REGARDING Shona Craven’s sketch in last Thursday’s edition, I have some sympathy with an opinion she expresses (Johnson shamelessly rewrites history on Hancock. July 1). What’s the point of Prime Minister’s Questions?
Johnson’s nonsense responses are calculated and purposeful. His intention is to generate frustration in Ian Blackford, our MPs and our movement in general. I don’t support the view of some in our movement regarding the total withdrawal from that pantomime parliament of our SNP MPs.
On the matter of PM’s questions, gut feeling by itself isn’t enough assessment of advantages and disadvantages of such action. Will it hasten a referendum?
READ MORE: SNP MPs are being wasted down in London, time to bring them home
Firstly, possible advantages. A) Perhaps it would find favour with the majority of the Yes movement. But it raises the question of how it would benefit or progress our struggle. B) It would free up a day for our MPs to participate in a full-blown campaign. C) It would release them from the pain of being insulted, ignored or dismissed one day a week.
What would be the disadvantages? A) Our MPs will not have the opportunity to raise important political and constitutional issues. B) Their absence won’t stop Johnson’s belittlement of our MPs and independence. C) Who would give voice to the scandals and corruption being perpetrated by the Johnson administration? D) Viewers in Scotland would not witness the humiliation of their elected representatives, which may prove to be a factor in winning undecided voters. E) In Scotland the Unionists would use such action to accuse our MPs of neglecting the interests of their constituents on (in their opinion) the most important day in Westminster.
In the white heat of an independence campaign, MPs’ absence could be a positive tactic. In don’t think this would be the correct time for such action.
Bobby Brennan
Glasgow
PITY help any tourist in Scotland trying to get to Corrour to tick off a few Munros. Corrour can only be reached via train (or a very long walk), and should you wish to get there early in the day then you can’t! It is not possible, unless of course you are in England. Yes, they will accept passengers in England but not Scotland. Only allowing for dropping off passengers, so long as you start your trip in England.
Having called National Rail and Caledonian Sleeper they advised me that I’d need to travel down to Preston first! That’s going to be around an extra 400 miles of travel!
So there you have it, one-third of the capacity of all trains going from Glasgow to Malliag are only for customers based outside of Scotland! To make matters worse it took me multiple calls to even find this out. Had I have just picked up the ticket on the train as was recommended when I contacted Scotrail the first time (as you can’t book kids for a quid online, it must be done in person – why?) then I’d have been stuck in Glasgow as I changed trains and/or even worse overnight at Corrour as the last train is also operated by Caledonian Sleeper.
If it wasn’t for the fact that I wished to take a bike with me and I had to speak to more than one person as well as email, I’d have never known. Not a single piece of info to warn anyone about this. It’s a farce.
Kenneth Sutherland
Livingston
WHAT a splendid letter by Richard Walthew in Sunday’s National (Fry ignores the inherent unfairness of capitalism, July 4).
I am in complete agreement with the case Richard has made in support of socialism. This was the perfect response to the constant attacks by Michael Fry.
READ MORE: Michael Fry is ignoring the inherent unfairness of capitalism
Sadly, Mr Fry will fail to see it as such, though I am quite sure that the vast majority of the readership will be aware that he has been well and truly trounced for his absurd praise of the lousy rotten capitalist system. It has blighted the life of mankind for far too long!
Thanks again, Richard, for your superb epistle!
Norrie Paton
Campbeltown
EXCELLENT article from Bella Caledonia in the Sunday National (Bridging the gap where engineering used to be) – in fact the Seven Days supplement is always a good read. Our attention was drawn to the fact that the SNP, although it has made some welcome small changes to our society, has not tackled any of the reforms we so desperately need.
I fear we simply don’t have the calibre of MSPs who can bring us radical changes in land reform, global capital’s investment in our industries, a constitution, the nationalisation of our railways and utilities and much more. Independence won’t mean anything if we play – as we seem to be doing – the same Westminster games of rewarding the rich at the expense of the poor.
READ MORE: Christopher Silver: Bridging the gap where Scottish engineering used to be
The SNP had the blue print for independence from 2014 which needed worked on. Did they just ignore it? We need to use the brains of people like George Kerevan, the Common Weal etc and even Michael Fry, to draw up at least a vision for independence to be put to the electorate to show what we are capable of. Only then will we feel that it’s game on. This should have been done years ago.
Rosemary Smith
East Kilbride
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