A FRONT-PAGE picture and a headline that conveys all (November 18). Never in the modern era have we had such an idiot for a PM. Don’t get me wrong, as I think he is fantastic as a recruiter for the cause of independence, but maybe not so good for the Union!
It was always going to happen, perhaps written in the stars that Johnson, as he ran out of excuses to prevent a second independence referendum, would let slip his mask of Union first and his true form would then be revealed.
READ MORE: Lesley Riddoch: Boris’s blurt was no mistake, it reveals what Tories think of us
Be under no cloud of doubt that his words were and are a direct attack on the democratic process that has taken place in Scotland. He, this establishment failure, has tried to say that the voters in Scotland were wrong to lobby for our own parliament, were wrong to vote to have one and are wrong to then use our vote to put in power the MSPs who we know will do their best for Scotland.
This Oxbridge fool who melts in the first glow of crisis thinks he knows better, thinks that he can in some Churchillian way draw the Union together whereas all he has done is guarantee the empire’s end.
We now need to be rid of these fools in Downing Street and their lapdogs here in their branch office, for it is long past time to end the Union.
Cliff Purvis
Veterans For Scottish Independence 2.0
THE independence of Scotland has been raised by non-supporters substantially more often than by its advocates. Are the former obsessed? Or just worried! Both assertions are obvious.
Only political acrobats, of whom Westminster is not short, would opine that 0.01% of Scotland’s population (of approx 1.1 million), who negotiated our union with England, have more democratic clout than the 55% (of approx 5.5 million) per recent polls who today, 313 years later, oppose that outcome. It must be remembered that in 1707, 99.99% of Scotland’s population were not asked!
READ MORE: Boris Johnson's devolution comments show 'chasm' between Tories and Scotland
For Westminster – in the shape of one man whose party has in Scotland been rejected comprehensively for 60 years – to contend that we should be constrained indefinitely and quietly to accept as a consequence being governed by what is, essentially a foreign country, is contrary to, if nothing else, natural justice. Both Scotland and England are totally different – economically, sociologically, culturally and by aspiration – from the 1707 versions, as is the world surrounding them.
Realistically the island of Britain will be politically stable only when Scotland is recognised as an independent country at peace with its southern neighbour, in which situation there is factually no need to fear any compromise to the security, in the widest terms, of either.
The Act of Union being now the inviolate determining factor in the future of Scotland with all the trappings of Westminster rule is a grotesque prospect which can, with good will, be overcome.
John Hamilton
Bearsden
IT is not often that I will disagree with Ian Blackford but when he calls for Boris Johnson to pack his bags I have to challenge him, for Mr Johnsonist is one of the greatest assets in our national cause.
When this idle Etonian pronounces that devolution was a disaster, we Scots can all see what we face if these appalling people are allowed to govern us for any longer than it takes to rid ourselves of them once and forever. Their incompetence is the least of it. What Johnson has exposed is the malignancy underlying the Tory attitude towards Scottish democracy. So now every Scottish elector of whatever political persuasion knows that the Tory party considers that the settled will of the Scottish people in the 1997 referendum should be overturned, but presumably the 2014 result will stand, Aye, right.
Keep Johnson in power. He’s doing a grand job.
KM Campbell
Doune
IN 2016 we voted. Did we want to leave the EU? Two of the four nations of the UK voted against Brexit. Result – Brexit.
52% of the UK electorate who actually voted, voted for Brexit. Result – Brexit will happen at the end of next month.
In Scotland, voters in 32 of the 32 local authority areas from Shetland to Dumfries and Galloway voted against Brexit. Result – Brexit.
In 2019 the UK electorate voted to elect 365 Conservative MPs. Result – the current Conservative Government.
Scotland elected only five of those Conservative MPs. Result – the current Conservative government.
In Dumfries and Galloway there are two things we all believe in, no matter what our political beliefs. Firstly, we want the best future for ourselves, our family and all around us. Secondly, we want to live in a democratic country.
So, what do you think this tells us, and where do we go from here?
Carole Williams
Moffat
LESLEY Riddoch, quoting Malcolm Rifkind referring to “the Scottish Assembly”, informs him that “it’s a parliament these days”, but Lesley, it has always been a parliament (Boris’s blurt was no mistake … it reveals what the Tories think of us, November 19). In the 1997 referendum we were asked if we agreed, or did not agree, that there “should be a Scottish Parliament”. It has never been an Assembly.
John Blyth
via email
YES it’s true Donald Trump did keep one of his election promises. Unfortunately, like another former Republican president, his spelling was not very good.
He promised to make America great again. But when he said it for the posters to be made he didn’t spot the mistake in the wording. What he meant was MAKE AMERICA GRATE AGAIN! Well, he sure succeeded in doing that!!
Nigel Theobald
Dunoon
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