IT must now be blatantly clear to anyone with a pulse that the royal family have abandoned any pretence of neutrality over Scottish independence with their decision to openly campaign for the Union.
In 2014 the Queen, at the request of David Cameron, made comments in support of the Union to a well-placed “well-wisher” which were plastered across the media within minutes, and which at the time were presented as nothing more than an overheard chance remark. Now the royals are going to speak more positively about Scotland so that we abandon our ideals of building an independent nation and instead revert to the forelock-tuggers they clearly love and remember from yesteryear.
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Prince William was the first to have a go, arriving in Edinburgh to an umpteen-gun salute before regaling the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland with tales of how his family love visiting Scotland to shoot the local wildlife and roam the hills or some such waffle.
I love visiting Italy every year but I don’t go there and lecture the Italians on their politics. Yet Willie Windsor thinks nothing of coming here and lecturing us about why we should remain part of his family’s domain, and it sticks in the craw to see him pictured with an apparently awestruck Nicola Sturgeon gazing adoringly up at him as they exited church service in Edinburgh.
The royals have picked a side, and it isn’t ours. They have dropped the pretence of appearing to leave things to the people of Scotland and have now openly sided with our opponents. As such the SNP, and indeed all supporters of independence, must now reassess an independent Scotland’s relationship with the royal family. In 2014 it was stated that we would keep the monarchy if we became independent. In 2021 we must now be honest enough to say that we do not want a figurehead monarch from a neighbouring state who we are supposed to bow and scrape to whenever they breeze in.
Our country is much more than the occasional holiday home for an ultra-rich family. An independent Scotland must be a republic, and the monarchy must be consigned to the history books. To retain them in any way, shape or form is an insult to modern democracy.
James Cassidy
Airdrie
WHAT a froth and furore in The National yesterday. These bad royal people are saying nice things about Scotland – truly vile. They are to have the temerity to travel in their Scottish kingdom – outrageous. Anyone else may wander round Scotland but naturally royalty must never do so.
Do the royals wish the United Kingdom to remain united? They probably do, they like everyone else are entitled to take a view. Unlike everyone else, in the matter of Scottish independence they are not allowed to give their view and do not do so. When Scotland takes back its independence, I am certain the decision will be accepted graciously.
R Mill Irving
Gifford, East Lothian
THE ink on the Scottish Parliament ballot papers has barely dried and the No campaign is under way. The newly re-elected First Minister has already been symbolically forced to walk a few paces behind the unelected Prince William on his recent visit to his subjects.
No doubt the Queen has already been booked in for a visit. Prince Charles will be waiting in the wings to don his kilt and find something to declare open. Staff at Balmoral will right now be dusting off the royal duvets and polishing the silver in preparation for a summer visit by members of the Windsor clan.
The process of reducing the power of the Scottish Parliament is under way. Gordon Brown will soon announce yet another set of vows. Various Labour and Tory Lords will continue to tell us the Scottish economy will collapse the very day after a Yes vote. Dark money will continue to be raised from businesses hoping to profit even further from the Union.
READ MORE: BBC’s pro-Union bias is a much bigger issue than any activities of 1995
Boris and co, with a huge majority, will continue to just say no or may even grant us a referendum very much sooner than we would like to ensure the Yes campaign cannot get fully under way.
Summer (if you can call it that in Scotland) will soon be upon us. The thoughts of many will be turning to holidays – Covid permitting. Westminster and Holyrood will slip into business as usual followed by a summer recess.
The No campaign must not be allowed to take the initiative of a quick referendum or get a head start in a longer race to an independent Scotland. They must not be allowed to poison the minds of those currently even thinking of supporting independence.
Covid cannot be allowed to become an excuse for the SNP and the Scottish Government to spend the next five years trying to make a half-decent job of running a Scottish Parliament with ever-diminishing powers.
Glenda Burns
Glasgow
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IT concerns me to see the early royal entry into the toxic Union’s campaign against Scottish independence but I am optimistic that most Scots will not be enamoured by this cynical attempt to influence us.
I wonder how sincere is this love the second in line to the throne claims to have for our country. I note that among the various titles he now assumes is Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Kirk. I never saw him attending church while he studied in St Andrew’s and although I know a few people who saw him in the bars, cafes and restaurants in town, I know nobody who claims to have seen him near the Kirk on a Sunday morning. The only Sunday morning sightings I know of are of him returning from nights out in Edinburgh.
Is there anyone who can prove me wrong and demonstrate that he has he any interest in the Kirk beyond using it as a platform to promote the Union? I would also be interested to know if the Earl of Strathearn has he the first idea what or where Strathearn is.
Ni Holmes
St Andrews
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