THE glee with which the Unionist camp has leapt upon the “Nicola misled” banner is hardly surprising, for they have been sniffing for blood since Alex Salmond was acquitted. The source of the leak of a quasi-judicial process is exceedingly disturbing and needs to be added to the list of matters requiring serious investigation.
What all the Unionist media and politicians fail to understand in their glee is that the movement which Alex and Nicola have so ably led at such great personal cost is greater by far, as they both surely know, than their reputations. When Kenneth MacAlpin placed his foot on the rock at Dunadd he founded a nation which has endured and will endure foes greater than Johnson and the gutter press. We are a nation whose people are now determined that whoever leads us it will be one of our own, of our choosing, not some alien Etonian posing with crabs and fishermen he will betray. A former L/Cpl (R Sigs TA) Hon Col (R Sigs TA) Baroness will, of course, be eligible to apply.
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It is far too early to form any opinion on the actual findings of the committee of investigation whose proceedings have been so disgracefully leaked, but it is important to stress that the current election is not about individual politicians but about our future as Scots and Scotland’s future as a nation for our descendants, and that is infinitely more important than the short-term future of any politician. I know that Nicola would agree with me wholeheartedly: I suspect that Boris and Ruth would not.
The important thing for all of us and our children and grandchildren is to hold firm and stand together.
KM Campbell
Doune
IT takes a special breed of thick-skinned individual to become a Tory politician (and I won’t even comment on the sleekit Michael Gove).
In true Farage style, Murdo Fraser takes every legitimate opportunity – and some would suggest any illegitimate opportunity – to undermine the parliament to which he has persistently sought election, in spite of having been repeatedly rejected as a constituency representative by the electorate.
Douglas Ross, in the parliament to which he was elected, shamelessly ignores the barrage of lies and misleading statements of his incompetent Prime Minister, ignores the illegal actions that have undermined the UK’s standing in the world and ignores the cronyism\corruption that has cost taxpayers across the UK billions and billions of pounds, yet demands that an able First Minister in another parliament should resign over a difference of opinion of what was said (probably without deliberate intent to mislead or deceive by anyone) in a matter that cost taxpayers a fraction of what has just been spent on converting a room at Downing Street into a UK Government propaganda studio.
READ MORE: David Cameron revelations spark demands for Tory cronyism inquiry
The rudest brass neck of all the Scottish Tories, though, belongs to Baroness Ruth “Integrity” Davidson, the staunch defender of high moral principles and transparent democracy. This supposed ardent advocate of remaining in the EU – which was the prevailing view of those who elected her – will soon join Boris’s cabal of ideological Brexiteers as an unelected “Lord” intent on diminishing, if not eradicating, proper public scrutiny of government while harnessing all of the UK’s resources to generate more wealth for the rich Tory party donors that pervade the British establishment.
Tory government spending of billions of pounds on more nuclear warheads in a vain attempt to re-establish the UK’s imperial standing in the world, in breach of its commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, will take priority over eliminating child poverty, housing the homeless and feeding those in hunger. Is it too much to hope that even some traditional Conservative party supporters now realise that condoning the dogmatic pursuit of private wealth creation makes all of us poorer human beings?
Stan Grodynski
Longniddry, East Lothian
I HAVE watched throughout the inquiry with dismay. MSP members of the committee into the Alex Salmond affair have appeared on various news programmes including Debate Night and have spoken to the press offering their opinions.
I kept thinking this is not right, however the latest fiasco of a leak to the press on the report prompted me to look at the Ministerial Code and it appears that they, not Nicola Sturgeon, have broken this.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson's government 'breaks ministerial code' over ministers' earnings
Point 14 in my view makes this clear: “Members must not provide the media with any other briefings or views on the general contents ‘line’ of draft committee reports or other confidential material or information. Disclosures of this kind can also seriously undermine and devalue the work of committees.”
This witch hunt is disgraceful and makes a mockery of the whole process, which has been deeply flawed from the start. An inquiry into the inquiry is on the cards.
Catherine Hay
via email
I HAD to put pen to paper as I watch Question Time and listen to the calm, measured tone of Kirsten Oswald faced with the vitriol of both Ian Hyslop and Jess Phillips highlighting their lack of respect for Scotland and our FM. Scotland, we need to look after ourselves, our country and our future. If we don’t, it’s obvious we will be crushed at every turn and told to sit back down. Let’s get this done. Vote SNP 1 and 2 on May 6 and then have our referendum.
Jan Ferrie
via email
ARMED with her knowledge of ministerial codes and enthusiasm for the rule of law, we must expect Davidson to do the honourable thing and demand at the very least the resignations of Priti Patel, Matt Hancock and a no confidence vote on Johnson himself , upon her celebrated elevation to that honourable body, the House of Lords of the United Kingdom. Nothing less will be enough to establish her integrity.
John Hamilton
Bearsden
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