IF I was a member of the Scottish Tory branch office (I’m not), I would be absolutely furious at the disrespect shown by my leaders.
We’ve had the unedifying spectacle of the Prime Minister refusing to meet and take questions from his non-chosen press, followed by no-shows from Oliver Dowden and Alister Jack, the latter being the Secretary of State for Scotland, with a home in Scotland, but too “busy” to put in an in-person appearance at the conference.
READ MORE: Keith Brown urges Scottish Tory conference to be clear on devolution
Mind you, no wonder. The picture of Greg Hands, the Tory Party chairman, addressing about 13 people at the conference speaks a thousand words. At least he was there in person.
But if you had spent money and time as a member of the Scottish Tory branch office to attend the conference, do you feel you got value for money?
Jean Dunlop
via email
WELL said, Andy Anderson (Letters, Apr 30)! The areas of England most in need of radical change and investment in time stand to gain as a result of Scotland gaining independence.
For centuries the wealthy minority both sides of the Border have thriven on the labours of a hard-grafting humble majority often living in poor-quality homes with little more than subsistence income, some often spent on quick-fix relief from miseries of the living experience, again invariably to the financial benefit of a tiny wealthy minority.
READ MORE: Two Tory parties are missing a key truth about independence movement
Andy’s words hit the right note that such injustices throughout the UK can be resolved by the wake-up example provided by Scottish independence, not only by example, but by Scottish resources hitherto buried under exorbitant UK vanity projects – next week’s coronation pantomime included – being directed where injustice demands.
Without doubt our independence movement is based on the search for justice and a semblance of fairness in the spending of national revenue. I do not doubt for a moment that from the get-go an independent Scottish government will acknowledge and act upon social injustices in the distribution of resources both sides of the Border by appropriate support until such time as left-of-centre government comes to the fore down south.
Tom Gray
Braco
AFTER the leadership campaign, MSPs said they would all get behind the new FM. Instead Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and others have been putting the boot in to Humza Yousaf and Nicola Sturgeon. They have started groups as the Tories do in Westminster.
Forbes seems to have written “scripts” for the Tories; even Rishi Sunak quotes her. All the opposition parties quote her “continuity won’t cut it” jibe on repeat.
READ MORE: Kate Forbes dismisses claims of SNP coup against Humza Yousaf
Joanna Cherry could also write for the Tories. Alex Salmond has started a petition against the government challenging the Section 35 order. Then there are columnists such as Kevin McKenna who say they want independence who don’t really help.
If all these people could have a good look at themselves and realise they are not helping the cause of independence and challenge the media (the BBC in particular), it would be a much more positive way to spend their energy instead of the damage they are causing.
Jack Bell
Glasgow
THE Scottish ferry breakdowns and late building of new ones are all apparently down to the SNP-led Scottish Government. However, this pales into insignificance when a £3 billion UK aircraft carrier, which took eight years to build, is being partially stripped for parts following a major mechanical failure!
While in dry dock the parts from this new carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, will be stripped to replace broken parts for its sister carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth!
READ MORE: HMS Prince of Wales to be 'cannibalised' following mechanical failure
According to a Royal Navy spokesperson this process is known as “equipment cannibalisation”. Repairs to HMS Prince of Wales are now set to cost more than £25 million, excluding a full compliment of planes which have never materialised for either carrier!
Furthermore, with the realm of King Charles III and its multicultural subjects inadequately defended, we are being asked to shout acceptance of this king’s massively expensive coronation.
It may indeed be a colourful spectacle full of medieval pomp and circumstance, but signifying nothing as broken Brexit Britain remains firmly in the past glory of empire.
Grant Frazer
Newtonmore
JUST to reassure the public that Scottish courts have their priorities right when it comes to sentencing, a 25-year-old man has been fined £790 for throwing a cardboard cup (which missed) at a footballer. In addition, this young man, who has no previous convictions, has been banned from attending all football matches for three years.
This comes a matter of weeks after a man who raped a 13-year-old girl was given community unpaid work to do. No custody. No fine.
Jim Butchart
via email
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