ALYN Smith stated the clear truth that the SNP is the “most pro-EU party in Scotland” (Independence in Europe more attractive than ever, Apr 27).

In fact, the SNP and the Scottish Greens are the only parties in Scotland that are pro-EU. UK branch parties Labour and the LibDems are now simply English Brexiteers and forget that Scots voted to remain in the EU. The Unionists simply refuse to acknowledge the majority vote here for the EU, though ironically they opposed independence saying it would have stopped continued Scottish membership of the EU. The EU did not help either in 2014, going along with the charade, and its Anglophiles were mesmerised by the UK myth. Now the EU knows never to trust a Unionist!

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Labour are a mess, but one would have thought that the LibDems, who first promoted EU membership (or Common Market membership as it was), would have maintained their commitment. But they went Brexit- or Engxit-native and Ukipped themselves itself into the English xenophobic coup.

As the Tory Brexmess continues and businesses are so disrupted, with farming and fishing here in slow meltdown, why do these industries remain so silent on the mess?

Mesmerised by the Union-in-chaos with its dysfunctional Windsor monarchy? Or are they still in their subservient cottar mentality and lack true grit to see that Westminster is the barrier, not simply the Borisonian mess we are in? That mess is the ultimate stage in the “development” Westminster has arrived at, a dysfunctional system even unfit for the late 20th century. The crisis is existential for the English, yet they do not see it. Their system is now the abnorm.

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When an unelected political relic such as Lord Foulkes, a so-called Labour socialist, advocates restrictions on democracy here in Scotland and seeks to demolish devolved governments because they do not vote the right Labour way, the crisis facing Scotland is stark.

The Westminster, Anglo-dominated Union is the problem. The merry-go-round of the calcified duopoly will not solve the impasse that is Westminster.

John Edgar
Kilmaurs

THE thought of being left trapped and isolated with arrogant Tory/Ukip at the helm, inhumane immigration rules, little cultural and national diversity, decimated human rights, unjustifiable price hikes, a cruel and nasty benefits system, Union flags and royals plastered all over the place, fills this internationalist humanitarian with absolute horror. Independence is now a matter of urgency and of Scotland’s survival. The alternative is now, more than ever, crystal clear.

Noirin Blackie
Haddington

MAYBE with the news that “Ferguson Marine ferry milestone reached as main hull nearly complete” in The National on Monday, this is the moment to reflect on the current position of the Labour Party in Scotland.

It appears that Scottish Labour would have made doubly certain that every meeting had been minuted and every discussion recorded before signing the contract – while the yard waited for the work, most likely went into bankruptcy, closed its gates, put hundreds out of work and ended commercial shipbuilding in Scotland – just in case there was something missing if an Auditor General got around to looking at how the contract was handled several years later.

Perhaps this goes a long way towards explaining the attitude of the Scottish Labour Government that built only a handful of council houses in eight years in a country crying out for more council houses.

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Even now, Scots who have been bombarded with posters, newspapers and leaflets bearing Scottish Labour’s new thistle emblem will discover on May 5 that they will have to put their choice on the ballot paper alongside the UK Labour rose emblem; because as yet the Labour Party’s London headquarters has not registered the new Scottish Labour emblem with the Electoral Commission.

This might seem to be a minor detail, but if it is registered the thistle would replace the current rose emblem used by the Labour Party in Scotland. Will the Rose that is so symbolic of England ever be replaced north of the Border by the equally symbolic Scottish Thistle?

It may only be a very small emblem but as long as it is not registered it will be a constant reminder that the Labour Party’s Scottish branch is totally subservient to its UK master.

John Jamieson
South Queensferry

WI aa this best o British stuff aye noo on the telly, best o British bakers, British knitters, British sewers, tap British hymns, poems, buiks, sangs, hits o the saxties, TV programmes, movies, train journeys, best British breeds o dugs, pigs an bairns, weelmibbie nae bairns, foo aboot best o British liars! I’m certain sure we cuid fun ae wheen o names fur that ain.

Lord Profumo wuid be heich on the list, Lord Archer wuid be anither alang wi mony o the Tory front bench aye noo. Wuid Boris Johnson be the ootricht winner? Sen in yer votes.

Syne we cuid hae ae cless fur newspapers an TV companies. I wuid jalouse the Daily Excess an the EBC wuid dae weel in yon category. Hooiniver, gin the idea wi taein up, cuid we be sure thay, fooiver “thay” micht be, wuid gae us the true results?

George T Watt
Arbroath