ALL through Wednesday I felt mystified, shocked at an unelected court of the so-called United Kingdom over-ruling a unanimous derision of a freely elected Scottish Parliament.
To my ears worse followed: our Deputy First Minister John Swinney, a chap I hugely respect, was quoted. “Mr Swinney said the Scottish Government ‘fully respects the court’s judgement’, but was ‘bitterly disappointed’.”
Utterly disgraceful, this infers that an unelected court is supreme and above an elected parliament.
READ MORE: Supreme Court ruling against children's rights bill a 'dark day for democracy'
Another sad example of the parish council in Edinburgh being exactly what the Brits want them to be.
Wee moosies, timorous and feart but with no gumption to challenge the sleekit bastards.
And what was the law about? Child protection. To persuade former No voters to go “aye” when your parish council accepts Bullingdon Club bullies by almost praising them. Sorry John, that comment “fully respects the court” is hurtful to myself as a democrat.
Bryan Clark
Maybole
NICOLA Sturgeon’s warning on the consequences of the Supreme Court’s decision on child protection must be heeded by everyone who believes in the Holyrood parliament. The Supreme Court ruling is clear: the devolved Scottish Government is unable to protect our children, even to the minimum standard agreed by the UN.
The first duty of any government is the protection of its people. Without the power to protect our children, every other power of our parliament is worthless. MSPs voted unanimously for these two bills and should vote unanimously once again to forward them for royal assent. If the bills are rejected by the UK Government then it is time to accept our responsibility for the protection of our children and remove ourselves from the overlordship of the Westminster Parliament.
John Jamieson
South Queensferry
I AM sorry to say this, but it shows how much contempt Westminster Tories have for the leader of the SNP at Westminster, Ian Blackford, when the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has to try and mount a personal attack on him in a keynote leader’s speech.
Obviously Ian Blackford and the SNP are a clear and dangerous threat to the United Kingdom. Why did he not attack Mark Drayford of Wales in a personal way?
But to attack a man’s living standards and his lifestyle in a keynote speech just proves that Boris has run out of ideas for Scotland, or for that matter anything meaningful about anything, but it would get him a cheap cheer.
READ MORE: Ian Blackford fires back at Boris Johnson's Conservative Party speech
Could I remind Boris Johnson that the Good Law Project are pursuing the Tory government through the courts, for the way they have used the public as a cash machine through the pandemic? It is not Ian Blackford or the SNP that are accused of chumocracy and corruption in the way PPE contracts were awarded in a VIP lane to publicans and people with little or no manufacturing experience or expertise.
The real problem for the Tories is that if Scotland and Wales are independent and there is a untied Ireland, without the broad shoulders of the Union little England alone will never sit at the top table of the G7, or the United nations or indeed anyother respected organisation.
Robert McCaw
Renfrew
UK wholesale gas prices recently hit a record high before falling back after Russia said it was boosting supplies to Europe. Russia President Vladimir Putin calmed the market after gas prices had risen by 37% in 24 hours to trade at 400p per therm on Wednesday. UK gas was 60p per therm at the start of the year. Following Mr Putin’s comments on supplies, gas prices dropped to about 257p a therm.
It seems that we have more to be grateful for from Mr Putin than we have from Boris the clown, who by the way will be collecting a lot more VAT – currently 5% – on the greatly increased price of our gas and electricity. I understand one of the very few advantages of being dragged out the EU is the ability to reduce or remove VAT on gas and electricity bills.
READ MORE: Organised chaos – could this have been Boris Johnson’s plan all along?
I think we all realise that things in Boris’s Britain are bad – and getting worse by the day. Rocketing fuel prices, cuts to Universal Credit, fuel shortages, empty supermarket shelves, HGV driver shortages, possibly nae turkeys for Christmas.
Was the Tory party conference just the last straw that has even forced Kylie Minogue to pack her bags and, after 30 years, return to Australia?
Brian Lawson
Paisley
SO D Ross is happy to bypass our parliament (his words to the Tory party conference), yet on Tuesday the speaker allowed him to address Holyrood, the parliament he is happy to bypass!
On Wednesday evening’s Tory party political broadcast he referred to “the nationalist government” when he knows full well that it is the SNP government or the Scottish Government.
Does he really think that by insulting the voters of Scotland they will give him their vote?
Paul Gillon
Leven
SCOTLAND must be one of the few countries of Europe where the people, for obvious reasons, are deficient in the knowledge of their history. During the first independence referendum we found many who were even unaware that Scotland had ever been independent. The question set for the next referendum should surely be: Should Scotland ONCE AGAIN be an independent nation?
G Porter
Dunblane
THE referendum vote question should be: Do you want the Scottish people to take full control of all land, water, electricity, oil and gas in our international jurisdiction?
William Purvis
via email
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel