MEDIA comment on “Partygate” rightly arouses the public’s distaste for the behaviour and veracity of Boris Johnson. He may well, as some Conservative MPs have warned, be drinking in the Last Chance Saloon. However, publicity surrounding Partygate has overshadowed what may be a more serious matter which seems to be escaping the media’s attention.

Boris Johnson is under pressure to explain why he allegedly failed to declare an interest in the allocation of public money to a close friend while he was Mayor of London.

In November 2021 The Sunday Times reported that a company run by Jennifer Arcuri, an American technology entrepreneur and friend of Johnson, was given tens of thousands of pounds in public funds and access to overseas trade missions led by Johnson during the Prime Minister’s time as Mayor of London.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson accused of hypocrisy after calling out Jimmy Carr holocaust joke

The Guardian on January 29 reported that “Boris Johnson is facing damaging new revelations about his relationship with Jennifer Arcuri after hundreds of pages of notes and documents were handed to officials at the Greater London Authority (GLA) overseeing two separate investigations into their affair.” Arcuri is also said to be cooperating fully with a separate investigation by the GLA’s ethics watchdog that raises the prospect of Johnson facing an investigation for a potential criminal offence of misconduct in public office.

Johnson’s current spouse, Carrie, may be for now standing by her man despite his record of being liberal with his affections, but penalty notices of up to £100 for breaches of the Covid regulations pale into significance compared with a criminal conviction for corruption in public office, which carries a custodial sentence.

Boris Johnson may have a reputation for enjoying wine, women and song, but his relationship with Jennifer Arcuri may mean the song he is soon singing is his swan song.

Alexandra MacRae
Forfar

IN my letter of February 4 I was rather critical of the recent visit by Boris Johnson to Ukraine. I was left with a feeling of downright despair to see the following day that SNP MPs Dave Doogan, Alyn Smith and Stewart McDonald had followed Boris’s lead and also visited Ukraine. At least Boris, in handing out millions of pounds of UK taxpayers money, had a reason to be there.

I cannot see what advantage the visit of these three SNP MPs is to Scotland, its government or its people. I have always believed and hoped that getting involved in foreign wars was the one policy best reserved to Westminster.

According to a poll conducted by Ernst & Young, experts considered Ukraine to be the ninth-most corrupt nation in the whole world. According to the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, Ukraine ranked 117th out of 180 countries in 2020, the second-lowest in Europe after Russia.

READ MORE: David Pratt: Truth is the first casualty as the US and Russia clash over Ukraine

Before heading off on any further personal diplomatic missions, perhaps Mr Smith and his colleagues should spent some time researching the politics and background of those they are about to meet. It would not take long. A five minute internet search on the words “Ukraine corruption” would do it.

In a final irony, a photograph has emerged of Dave Doogan, Alyn Smith and Stewart McDonald sitting at a table across from Ukraine Foreign Minister Mykola Tochytskyi. On their table is not the Saltire but the Union flag. After the meeting, Mr Tochytskyi tweeted: “Grateful to our UK partners for standing with UA in the face of Russian aggression.”

In a short online video Mr Smith boldly ends by saying “Ukraine has friends”. By that I assume he means us. Well Alyn, I have no real wish to be good friends with the current government of Ukraine. I would be both disappointed and surprised if most SNP members or the Scottish Government or the First Minister share your views.

I look forward to Mr Smith’s next extensive column in The National where he can hopefully attempt to explain to us the reasoning behind his visit.

Brian Lawson
Paisley

HAMISH Morrison’s article on pensions is confusing and alarming to pensioners and more clarification is needed on how pensions work (SNP called on to ‘reassure’ pensioners on key question, Feb 7).

National Insurance contributions paid to the UK Government create an insurance liability to all who pay in. There are currently hundreds of thousands of pensioners living in Spain who are paid their UK pension. Spain is certainly a separate and independent country. UK pensioners in Spain are paid for by UK workers today. When Scotland is independent the UK will have a liability to pay pensions to all those in Scotland who have paid into the Treasury. The UK will not default on its liabilities.

As from the date of independence, Scotland will begin to build its own National Insurance fund and pension liability for the future. But every pound paid in the past to HMRC will be guaranteed.

There are people in Scotland now who have spent years working in countries all over the world and paying the equivalent of National Insurance contributions in those countries. They receive pensions from the countries they have worked in.

It is how pensions work in the Western world.

Jean Fraser
Edinburgh

SEVENTY years ago I was in a class of 13-year-olds when the headmaster came in and announced the King had died. There was a shocked silence.

He then told us that as a mark of respect the school would close at lunchtime. This time the announcement was greeted with wild cheers – much, I remember, to the dismay of the Heedie!

Bill Drew
Kirriemuir