“SCOTLAND does not need independence either. It needs a Labour government”– an extract from your article (McDonnell: Scotland doesn’t need to be independent, December 3). Just the sentiments I would expect from the Labour party, who for 10 years as the main opposition in Westminster have been totally inept at affording Scotland any voice or democracy, they have been conspicuous by their silence!
John McDonnell is a bit presumptuous when he says Labour will not enter into any pacts, coalitions or arrangements with anyone to win the General Election. Is he saying he would rather hand the keys of No 10 to Boris Johnson? Labour would never be forgiven, an experience Jo Swinson finds herself in today.
One sentiment in the article I totally agree with is “Scotland cannot afford another day of the Tories”, sentiments I am sure will be echoed by those who the Conservative government have plunged into poverty by their draconian welfare policies like Universal Credit.
Catriona C Clark
Falkirk
READ MORE: McDonnell: SNP don't want change, they'd rather talk independence
“SCOTLAND doesn’t need independence”. With all due respect, Mr McDonnell, that is
not a matter for an England MP holding the mandate of not a single vote from Scotland, ex-ministers holding only the mandate of their own opinion or unelected Lords holding the mandate of the patronage which bought their loyalty, to decide. That is a matter for the sovereign people of Scotland, and them only, to decide.
We would like to listen to your advice when we actually ask for it, thank you very much. But I don’t think your “advice” has been requested by the people of Scotland.
Now, just an informative note: the SNP are where they are because WE, the people of Scotland, put them there to represent OUR interests and not the ones of the English establishment. Please do not forget that when the senior people in your party decide that it is a good political strategy to directly insult half of the Scottish electorate and indirectly insult the other half too by calling us bigots, or even going the extra mile within the dangerous territory of intolerance, bigotry and racism by saying publicly that the Scottish nationalists should be killed off.
Now back off and stop sticking your nose in Scotland’s business.
There’s a good chap. Thank you.
Maria Carnero
via thenational.scot
THE wrong questions are being asked. The real question is: “Why is the precious Union so desperate to keep hold of us ungrateful, whinging subsidy junkies?” Once we get an honest answer to that, all will be clear, the rest will be irrelevant.
Jim Clark
Scone
THAT Boris Johnson is ambitious there is no doubt. As with Napoleon Bonaparte, he comes across as someone who would accommodate the position of emperor and be regardless of the chaos, disruption, and ruination consequent on his deeds.
Europe became not big enough for Napoleon and so he mustered a Grande Armee and marched into Moscow, the whole grandiloquent adventure ending in the massive loss of the lives of his soldiers in their winter retreat from Russia.
Napoleon of course sped away from the terrible misery, back to his palace in Paris and more plotting to maintain his power.
This time around Boris Johnson is turning his back on Europe because he has realised he cannot make an empire out of it and has opted for the role of big fish in a small sea rather than small in a big sea.
Maybe somebody ought to tell him that looking across a very big sea – the Atlantic Ocean – to the United States of America will in all truth make him into an even smaller fish. Has his sage adviser Mr Cummings not warned him?
However, the really unfunny and serious consequence of swapping Europe for America is the chaos, devastation, and reduction in the lives of the vast majority of people hauled into this episode sought by the ambitions of a relatively few individuals.
There is no harm in hoping that Mr Johnson and his lieutenants will be sent to the St Helena of the Westminster opposition benches rather than the government benches across the way. If Mr Cummings doesn’t tell him, maybe the electorate will.
Ian Johnstone
Peterhead
WHILST on holiday recently, I had a recurring dream that I would like to share with you.
In the dream the Prime Minister, Mr Johnson, is wearing a blazer and the badge of the blazer is inscribed with the logo “Get Brexit Done” but with the “Get” scored out.
From the top pocket above the badge of the blazer is the smiling face of President Trump, with a piece of paper saying “NHS contract”.
At first I thought this dream might actually be a premonition.
However, I now hear that President Trump is currently in England and I am now wondering if my dream has just turned into a nightmare!!
Ian Archibald
Edinburgh
SHOULD anyone believe what Boris Johnson promises? Should anyone believe what Scottish Tories promise? Remember, in 2016 the Scottish Tories including Carlaw and Davidson were against Brexit. Then they were against a “no deal” Brexit. Then they refused to back the Scottish Parliament vote opposing a “ No-Deal” Brexit.
So what right do the Scottish Tories have to complain about the the people of Scotland changing their minds about independence? When Boris Johnson snaps his fingers, gopher Jackson Carlaw does his bidding. So I ask any Tory voters, do they really know what they are voting for?
David Egdoll
Giffnock
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