I DON’T like the phrase “the lunatics are taking over the asylum”, but it is seems as though it’s becoming more appropriate.

I’ve just heard that former Labour grandee Alastair Campbell will be out supporting and campaigning for David Gauke, former Tory Cabinet member, now standing as an independent.

A LibDem candidate decided unilaterally to stand down, to prevent splitting the vote, in the belief it would keep the seat Labour and keep the Tories out. Swinson immediately stepped in to identify a replacement.

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And unbelievably, in Glasgow, a former well-known Labour man got UK media coverage as he advocated Scotland vote Tory. We won’t – well not in great numbers.

But like it or not, we are part of this, but not of our own choosing. We chose to Remain, but are now in this maelstrom of frenzied activity that is clearly being driven by parties putting politics first, before the needs and aspirations of neighbours, families, communities, and country.

This is naked, desperate pushing for power at any price. Is there no price too high for those who believe they can govern? It would appear not.

So much has already been written about should or shouldn’t Greens stand aside in Scotland. I applaud their decision to stand down where they have, since I’m a simple soul who believes we fight those fights, including who governs us post-indy, in a free and independent Scotland.

Tories and Labour are already outbidding each other in relation to the NHS. The LibDems can say what they like, policy-wise, money-wise. They’ll just split votes, but see a role for themselves as king makers. And all this before formal manifestos are even published. Farage has ensured either a peerage or an income from lecture/speaking tours thanks to Trump instructing him live on air to make up with the PM.

Really, is Scotland’s future to be shut in an asylum being run by the lunatics? It must be be time to turn the key and escape.

Selma Rahman
Edinburgh

THE General Election has become “the Brexit election”, the voting decisions in the UK with the exception of those by Scotland being dominated by the EU controversy. As in recent past elections, in Scotland there is the inescapable fact that another dimension is important, and that is the future pattern of the government of the country, which is now in the majority view dictated by the inevitability of independence.

That Scotland by regular democratic expression has demonstrated rejection of Westminster’s principal and entrenched policies is equally inescapable, and our inability to avoid the effects of the latter fuels the necessity of our departure from the UK as the only means of our securing the future of our country as we wish it to be.

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The matters reserved to Westminster in the devolution settlement are benefits and social security, broadcasting, constitution, defence, employment, equal opportunities, foreign policy, immigration and trade and industry, all of them of major, vital significance to the government of “the whole of the UK”, . It has repeatedly been made clear that that Holyrood has “no role” in any of them, and recent Westminster statements suggest that position will be unchanged, except of course if “sovereign” Westminster decrees their augmentation.

Only support for the independence of Scotland can remove the inequality of Westminster’s stubborn, iron determination to preserve the status quo despite all attempts to achieve any change for the better. Regrettably the London-controlled Unionist parties are unable and unwilling to effect any real impact on that unacceptable situation, and at the present election time the addition of “Scottish” to the names of the Labour , Liberal Democratic and Conservative Parties is unconvincing of their loyalty to any cause except that decreed by their London head offices.

None of the three have at any time advanced any proposal to improve our Scottish life, while all with no exception have concentrated on a programme of attacking Holyrood policies to do so.

Scotland’s voice will be heard again.

J Hamilton
Bearsden

IN the latest inane photo shoot we see of Jo Swinson she is sporting a pair of boxing gloves, but she is being “boxed” increasingly from within her own party over her lack of “punch” in supporting a Remain alliance.

It seems that this “yellow Tory” is aping Ruth Davidson’s antics with visual stunts and lack of substance in any policy manifesto. Now the gloves are off within her own party and she is being set up for a knock-out from within.

It is revealing how the UK-based parties are at war from within. Across the Unionist tribe the infighting and cross-fighting is gaining as this contest progresses, or perhaps one should term it “regresses”.

Not one of the failed Unionist triopoly here are stable, let alone strong at present. As Britishness disintegrates they are mirroring in person the futility of the British-Westminster set-up.

What a spectacle each day brings, as the hullabaloo erupts outwith the Commons, as the bearers of the message of the Precious Union slug it out while being left- and right-hooked from their respective supporters and erstwhile followers.

There is turmoil in the blue, yellow and red corners in the ring with the capitulated Brexit Party, having thrown in the towel, isolated in the red-white-and blue-corner gazing on.

Who will be left standing at the final bell?

John Edgar
Kilmaurs