IN a week when the morally bankrupt, smirking buffoon, Johnson, has been in the headlines, yet again, I felt it is important to focus the mind. He will no doubt eventually be ditched by the “men and women in grey suits” and replaced by someone more competent.

I understand that more competent individual who is the front runner to replace him is wee Johnny’s pet hamster. He may well not quite yet have the required gravitas for such a position but given time and experience, I’m sure he will be fine and certainly a massive improvement on the current incumbent. Seriously, the Tories will try and again re-invent themselves but let’s remember what they are all about and what they have always been about.

“The World Population Review” website published a list for 2021 of wealth inequality by country for countries worldwide, using the Gini Index. I thought it would be interesting to use this list to compile a separate one of all EU countries and the UK. The least unequal country is number 1 with the countries becoming more unequal down the list:

1. Slovenia

2. Czech Republic

3. Belgium

4. Finland

5. Netherlands

6. Denmark

7.Malta

8. Hungary

9. Croatia

10. Sweden

11. Poland

12. Estonia

13. Austria

14. Ireland

15. Germany

16 France

17. Cyprus

18. Greece

19. Portugal

20. Spain

21. UK

22. Latvia

23. Luxembourg

24. Lithuania

25. Romania

26. Italy

27. Bulgaria

I’m sure many experts will provide very complicated arguments to stress that lists such as these have to be considered with a pinch of salt given various complex economic and social factors. However we don’t have to be rocket scientists to be totally unsurprised by the UK’s lowly position after years of rising widespread abject poverty in contrast to grotesque extreme wealth at the other end of the scale.

I don’t want to live in a country where the filthy rich’s fortunes are gained on the back of the dirt poor. With this in mind in my opinion, once independence is achieved surely priorities 1, 2 and 3, from “Day1”, should be doing whatever has to be done to drastically improve the lives of those left behind for far too long.

I don’t want to hear arguments about how complex this will be. Politicians with a fierce single minded driven determination to achieve this can and will do so. Put it this way, having an “I’m all right Jack” outlook on life will hopefully, following independence, become as unwelcome to others in Scottish society as a f*rt in a lift!

My hope therefore is that when we finally live in an independent Scotland it climbs as high up this league table as quickly as possible. How politicians of any country can claim success on the back of an almighty chasm between rich and poor is despicable.

On a lighter note I’ve never been too keen of the term First Minister. Following our independence when Nicola, assuming she is still in charge, attends her first conference of world leaders rubbing shoulders with the “great and the good” (many of whom will neither be great nor good) I would just love it if she is introduced as follows: “Ladies and gentlemen, can you please put your hands together for Nicola Sturgeon’s maiden speech following Scotland becoming an independent country. Please welcome, Nicola Sturgeon, Heid Honcho of Scotland!”

Now that would be pure dead brilliant man!
Ivor Telfer
Dalgety Bay, Fife

I READ in last week’s Sunday National that a Jimmy Buchan was bemoaning the negative results of Brexit! Is this the same Jimmy Buchan, chief executive of the Scottish Seafood Association, who backed Vote Leave and told the industry to embrace Brexit? YES. Many in the industry will have followed his advice and now face hardship, losing livelihoods and going out of business.Wealthy businessmen such as Mr Buchan will survive, and prosper while many who followed his advice will not. Shame on him.
J McKenzie,
Bridge of Earn, Perth