IT is at times difficult to sort out what is mythology with that that has passed into legend, and of course that that was rubbish when first formulated, and has remained rubbish even though it has been tested on the proving ground of debate.

No this is not the introduction to Stephen Fry’s latest book on the classical world of gods, goddesses and intrigue but more the introduction to how some people view Scotland’s chances as an independent nation. For some obscure reason or indeed extreme Stockholm syndrome (perhaps to be renamed Jockholm syndrome), they still try and persevere with the too wee, too poor, too stupid argument.

In truth we are a country on an archipelago out in the North Atlantic that has an abundance of resources both natural and that what comes from our people but yet we are slated! Our state controlled press takes every opportunity it can to attempt to put us back in our box and even those native born to our nation in a self destructive demonstration of the aforementioned syndrome try to say we are without worth!

It is of course nothing more than the bilious cry of imperial desperation that they utter. Usually this cry is backed up by threats of impending doom From the menace of the Russian Bear, it has been the Russian, Soviet or Czarist bear for well over 150 years excepting of course when it was the French or Germans causing the problem.

My point is there is always some Johnny Foreign type causing discord but it is never the fault of Westminster, and because of that we here in Scotland must think of good Queen Bess and get back in our shortbread box.

With the Union now ripping at the seams the MSM press today have reverted back to “diversionary tactic number one” a royal scandal after all that will take the heat off the Johnson Administration and their less than legal awarding of contracts, their inaction over lockdown, and the amount of lives lost as a result of the first two points.

We here in Scotland have not escaped the evil eye of the ultra right wing press, with more headlines printed designed to bring down the legally elected government. It is not a new tactic. All one needs to do is ask the people of Egypt, Iraq and Iran how they were treated and you will discover it was with similar contempt as shown to us.

It is now blindingly obvious that on May 6 we must maximise the SNP vote by casting both votes for the SNP, then with speed move forward with the referendum. Johnson, Gove and their gang north of the Rio Tweed will attempt but ultimately fail in any action they chose to stop democracy.

Scotland’s future is bright, independence is right.

Cliff Purvis
Veterans For Scottish Independence 2.0

RECENTLY in the wee small hours I suddenly woke up after having a vivid dream about what an independent Scotland would look like:

English (I refuse to call them British) right wing, xenophobic newspapers disappeared overnight from news stands throughout the country. They were all replaced by a Scottish equivalent with mainly views sympathetic to the SNP and Greens with a smattering of articles to provide “balance” about other political opinion in the small print. The BBC became the SBC with the political editor being Darren McGarvey and main news reader Frankie Boyle.

This Scotland welcomed all English asylum seekers fleeing the effects of Brexit. There was a programme in place for them to be taught “Scottish values” and the learning of Scots or Gaelic to at least a basic level. Being able to master phrases such as “haud yer wheesht”, “am fair scunnert the day” and “I was pure black affronted, so ah wiz” earned them extra points for Leave to Remain status.

However those that were deemed disingenuous, did not want to integrate and fall in line with our Scottish values and even encouraged the populace to re-unify with England were subject to a hostile environment policy with the hope they would voluntarily leave. Also their emigration papers were mysteriously lost.

The last enduring memory of my dream was Andrew Neil being interviewed by the aforementioned Darren McGarvey on SBC’s flagship political programme, “Scotland This Efternin”. He had clearly come to Scotland confident of persuading us peasants of the benefits of re-unification with England at a time when there was a bit of internal squabbling within government.

However it ended badly, very badly for him. I had this final image of him running from the television studio hysterically screaming “infamy, infamy, they’ve all got it infamy!” with a demonic looking Mr McGarvey and a decidedly menacing Mr Boyle in the background. I fair enjoyed my square (or lorne) sausage roll for breakfast after that dream!

Please note for anyone concerned with the content of my dream I always dream in irony!”

Ivor Telfer
Dalgety Bay, Fife

CAN I comment on a couple of items from your recent pages?

Firstly the item in the Sunday National regarding the possibility that London is considering a ban on livestock movements if the temperature drops below 5 degrees. Your piece goes on to enlarge on the serious implications which this would have for, typically, a sheep producer in Shetland.

Can I point out that this sort of control would seriously run the risk of wiping out the entire Scottish livestock industry, along with supplies of Scottish produce for the whole nation. For at least three months of the year we could have temperatures below the stated figure. Such a stipulation would be catastrophic for the entire Scottish economy.

Not only farming would be hurt, but the entire structure of the country would suffer; transport, filling stations, shops and food industry and all the other businesses which depend on them.

