life at Westminster and return to Scotland, as the Irish Sinn Fein has done and continue to do.

Nicola Sturgeon has done a first-class job in tackling the coronavirus and in this she deserves all the applause, but her lack of drive and action in her quest for independence has been dismal. The time is overdue for her to have handed the virus job over to the Health Secretary.

It is rather unfortunate that over the last few months the FM has been under a considerable amount of pressure which started with the Alex Salmond affair, considering the man’s proven innocence. The enquiry that is now taking place has shown that Peter Murrell, the party chief executive, is proving a liability – as a married couple there is far to much power at the head of the SNP.

It is time for a change of the leadership and a time for the whole NEC to stand down as they are not fit for purpose considering their recent ill-judged performance.

OK I have rambled on for a bit but as far as I can see there is only one goal to aim for and that is independence, something sadly lacking in the upper echelons over the last few years despite the numerous mandates.

This is our last chance. Independence or god help us.

G Mckenzie
Perth

THE Jouker (October 7) is quite correct to remind all of us of the many times Johnson has spoken disparagingly of Scotland and the Scots. He overlooked another significant utterance. In September 2005, Johnson wrote an article in The Spectator, which he edited, attacking Gordon Brown and having a pop at the West Lothian Question. He concluded: “The problem is the asymmetry and imbalance in the constitutional arrangements, combined with the profusion of electorally tiny Scottish seats [sic]. Until that injustice is righted, I believe the English electorate will find it hard to accept a Scottish MP prime minister.”

His conclusion echoed a similar one from Andrew Neil, who, in the same publication, had written, a few weeks earlier: “After Gordon Brown there will probably never again be a Scottish prime minister of Great Britain [sic] from a Scottish constituency.”

We can have some fun recalling these comments but they are also deadly serious. They reveal the true beliefs of Johnson – and others – whatever hypocritical pronouncements they trot out now. Supporters of independence should make these are kept well in the public eye, in the same way as the true facts of Fact Check should be.

Gavin Brown Linlithgow I WONDER if in the future we will see that historians rebrand this period in Scottish history being as the “Scottish Revolution”. After all, The American War of Independence is now known as the American Revolution and the Easter Rising as the Irish Revolution. However, the old analogy that a revolution is like the turn of a wheel, is inaccurate.

The true revolution is ongoing and constantly evolving in tune to the needs of the people. I am certain that the Scottish Revolution will be a peaceful one. I am sure that Ernesto “Che” Guevara, as a doctor of medicine would have settled for a peaceful revolution had this been possible. Is their anything in Guevara’s writings which can encourage a peaceful revolution in Scotland? Here are some quotations from the man himself: “I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves.”

“The first duty of a revolutionary is to be educated.”

“At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by love. It is impossible to think of a true revolutionary lacking this quality.”

“The revolution is not an apple which falls when ripe. You have to make it fall.”

“We have no right to believe that freedom can be won without a struggle.”

But how is this revolution to be achieved? Certainly not by begging a certain blonde charlatan in Downing Street for a Section 30 every so often! Sadly some of our leaders in Edinburgh are too intent on a career rather than risking their jobs in an independent Scotland.

Besides, very few countries obtain independence by referendums.

Dr Guevara gave several powerful addresses to the United Nations to further the cause of Cuba and other South American countries, freeing them from US sponsored corrupt regimes. To me this is what Scottish Government officials should be doing that is building up support for an independent Scotland with the United Nations, North America and Europe (England has burned it’s boats there!) and other nations. This, combined with the Treaty of Union being revoked (this is within the treaty terms itself) is a credible alternative, combined with a solid pro independence majority at Holyrood, would be an alternative to playing the Westminster game.

Given recent developments and the expected dissolution of the Scottish Parliament, the question is: is it all too late?

WJ Graham
East Kilbride

TO state the obvious, with a positive trade balance with the rest of the world (including “invisibles” like financial services), Scotland is in a position not only to import the food it needs to adequately feed its people, but also to afford some luxuries.

Similarly, with a good level of GDP in Scotland, the Scotland is in a better position to adequately care for all its people, and also to be in a position to import more luxuries.

Wellbeing, in a fair society clearly requires both these headline figures to be good, which also allows a greater diversity of both wealth and equality, without unduly damaging society, or taking on a huge national debt.

So, It’s not a question of GDP v wellbeing, as some article writers appear to suggest, as GDP whilst a major component of wellbeing, also requires a positive trade balance, to be sustainable.

With the UK having GDP as the sole key focus, supported by a huge National Debt, housing bubbles, austerity, a No-Deal Brexit and a Windows XP-style Covid-19 response, achieving adequate levels of wellbeing for the people of Scotland, would require Scotland to become an independent EU nation state.

Stephen Tingle
Greater Glasgow

THE worst-kept secret of 2020 is now out in the open . It seems Mr Murrell (left) doesn’t like Mr Salmond. Linked to this is that Mr MacAskill doesn’t like Mr Murrell and so on and so on.

So let me inform these gentlemen of another secret, the grassroots members of the SNP couldn’t give a figs leaf about these squabbles. The grassroots of the party want to see their leadership take us out on the road to independence. If personalities are getting in the way of this then those personalities will have to be removed.

To Messers Salmond, McAskill, Sillars etc, you have shown fantastic leadership over the years but maybe now is the time to realise you are yesterday’s men. Welcome to the club.

To Mr Murrell, perhaps a reminder that your job is to provide a top-notch administration to allow the politicians to take the party forward. I must say my own experience over the past wee while suggests senior people within your remit are quite a few notches short of top.

I would suggest that all of those who are allowing their personalities distort the challenges of independence should sit down together in a darkened room and do not leave until necessary apologies have been made and book manuscripts are put under a cupboard.

I believe in independence for Scotland. I am a member of the SNP because I believe the party is the best mechanism to achieve independence. I must point out to anyone engaged in either side of this spat that there are other mechanisms. Don’t force me and thousands like me to seek them out.

George Kay
Burntisland

DUE to the whole gender spectrum, woke and apparently careerist influx into SNP central I cancelled my SNP membership a wee while ago. Now we have the whole Sturgeon/Salmond debacle that no one wants to discuss let alone address.

I will always be for an independent Scotland, but my views, first and foremost are as a member of the human race on a tiny blue planet that we are on the verge of ruining. I believe there are bigger issues facing us than Scottish independence, but my hope is that an indi Scotland would go some way to addressing the bigger issues. It would break the Westminster establishments grip on Scottish resources.

Therefore it concerns me greatly when the very party that will be negotiating our independence is showing signs of internal corruption.

Allowing Joanna Cherry and Philippa Whitford to stand as Holyrood candidates would have helped and perhaps rebalanced the situation.

The coming days will be very telling but I will continue to vote SNP without the confidence I used to have.

Mark Harper
Dysart, Fife