Sir, – I fear for Scotland’s future under the control of a nationalist government.
The introverted culture of this type of administration has resulted in strife over the centuries around the world.
Scotland has been part of the UK for more than 300 years. The border is today only a mythical line which denotes a former division. Its place is in the history books.
The sheer ardour and loyalty to their cause of some nationalists is astonishing. Do they really believe in the fantasy of Scotland as portrayed by an Australian actor in Braveheart?
We have all come a long way since William Wallace. Perhaps, to some extent, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon propagate this sort of image of Scotland in that they openly encourage emotional politics.
Neither of them has proved themselves capable of handling Scotland’s administration, especially its economy, and this very worrying situation does not seem to be getting any better.
It is good that various regions of the UK have autonomy, especially in the control of economic affairs.
It is important to remember, however, that the UK is not a large country in global terms, and, therefore, it makes sense to stick together.
In the main it has worked to our advantage for 300 years. Nationalistic division will only lead to our downfall.
Robert I G Scott.
Northfield,
Ceres.
Does SNP agree with Tories?
Sir, – Baby boxes cost the Scottish Government £500 per child (£37 million in total).
Child credit, the cause of the rape clause furore, costs £575 per child a year, £35m in Scotland.
Why doesn’t Nicola Sturgeon scrap baby boxes (which many recipients reject anyway) and use the savings to scrap the rape clause?
Every year around 60,000 babies are born in Scotland.
Surely at least 50,000 of them are through choice, so the cost of 10,000 rape clause exemptions would be no more than £6m, which is £31m less than the latest cost of baby boxes.
Or is it just that Ms Sturgeon knows the issue is a lot more complex than she has previously portrayed it and secretly agrees with, heaven forbid, the Tories?
Allan Sutherland.
1 Willow Row,
Stonehaven.
Arrogance of Conservatives
Sir, – The sheer arrogance and complacency of Conservative voters such as Jill Stephenson (May 1) is astonishing.
She states SNP supporters have swallowed propaganda whole because we fear what the Conservatives will be capable of if they get an enhanced majority.
She suggests SNP supporters have a persecution complex. I would counter this by suggesting the Conservatives have a superiority complex. They believe they have a God-given right to rule.
The truth is that we have had decades of Tory rule proving that Scotland has been treated as a second-rate colony.
In England there is massive discontent because of the state of the NHS. There are huge problems in education, with schools having to cut staff and increase class numbers.
What David Cameron did with the Brexit referendum has caused the worst constitutional crisis this country has known.
This Conservative government is the most right wing the country has had in my 68 years and does not reflect the politics of Scotland. Our fear is not a matter of propaganda but as a result of years of experience of what the Tories actually do when they have the power.
The only way that Scotland can be certain that the Tories don’t clobber Scotland is to vote for the SNP and independence.
Harry Key.
20 Mid Street,
Largoward.
Project fear tactics at play
Sir, – Nicola Sturgeon invests a great deal of energy warning us about the danger of a hard Brexit to Scotland, particularly if we assist in increasing a Tory majority at the general election.
Naturally, she views independence as the only medium-term alternative.
The unspoken assumption we’re supposed to buy into is Theresa May actively seeks a hard Brexit, rather than the much more likely scenario that Brussels intends to force one upon the UK, whether or not Downing Street wants it.
Plus, the outcome of the June vote could be that Mrs May is able to diminish the influence of hard Brexiteers in her party, enabling her at least to attempt to pursue a softer end game.
A hard Brexit sits at the heart of Ms Sturgeon’s current project fear rhetoric. Yet, to judge by opinion polls showing a decline in support for the SNP, this tactic isn’t working too effectively.
Perhaps Scotland’s had enough of Ms Sturgeon’s scaremongering?
Martin Redfern.
Merchiston Gardens,
Edinburgh.
Straight fight between parties
Sir, – Willie Rennie declared that only the Liberal Democrats could stand up to the SNP in north-east Fife.
It therefore came as a surprise to read that his party has selected Elizabeth Riches as their candidate for next month’s general election.
Was it not Elizabeth Riches who, as leader of the Liberal Democrats on Fife Council, led her party into a coalition with the SNP and served hand in glove with the nationalists’ Peter Grant as his deputy for five years?
A hardworking local councillor she may well have been, but given her close relationship with the nationalists, the chances of Mrs Riches taking the fight to her former bedfellows must surely be slim.
We can only hope that there is some truth in the comments of SNP politicians Stephen Gethins and Jenny Gilruth, both of whom insist that the contest in north-east Fife is between their party and the Scottish Conservatives.
I am inclined to agree with them.
Stuart Paterson.
The Craig,
Leven.
Use coal to boost Scotland
Sir,- Your correspondent Jim Parker says that 3,500 direct well-paid jobs would be created by renewing Scotland’s coal industry but the green zealots would rather have job loses than fossil fuel jobs.
Mr Parker’s letter should be read by every one of the 129 MSPs, especially the dinosaurs in the SNP and Greens.
The world is burning coal to grow their economies but Scotland’s SNP government think they will save the planet with wind turbines.
What do they think will power Scotland when the wind does not blow?
It will be “dirty” coal and nuclear electricity imported from their hated England.
These dinosaurs also want to ban the exploitation of shale gas and the thousands of jobs it would create.
China is importing coal from Africa, Australia and North Korea to preserve its own reserves.
America reduced energy prices and reduced emissions due to shale gas.
Scotland has to exploit its large reserves of coal and shale gas to create jobs and grow the economy for the benefit of its people.
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
