Sir, – It is conceivable that once upon a time many Scots dreamed of being part of an independent Scotland, but as time goes by dreams tend to become compromised by reality.
Realities such as what is best for the people of Scotland, is there a government capable of running an independent country, and is there a balance sheet showing an excess?
Independence is not a step forward but would require a number of steps back and it is not, and will never be, as part of Europe. The change of currency and hard border with UK alone would cripple the economy for generations.
The balance sheet shows a huge deficit and points to an uncertain and unstable future of borrowing.
Regarding the competency of a nationalist government, recent events would encourage one to ask, how much the leadership knew of the immoral behaviour of their representatives, and why their responsive actions were so lenient.
A recent budget raising taxes primarily to fill gaps due to fiscal incompetence, and investment in ferries, does not instil confidence.
Thirteen years of decaying public services and falling educational standards is not the stuff of good government.
One never believed that after the disaster of the Scottish banks a millionaire banker could ever represent any Scot at Westminster.
When dreaming of the future always best to allow for karma when life and reality affect your plans so independence may evolve into devolution under competent and moral dreamers
Alan Bell.
Roods,
Kirriemuir.
Boris’s bridge to nowhere
Sir, – This bridge to Northern Ireland proposal is a complete nonsense, treating us like idiots.
Due to the depth at parts it would need columns at 1,500ft high – ie the height of the Campsie Fells – which has never been done and the £20 billion estimate is a joke.
This is for the halfwits.
You could actually build about 5,000 big ferries for £20bn.
A better idea is big vehicle ferries from Gourock to Dublin.
David McEwan Hill.
Sandbank,
Argyll.
New start for kirk in Brechin
Sir, – Despite the difficulties faced by the closure of Brechin Cathedral, and the wounds exposed at last week’s decisive presbytery meeting as stated by Graham Brown in Monday Matters, (Courier, February 10), the folk of the Cathedral and Gardner Memorial Church have a wonderful opportunity to put into practice the LAFS of being followers of Jesus – Love, Acceptance, Forgiveness and Sacrifice.
This opportunity, “to look to the future and not the past” as said by the retiring minister at the presbytery meeting, can be a new beginning for the Church of Scotland in Brechin to offer the community, hope, peace and worth, through faith in Jesus.
Being open to what God is asking of them at this very challenging time is the opportunity for the people of Brechin Cathedral and Gardner Memorial Church to clearly demonstrate that the way of Jesus is the way forward and from which miracles will happen.
Grahame Lockhart.
Myrtle Cottage,
15 Scott Street,
Brechin.
View at odds with reality
Sir, – Having read Iain Stewart’s letter (Scots make Britain great, Courier, February 10) I’m surprised it was printed.
Mr Stewart appeared to be more than suggesting that you can’t be a real Scot if you support independence or are in the SNP.
Recent elections have recorded big wins for the SNP recent polls indicate 52% of Scots would vote for independence and 72% wish to remain in the EU none of these people according to him are Scottish.
His opinion appears more entrenched as those he criticises and at odds with reality.
Bryan Auchterlonie.
Bluebell Cottage,
Perth.
Breeding resentment
Sir, – Credit to Iain Stewart for highlighting the fact that Scots have indeed made Britain great but without necessarily being appreciated for so doing.
In any walk of life lack of appreciation eventually leads to dissolution and the birth of political opposition, which usually invites opposition and condemnation from those who feel comfortable with the status quo.
The advent of the SNP as a political movement resulted not from the rising tide of Scottish rebels but from the attitude of the establishment at Westminster using the UK-wide advantage it had in terms of voting numbers to give it the green light to ignore these “rebels without a cause” as they were seen to be.
The Irish were quick to realise that peaceful protest, unlike violent action which was rightly condemned as a form of protest by the government of the day, was always regarded as something which could safely be ignored.
Thus the IRA turned to desperate forms of protest which could probably have been avoided if meaningful negotiations had taken place to restore the Irish island to its original state before it was divided by force to create another enclave of British colonisation of someone else’s country.
His claim that the SNP has turned Scotland’s feeling of pride into resentment is risible to say the least and, speaking as someone who has also seen other parts of the world, he can be assured that his perception of Britain’s standing in other countries of the globe is at best fanciful.
Allan A MacDougall.
37 Forth Park,
Bridge of Allan.
Cherry picking her battles
Sir, – So Joanna Cherry has again spoken in favour of a wildcat independence referendum, suggesting any legal challenge by Downing Street could well be unsuccessful.
This utterly contradicts Nicola Sturgeon’s current conservative approach of building long-term grassroots support to force Boris Johnson’s hand.
Derek Mackay was Ms Sturgeon’s man and, by association with him, she is now under significant pressure.
The timing of Ms Cherry’s intervention is surely therefore not coincidental?
That said, Ms Cherry is not without her own issues right now. Perhaps Ms Cherry should choose her battles with care.
Not many people would have predicted a few days ago that someone as powerful as the Scottish Finance Secretary could fall so far, so quickly.
Martin Redfern.
Woodcroft Road,
Edinburgh.
Climate cash a waste of money
Sir, – The SNP has just announced it is to spend £1.8 billion to “tackle climate change” as part of the 2020/21 budget.
In 2018 the UK emitted 394 million tonnes of CO2 so Scotland emitted approximately 39m tonnes.
Put this in the context that global emissions were 33,891m tonnes, up from 29,719m tonnes in 2009.
And this despite all the international climate conferences.
This is an obscene waste of other people’s money when hospitals, schools, councils and the police are crying out for funds.
Geoff Moore.
Alness,
Highland.
