Sir, – All my life I have believed I am a citizen of Scotland, a sovereign nation with the right to determine its own future. Throughout history Scotland has strived to preserve its own identity and to shape its future according to the wishes of its people.
The decision of the Supreme Court, which merely reflects current UK law, proves I was wrong. We have no right of self-determination, we can’t even ask the people of Scotland what they want their future to be without obtaining permission from our masters the UK Parliament. The unionist parties who, because of the relative sizes of Scotland and England, will always have a Westminster majority and ignore the expressed democratic views of the people of Scotland. We are trapped in a union whether we like it or not.
The claim that the United Kingdom is a voluntary union of four nations is a myth. There is no exit route for Scotland or Wales but there is for England through their control of the Westminster Parliament and for Northern Ireland via the referendum promise in the Good Friday Agreement.
If the unionist parties are to retain any semblance of belief in democracy and fairness, they must immediately change UK law to provide Scotland and Wales with a democratic route to hold a referendum.
Robert Masson, Lawsondale Avenue, Westhill.
Court’s IndyRef2 veto was expected
Sir, – As I said it would in my letter to The P&J (July 16), the Supreme Court has thrown out, without any reservation, the SNP’s mischievous request to hold further referenda on independence. Frankly, it was obvious to anyone who understands plain English and has read the Scotland Act. It has been a complete waste of the Scottish taxpayer’s money.
I am not really criticising Ms Bain, the lord advocate, here. She is in the unenviable position of being Scotland’s most senior law officer with a dual role as legal adviser to the Scottish Government (though she did know that when she took the job).
But can you imagine the situation if she had turned down Sturgeon’s request? Scotland’s legal establishment might have ended up hemmed in their offices by demonstrations featuring hordes of excitable woad-painted nationalists. You’ve seen them many times now, the ones with big banners who wear berets resembling giant naan breads from your local tandoori.
The BBC and its journalist Nick Robinson found out how intimidating such demonstrations can be in 2014 when he had dared to press Alex Salmond in an interview. With a huge backload of legal cases post-Covid that’s the last thing our law officers need.
There is a real issue here that with an SNP government hell-bent on the destruction of the UK, the argument for separating the two top legal roles in Scotland, festering for years, has just become a higher priority.
MR Kay, Lochview Place, Bridge of Don.
FM living in bubble over independence
Sir, – How absolutely b***** dare she? Our dear SNP leader declared that she and her ever-dwindling number of delusional, diehard separatists are the only true upholders of Scottish democracy.
A fundamental principle of democracy demands losers consent and this is where, as our very wise and much-missed late Queen said, recollections may vary. There was definitely no losers’ consent after the 2014 referendum – how deeply undemocratic.
Another basic tenet of democracy is that the majority rules so decisions are made, and duly honoured, based on how the majority vote.
The majority said No in 2014, the majority did not vote for her in the last Scottish election – hence the deeply undemocratic decision to bring in unelected, list MSP Greens into her government merely to boost her numbers and allow her grievance machine to drone on and on.
The majority (in the UK) also voted for the Conservatives at the last general election. Somehow, she’s managed to ignore all of these democratic decisions while vocally disagreeing with the outcomes. Living in a bubble and having a selective memory does that to a gal under pressure.
Democracy lies with the majority vote and despite her, and her predecessors’ best efforts, the majority still do not want independence.
She hasn’t managed to muster enough votes to bring about independence via a political path. The Supreme Court have, thankfully, ruled out independence via a legal path so it is now time for her and her ilk to acknowledge that it is her inflammatory words and the resultant, futile actions of the SNP faithful in recent days that truly are the very embodiment of undemocratic.
Do the decent thing Nicola, resign, as you have no legitimate means to deliver on your manifesto promise of independence.
Lesley Berry, Market Place, Inverurie.
Anti-Westminster is not anti-English
Sir, – I’ve often seen people accusing those in the Yes movement of being anti-English but they are definitely not. I have many English friends and I know many English people living in Scotland who are pro-independence and active in the Yes movement.
I am anti-Westminster, the House of Lords and the biased British media, in other words the British Establishment not English people.
The English that do rub me up the wrong way are those living in Scotland who fight hard against the Scottish independence movement to deny democracy. Then again, Scots fighting hard against their own country I also find sickening.
It is understandable, with the media very pro-Union, why some people can’t see the advantages of being an independent country and the disadvantages of being part of this Union. They need to take stock and not believe the British propaganda that is spoon- fed to us every day and don’t believe the GERS figures that would have you believe Scotland is too poor, when in fact we are one of the richest countries in the world. The GERS figures estimated by Westminster say Scotland’s tax take to be in excess of £70 billion. Surely that can’t include North Sea revenues? Norway, with the same amount of oil as Scotland, has estimated oil revenues to be NOK1169 billion in 2022 and NOK1384 billion in 2023.
Herbert Petrie, Parkhill, Dyce, Aberdeen.
Votes are entirely different things
Sir, – Peter E Smith’s letter (November 26) was a bizarre attempt to distort reality. There is a huge difference between the purpose, format, methodology and result of a general election and that of a referendum (mandatory or advisory).
I will leave to him to Google the differences. However, in the language of the SNP, that hopefully he will understand, the difference between a general election and a referendum is indisputable and irrefutable. It is inconceivable and unsustainable for the SNP to claim the result of the next election will be considered a de facto independence referendum. The two are entirely different and it would be undemocratic, dishonest and beyond rationality for the SNP or their supporters to claim otherwise.
B Logie, Boswell Road, Portlethen.
MPs can aid with savings
Sir, – So the government wants to make massive savings to help us cut this financial matter we are in.
I have an idea. Let’s start by scrapping the House of Lords – that would save up to £2 billion a year, with all their costs together.
Then also the MPs – start making them pay some of their own household bills themselves.
R G L.
Taxes wasted
Sir, – While the economics shown by Walter Service (Evening Express letters, November 7) make sense, our SNP-led council have a perverse view of economics.
Their preference in wasting taxpayers’ money may be influenced in the expectation of “match-day freebies”.
They certainly showed no real support to save vital bus services.
B Mitchell.
Strike timings cleverly done
Sir, – I do not disagree with workers going on strike for pay and conditions to be approved, but I do question the timing of their strikes and the days they choose.
It looks like they pick Thursdays and Fridays for total disruption and it is very crafty as well because when postal and rail workers go back to work, it is the weekend and weekends attract time and half and double time payments, meaning if they work weekends they will not be out of a low wage at the end of the month and earn the same with couple of days off. Now that’s good thinking.
Trains will run and postal workers in the sorting office all work at weekends.
All teachers are doing is robbing the children of their education and making mums and dads either take the day off to watch their kids or organise child care, all costing money.
Don McKay, Provost Hogg Court, Torry.
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