Madam, – Nicola Sturgeon was on firm ground with the start of her long-awaited IndyRef announcement on Thursday, as she set out her frustrations with the Brexit process.
Much of that dissatisfaction is shared across the political spectrum, no matter how people voted in the EU referendum (‘Sturgeon puts Scotland on alert for referendum’, The Courier, April 25).
Where she started to part company with the majority of people in Scotland was in claiming Brexit as a trigger for calling a second independence referendum.
Back in 2014 the SNP at least had the pretence of a case to put to us all, even if, as insiders have subsequently revealed, significant elements were based more on what they thought people wanted to hear rather than realism.
Yet just now all of Scotland is well aware that the independence movement is nowhere near agreement amongst themselves over the key ingredients of a plan for a Scotland outside the UK, including fundamentals like the currency, economic strategy and membership of the EU.
In the light of that, the first minister’s plan to hold a second referendum by May in 2021 is no more than playing to the Nationalist gallery ahead of this weekend’s SNP conference.
She knows that the UK Government has no choice but to say no to the transfer of the powers to hold another referendum, not least because there is no popular majority support for a referendum re-run in Scotland.
So she simply starts preparations regardless, putting necessary legislation in place, and setting up cross-party discussions and a Citizens’ Assembly to feign an inclusive approach, when in fact she is indulging in an act of pure political theatre.
Keith Howell,
White Moss,
West Linton.
Locals ignored over housing
Madam, – We the residents of Rattray and Blairgowrie feel we are being ignored.
Another unwanted housing estate is being pushed through the planning system despite numerous objections raised by the surrounding residents on GS Brown’s attempt to build houses (Rattray housing plan met with objections from scores of locals, The Courier, April 17).
Some common sense has prevailed and the access into Kirkton Road has been designated a blue light emergency vehicles only route.
This means that all construction traffic for possibly the next seven to 12 years is to use the overcrowded Honeyberry Drive.
The planning committee must come to the conclusion that the access is not suitable, both for the existing and new residents of the area, and once again should reject this application.
Roll on the adoption of Local Development Plan 2 whereby the council can cap the number of houses and put paid to this nonsense of letting developers shoehorn houses into every available space whether or not they are needed, wanted or excessive.
The affordable housing policy must also be more rigorously policed.
Martin Stone,
4 Kirkton Park,
Rattray.
Brexit blame lies with Tory party
Madam, – When Scotland voted to remain part of the EU, a significant part of the Conservative and Unionist campaign to remain in charge of Scottish citizens was to argue that to stay in Europe, we had to vote to stay subject to rule from Westminster and reject independence.
Of course our Tory rulers have told many other barefaced lies.
But the fact is that staying in the UK has meant three years of Brexit chaos and prolonged domination of Scotland by the toxic and nasty Tory party and the most shambolic and incompetent political leadership from London that anyone can remember.
I therefore take issue with Mr Redfern’s rather silly letter (Independence is no joke, The Courier, April 23), when he comically tries to blame the Scottish Government for the Brexit disaster.
The Scottish Government, unlike our gutless Scottish Tory MPs, has consistently and clearly been fighting to keep Scotland in Europe.
Claiming otherwise is a truly special attempt at fake news.
Karen Heath,
Cortachy,
Kirriemuir.
Nightmare inner ear condition
Madam, – I read in your paper of efforts to help veterans cope with hearing loss or tinnitus (The Courier, April 13.)
I was pleased to read about this as I have suffered from tinnitus for many years, but there is also another more alarming ear condition called labyrinthitis.
I am currently a victim of this condition which effects balance and can cause dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
It is a most nasty condition and it seems there is no cure.
This problem can lead to deafness and the only comfort I have if that occurs is I have been told the nasty symptoms vanish. I have been suffering this complaint for over two months now and I cannot walk far.
I feel as if I am drunk and, when the dizziness comes I have to go to bed and lie without any head movement.
I just hope every night that I wake the next morning to find all of the symptoms are gone.
It is a waiting game.
People say to me that in this day and age they would assume there is a cure, but it appears that is not so.
Thomas Brown,
18 Garry Place,
Bankfoot.
Brexit shambles aids the cause
Madam, – That tireless, self-appointed, “Scourge of the Nats”, Martin Redfern, is surely scraping the barrel with his latest attempt to discredit our widely admired first minister (Letters, April 23).
He seems to have forgotten that: a) Scots were promised that voting No in 2014 was the only way to keep us IN the EU and b) the Scots subsequently voted heavily to Remain in the EU. To suggest therefore that Nicola Sturgeon is “willing to take Scotland out of the EU” – if she had that power she would certainly wish to stay in – is meretricious nonsense.
What is true is that MEGA (Make England Great Again) fanatics like Mr Redfern will certainly hasten the independence of Scotland, and if the shambles that is Brexit speeds that process further, why on earth would not the SNP welcome that prospect?
David Roche,
Conachar Court,
Isla Road,
Perth.
Sewage spilling into Gelly Burn
Madam, – Visitors to Caird Park may be aware of a bad smell near Mains Castle.
This is due to a private sewer, the responsibility of the castle, overflowing into the Gelly Burn below. This has been going on for at least four months with no sign of an effective repair.
It is not just the bad smell but the Gelly Burn and the Dighty are being polluted with raw sewage with the consequential health risks.
John Richmond,
12 Shamrock Street,
Dundee.
Farage is more like a mirage
Madam, – Nigel Farage re-entering politics is more like a mirage, without any real substance, political or otherwise.
A A Bullions,
6 Glencairn Crescent,
Leven.
