Sir, – While broken Britain struggles to find a competent prime minister, Scotland’s long-serving first minister has had private talks with the Queen at Holyrood Palace, when she presented Her Majesty with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label whisky.
However it is now time to focus on October 19 2023. This date is when Scotland will ask the same question as in 2014, “Should Scotland be an independent country?” but in greatly different circumstances.
In a pre-emptive move Nicola Sturgeon has surprised all by directing IndyRef 2 to the Supreme Court and unveiling legal points and a Plan B in using a general election as a mandate for independence. This has caught the Holyrood opposition and UK Government off-guard by employing an unused but powerful provision in Schedule 6 of the Scottish Devolution Act that allows the Lord Advocate to refer the Holyrood Referendum Bill to the Supreme Court.
With the Union case static and with unity of purpose in the independence groupings I am certain that, no matter how arrogant and undemocratic the British state is, Scotland will become a successful and independent nation again, welcomed by a world well aware of its proven abilities.
Grant Frazer, Cruachan, Newtonmore.
Litany of failure from Holyrood
Sir, – That “Sturgeon loses her top recruiter” has left Alan McPherson unable to understand the happiness that was generated for her when Tory knives were unsheathed.
Perhaps I can help explain why the sudden loss of her SNP “recruiting sergeant” brought such joy.
First we have to understand the ongoing disaster described as SNP government. We see a brace of rusting ferries. Then the more recent Census debacle where they blew £27 million on an incomplete mess to which we must add failed industrial schemes such as the cunning plan involving an aluminium smelter and its accessories.
The bleak failures can be set alongside other items for comparison. We see two Scottish freeports held up by the SNP (a lengthy dispute has gone on because “green” had to be part of their locations’ description).Then Westminster money was pumped into Scotland to save jobs in a furlough and business aid scheme. Other large infrastructure developments are planned to “level up” the Scottish economy.
However, none of what Westminster planned met with scenes of rapturous joy at Holyrood but rather a sullen dismissal as being part of a “power grab”. Let’s be frank, all we get from Holyrood is ineptitude, examples of which are highlighted by regular painful reports in the media. Boris hasn’t quite gone from office but a lot will be missing him already.
Sam Coull, Lendrum Terrace, Boddam, Peterhead.
No one voted for Nicola as leader
Sir, – Other than the latest attempt to create a grievance, I find it difficult to see what Peter Ovenstone’s complaint is about Boris Johnson’s successor being elected by Tory Party members.
Has he forgotten that Nicola Sturgeon, under similar circumstances in 2014, also became leader of the SNP and hence first minister, through an internal SNP process? The only difference then was that no voting by anyone was involved at all.
This is simply the way we do things in the UK. If the leader of the governing party resigns mid-term, that party almost invariably remains in office and appoints a new leader.
Charles Bannerman, Culduthel Mains Court, Inverness.
Gene editing letter breath of fresh air
Sir, – Your letter from Dr Alison Innes regarding gene editing of vegetable crop species was like a breath of fresh air.
I was pleased to note it was soon endorsed by two credible authorities.
It seems that the members of our Scottish Government tend to pay scant attention to the published and significant results emanating from Scottish research institutions. They appear to prefer the medical directions of those whom they have appointed to revise the struggling NHS.
Public opinion of medical doctors is now at an all-time low.
However, GPs and specialists are as good as ever – but why are they leaving the jobs they love in unprecedented numbers?
Perhaps our first minister should not be blamed for this as she is not medically qualified. However, she must bear responsibility for blindly accepting the views of the blinkered medical personnel she has appointed to advise her.
J Nelson Norman DSc FRCS, Aberdeen.
Growing concern over healthcare
Sir, – As I approach my 80th year I grow more and more concerned about the management of the Scottish health service.
The whole structure of the NHS pivots on primary healthcare; this is something that individual councils have neglected to take into account when passing plans for new housing. Basically more people for the same number of doctors.
So starting on the premise there are not enough GPs then the primary care element of the NHS falls at the first hurdle. Because of this the rest of the NHS suffers along with the patient. Anything that affects primary care makes a critical situation worse. Talking about individual issues doesn’t help so let’s talk in general terms. Is there truth in the current talk in our town that the GPs in the main work part-time at the health centre?
Is that the situation with all health centres in Scotland? If true, then no matter how the politicians or officials from the relevant health boards dress it up, it will come down to money. The NHS is a devolved responsibility, the allocated pot is distributed by the Scottish Government and how the individual health boards spend their share is decided by the heath board barons.
Two questions: 1) is the pot big enough; and 2) do the barons spend wisely? The SNP are quick to point out how much more they spend on the NHS since they took over. If we accept that, then the blame must fall on the barons? They would put forward the argument that there are not enough trained GPs to employ. If true then the blame falls squarely on the SNP government’s training programmes. Whatever your political persuasion you will see it differently but in the end it is primary health care that suffers and ultimately the patient. But what to do about it, would a change of political leadership make a difference? How long is a piece of string?
Finlay G Mackintosh, Forres.
Elderly on back foot as bus cut
Sir-, First bus have decided to axe our 13 bus from Park Street, which is making life difficult for the elderly as there are two sheltered housing complexes in this area and, like myself, many older people who also used the bus to keep our independence, be able to shop for ourselves and not be a burden on social services.
Profit is First Bus’s biggest concern but most of us use bus passes so they will be well subsidised by the council.
It makes life difficult for many of us oldies who want to enjoy a trip to the city centre and have a coffee.
Sheila Sangster, Duff Street, Aberdeen.