WELL finally, we have from the horse’s mouth what we have always known: Johnson and all the Tories find devolution not only an abhorrence but a threat. Unlike Labour, who thought the way devolution was structured meant they would run Scotland forever.
The Tories never accepted it and now, with unbridled powers, as we can see from PM Johnson’s rhetoric they are going to destroy it.
The one card to beat independence was to extend and enhance devolution and support the Unionist cause, particularly north of the Border. Now we know this is not going to happen! It is clear and transparent our Scotland is going to be “put back in its box” by these British nationalists. They no longer recognise Scottish democracy. Johnson’s comments on the rise of separatists and nationalists are comments commonly heard in dictatorships throughout the world.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson deserves an honour for his commitment to independence
Our Scottish Government and parliament are democratic institutions that operate under the democratic mandate of the people of Scotland. Their very existence was to address the complete democratic deficit of non-Scottish representation in Westminster. It seems the Tory PM just simply does not get it. His party has had no majority in Scotland for 65 years!
He leaves Scotland with no choice but independence. No longer can anyone state that devolution is an alternative because it is clear these British nationalists will destroy it. They leave us Scots with no future. Our young people (75%) want independence, it is their choice and their future.
All Johnson has done is to make our position crystal clear as a country, leaving us with two stark choices. One is to return to being a subject nation pre-devolution. Surely in 2020 only diehard Unionists would return to such a democracy. The most obvious option for us all after experiencing the Brexit debacle, the Covid-19 crisis and the way we have been treated as a nation by this reactionary Tory government and their cynicism towards Scotland, is to go hell for leather for independence.
The time is now! All is clear at last!
Dan Wood
Kirriemuir
READ MORE: Scottish independence: 'Union is dead', says former Tory media chief
BOJO the Clown – the gift that keeps on giving! Actually he’s right, devolution has been a “disaster” – for “Our Precious Union”. Its inadequacy to deliver meaningful control of our economy has been brutally exposed by the pandemic and the Tories' intention to neuter it by “taking back control” of key powers to Westminster. Nothing could be clearer than that the next step – independence – is inevitable.
David Roche
Perth
WELL there we have it. Devoid of his two cunning Machiavellian advisers (beware of pillow talk), our increasingly dysfunctional PM has said “devolution has been a disaster north of the Border” – acknowledging at least there is a border! Later he compounded his comment by blaming Tony Blair, separatists and nationalists. This has dismayed even my most ardent Unionist friends.
Westminster’s Internal Market Bill is now exposed as the dishonest “power grab”, in ignoring democracy, dismantling devolution and breaching an international agreement with the EU.
READ MORE: Scottish Tories will split from UK party, says former chairman
Now with British beef, British lamb and BBC Union flag-waving and even English whisky, Scotland feels like the last British colony. We cannot allow this to happen and see the nation of Scotland humiliated further. Democracy will shine by a massive vote for independence in the Scottish May election.
The blustering egotistical, self-seeking Boris Johnson and his Tory right-wing nationalists must be abandoned to their imperial Brexitannia fate. It is now inevitable that Scotland will become a fully independent nation again, followed soon by Wales and a re-united Ireland.
Grant Frazer
Newtonmore
HEARING the Boris quote last night that devolution is a disaster and Tony Blair’s worst mistake, I now have my greatest fear confirmed, that he intends to get rid of Holyrood, not just before a possible referendum but even before the election can take place. Is this the real purpose behind the Internal Market Bill?
P Davidson
Falkirk
JOHN Edgar (Website comments, November 16) hits the nail on the head. Who needs a decidedly dodgy Section 30 order inserted in secret, without the knowledge or consent of the Scottish people?
If anyone needs sectioned it’s the unhinged English PM and his deranged cronies, for whom a new reality show beckons: “I’m a Calamity – Get Me Out of Here!”
James Stevenson
Auchterarder
I ALWAYS think it a bit absurd that when the Prime Minister makes a statement we seemingly need an army of apologists telling us what he really meant to say. This should not be necessary as the Prime Minister is still available to tell us what he meant by calling devolution a disaster.
However, as usual it seems we have had Tory clarity on this remark. So as per the Tory party, when he said devolution was a disaster what Johnson meant was that it was the vote for the SNP which was a disaster.
The SNP, however, only enjoys the votes it does because the democratic will of the people is largely exercised in its favour. So for the sake of clarity, what Johnson really considers to be a disaster is democracy.
Johnson seems to be echoing the same rationale as his mentor Trump.
George Kay
Burntisland
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