Sir, Angela Constance has thrown her name into the frame for election as deputy leader of the SNP on the basis that she wishes to keep the independence issue on the agenda for Scotland.
This is the last thing Scotland needs at the present time. It is time to set aside this lost cause and give more thought to Scotland’s future.
It is all very well for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to offer more control and more money to the Scottish government but I believe that the First Minister of an English Government might take a different view.
He might think that if the Scottish Government wish to provide free university places, free prescriptions for medicines, free nursery places for children from age two, guardians for everyone until the age of 18, free transport for the elderly and subsidies to cover the additional cost of servicing the Western and Northern Isles it should do so from its own purse.
This could be troublesome for Scotland where the ratio of pensioners to taxpayers is higher than it is in England.
Before you say Scotland is going to be one of the world’s wealthiest nations or that there are millions of barrels of oil under the North Sea, think again. Scotland will never be one of the world’s wealthiest nations and North
Sea oil is only available while it is economically sensible for multinational companies to harvest it.
A A Bullions. 6 Glencairn Crescent, Leven.
The work will continue . . .
Sir, I would like to caution some of your letter writers, plus others who voted “no” and also their political leaders, against claiming that we on the “yes” side are refusing to accept the decision of the referendum.
When the result of a routine election is declared, active opposition to the party newly installed in government recommences the very next day. This is how it is in a free society: democratic politics is a never-ending process which cannot and should not be discouraged.
Those of us who lost the vote in this referendum are persuaded increasingly that Scotland’s people cannot progress sufficiently within the union and we shall continue to campaign for independence.
That is our daily right. We accept the referendum result, but go on working for something better.
I would also advise against hiding behind the phrase “settled will of the Scottish people”. A wish for independence supported by a greater number of Scots than any polls had previously indicated, has come to light.
Political conditions change and people are joining the independence parties in numbers which are unprecedented. Not only have some of these emerged from unionist parties, but among them we encounter electors who, only days after the poll, were regretting voting “no”.
Accusing the independence support and its leadership of undemocratic attitudes is an unwise line to take.
Michael F Troon. 15 Crawford Avenue, Gauldry, Fife.
Stopping place nonsense
Sir, I read the article on the sacking of James Kennedy- Pratt, a contract bus driver of many years giving an excellent service to many outlying areas of North Angus.
The bends at Mill of Dun are dangerous and always have been even more so since other parts of the road have been realigned. He picks up one child from the mill, I believe. Could one of his parents not walk him to the Mains of Dun stop (about a 100 yard walk)? This would ensure the safety of all concerned.
As for Angus Council and the police both indicating it is a safe place to stop what nonsense! Why have the planners just agreed a deal with the National Trust to purchase a piece of the mill land to re-align the road due to the number of accidents over the years.
Seems like Angus Council speak with two different faces when it fits. They have withheld payments to the incumbent contractor I would assume he will be able to claim for loss of income and reputation when this is resolved in his favour?
George Sangster. Logie, Montrose.
Driver showed good judgment
Sir, I believe the school bus driver was correct to refuse to stop for children at the Mill of Den bends. I passed a school bus at that spot on Friday very dangerous.
It is an accident waiting to happen.
Angus Council were wrong to sack driver. They need to show some common sense. The driver was showing good judgment and responsibility.
He should be reinstated immediately.
Charlie Simpson. Edzell.
Fly whisk or fly swat?
Sir, Columnist Dudley Treffry, September 29, seems to have mistaken a fly swat for a fly whisk, both of which were widely used on the Indian sub-continent.
A fly whisk had many strands of thin raffia bound on to the end of the handle, and was intended to cause distress to the flying insect, rather than to kill it. A fly swat was the one with the flat piece of leather, pierced with many holes, bound on to the end of the handle. It was known as a “mucki mar”, which translates as a “fly kill”. When a successful strike was made, it was customary to shout “Mardia!”, translated as “defeated in battle!”
David Oswald. 8 Redfield Road, Montrose.