Sir, – I refer to Denis Munro’s letter (Scotland not more inclusive than rest of UK, Courier, November 6).
I have to state right at the off I have not read such utter tosh in a long time.
Mr Munro starts off by complaining about the dress worn by the pipe band at an independence event.
Will he be writing every time he sees a pipe band marching in Perth?
He then makes accusations of Anglophobia.
I feel certain the many English members of the SNP, those English for independence and my own wife would dispute this.
Mr Munro then states that none of the principal predictions made at the time of the 2014 referendum were realised.
Can someone please inform him that the independence referendum was lost therefore the predictions could not happen.
He is quite correct that an independent Scotland would not be a continuing member of the EU.
Who said it would?
We would have had to apply for membership, but that would have been a formality.
Mr Munro also repeats the totally discredited myth that an independent Scotland could not have used the pound sterling.
Perhaps a direct quote from Mervyn King, the former governor of the Bank of England, may assist.
“I was disappointed in both sides of the referendum,” he said.
“I thought there was an answer that would solve the independence question – the currency issue. And that is that nothing happens (and) Scotland just carries on using sterling.”
Mr Munro also states there was no second North Sea oil boom.
The amount of oil in the seas around Scotland mysteriously vanishes every time we have an election or a referendum only to miraculously reappear afterwards.
Oil round our shores has been found more or less on a monthly basis.
As to oil revenues, perhaps Mr Munro could explain why Norway makes a fortune but the UK does not? Westminster perhaps?
His comments about bigotry in the SNP do not deserve response as it’s just more utter tosh.
Stephen Windsor.
The Holdings,
Kinfauns,
Perth.
Scotland must shape its future
Sir, – Denis Munro’s letter attacks members of the independence movement on the basis they have a “smug belief that Scotland is free of racial prejudice and is more inclusive than the rest of the UK”.
Well that may or may not be the case, but that is not the point of the independence movement.
Those who believe in independence for Scotland – quite possibly a majority of the population – believe we should have the right to make our own decisions for Scotland, in Scotland, and to be governed by a party of our choosing, not by one elected by our good friends and neighbours south of the border.
It is a very simple concept and one which is normal around the world.
It follows the precedent of the other 62 countries which have gained independence from British control since Second World War.
Les Mackay.
5 Carmichael Gardens,
Dundee.
Dunce hats for SNP leaders
Sir, – Judge me on my record, judge me on education. That was Nicola Sturgeon’s message in 2015.
Ms Sturgeon and John Swinney claimed that subject choice had not been cut in secondary schools but this proves not to be the case.
Under the SNP’s Curriculum for Excellence pupils are studying fewer courses.
The jury has sat in judgment and Ms Sturgeon and her education minister should be sitting in the corner wearing dunce hats as they have failed our future entrepreneurs, doctors and skilled workforce.
Jane Lax.
Craigellachie,
Aberlour.
Who would have them?
Sir, – In his last speech at what may become known as The Useless Parliament Mr Corbyn spoke of his intention to rob the rich to give to the poor and pay for improvements in health care, education and policing.
Meanwhile our first minister has decided to ignore the will of the people and take Scotland out of the UK and let EU politicians know what they have to do to retain our membership.
Politicians, who would have them?
A A Bullions.
6 Glencairn Crescent,
Leven.
Sign of times on social media
Sir, – Election curiosity recently took me to a local social media site, which usually subscribes to animal fouling, local events and lost and found.
As I thought, election fever had taken over the page with a variety of postings, comments and pictures.
But all of the photos were of propaganda posters for the nationalists, including pictures of candidates for election.
There were long comments about how wonderful and wealthy Scotland would be as an independent nation.
It excluded any factual basis for their argument and lacked any explanation of economics, which might include cost of borders, pensions, patrol boats for vast reclamation of seas, etc.
In fact the whole site concentrated on unsubstantiated nationalist policy with few alternative comments.
Comments criticising or contrary to SNP propaganda were greeted with disdain, mockery and, in some cases, insults.
I took my own advice and left.
The justification for such comments is always freedom of speech.
Is there in fact any redress for anyone offended or affected by such social media comment, or is this a sign of the times to be endured?
Alan Bell.
Roods,
Kirriemuir.
Rees-Mogg is right on fires
Sir, – Why are people attacking Jacob Rees-Mogg over his comments about Grenfell Tower?
The sensible thing if a building is on fire is to get out, no matter what shape or size the building is or how big the fire may be.
Just who said you should stay in your house in a high rise building if one of the apartments is on fire?
Surely this is bad advice?
We have these tall buildings but we have no firefighting or rescue equipment that can reach people or fires from the outside of the building.
So why are we building these towers and why have we no fire engine or any kind of rescue system to reach fires and rescue people?
Every high rise building should have been built with a sprinkler system.
John G Phimister.
63 St Clair St,
Kirkcaldy.
Sympathy with gardeners
Sir, – We have been informed that cat owners in Glenrothes have been warned to be on their guard after two cats have been poisoned (Probe launched after suspicious Fife cat deaths, Courier, November 7).
Would it not be better to advise the owners, to train their cats to use “litters” within their own home, rather than permit them to do their business in neighbours’ gardens.
My sympathies go with the gardeners who are plagued with these dirty cats.
David Whyte.
73 Blackcraigs,
Kirkcaldy.