If this were to be foisted on us, it would just be another move to totally destroy the Scottish independence viability. Perhaps that is the idea?

The other point with which I would take issue is the letter from Margaret Forbes in Wednesday’s issue. The picture which she paints regarding the treatment of animals by the farming industry just does not exist in reality.

While there is always a possibility of a rogue case happening somewhere, I would suggest that there is a far more serious situation regarding the conditions under which animals are kept as pets, that needs to be continuously monitored.

George M Mitchell
Dunblane

FOR once, congratulations to the BBC, for a reporter being able to give a clear and impartial assessment on Newsnight of a situation affecting both Westminster and Holyrood.

The report was of what most of us would call a lie from Boris Johnson at PMQs, when he claimed that Sir Keir Starmer had voted against a measure, when in reality no vote at all had been taken. As Boris did not correct the record as required, he was therefore guilty of “misleading Parliament”. The reporter then went on to say that this had happened at PMQs in the past two weeks as well, with no correction made.

Thus the PM has “misled Parliament” three times at least recently. Thereafter, the detail of the Ministerial Code was shown on screen, revealing that anyone “misleading Parliament” should tender his resignation to the PM! Qui custodes custodiet?

Finally, the reporter made a clear comparison of this situation with that in Scotland, where the Tories are screaming for our FM’s resignation on these grounds, and commented that “sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander”.

Thank you, BBC. Can we please have more of this full and impartial reporting in future? Perhaps that could also include the recognition that, in any debate situation, there are only two sides to the question of independence, for or against, and there should be no weighting of one side or the other in number of speakers if that question is on the agenda.

P Davidson
Falkirk

THE royal family have responded to THAT interview by Harry and Megan by telling us the issues raised will be addressed within the family.

That is all well and good except for the fact that the Queens household operating costs are funded by us the taxpayers through the Sovereign Grant which was £86.3 million in 2020-21.

Added to that we have an Act of Parliament which prevents a fall in value of the Sovereign Grant which is a percentage of the profits of the Crown Estates and if this profit falls it will be bailed out by the taxpayer – every small business owner whose profits have fallen during this Covid year would like such an Act of Parliament.

I am concerned that this publicly-funded institution is now marking its own homework and as a taxpayer I would like a public enquiry into the claims of bullying (on both sides), claims of racism, claims of neglect, claims of sexual misconduct brought out into the open and dealt with properly otherwise we will simply be following the Wesminster example of brushing under the carpet, paying off complainers and thus never needing to go to court and then carrying on as usual but even more secretly.

Winifred McCartney
Paisley

SO I’m not alone then (Long Letter, March 11).

We’re told we live in a democracy. How democratic is it that we have NO say in who should be our Head of State.

The person who gets this job, gets it by an accident of birth and keeps it FOR LIFE! whether they’re really really good at it, or just a bit rubbish. Either way, we’re stuck with them, unless of course, they decide to abdicate.

Even in USA with its weird version of democracy (Please no electoral college in indy Scotland) don’t allow their Head of State to go onanonanonanon.

Anyone who believes that the royals have no REAL power because it’s just a “constitutional” monarchy are gullible beyond belief. Plenty other countries have monarchies, but the punters don’t fork out to keep them.

Frankly I think the whole concept of kings and queens belongs in ancient history. We no longer burn innocent young ladies at the stake, allow bear baiting, throwing your faeces in the street to the shout of Gardy Loo! Or let the monarch behead their subjects at a whim, so why tolerate this ridiculous anachronism?

Barry Stewart
Blantyre

I HEAR we can have house parties for up to 50 people now, so long as we say we are worshipping a god (any god will do) and maintain social distancing.

Or maybe I have misunderstood the rules.

Gary Wilson
Falkirk

THE current behaviour of the leadership of the Tory Party in Scotland needs to be addressed.

Both Ruth Davidson and Douglas Ross are currently ubiquitous on our TVs & radios and in our newspapers.

However, so concerned are they that the former cannot leave Holyrood quick enough and the latter couldn’t leave quick enough. This should be pointed out at every turn.

So when Douglas Ross sticks his cherry in he should be immediately countered with “Well what did you do about Priti Patel, Gavin Williamson, Matt Hancock or indeed Boris Johnston?”

All guilty of egregious breaking of the Ministerial Code at Westminster or indeed actual law breaking but allowed to get away with it by the acquiescence of patsies like Douglas Ross.

He should be challenged on his actual actions in the place where he does sit and not be allowed to pour faux outrage in a legislature in which he has no remit.

Kevin Cordell
Broughty Ferry