Letters II: What has Europe done for us? Some have short memories

My mother never knew her father. She and her four siblings lost him when he was killed at the age of 32 during the First World War. Many of her neighbours were left in the same situation, and a great sense of comradeship arose from those tough times.

When mum and dad’s generation grew up, they lost friends in the Second World War. Neighbours who had become surrogate aunties and uncles lost children – the closest of my parents’ friends.

Even if it had done nothing else, the EU encouraged former adversaries to discuss issues, and collaborate with one another. If that is not reason for the over-60s to reflect on their Leave decisions, I don’t know what is. Do they really want their children and grandchildren to be exposed to the risk of what their own parents endured?

I also wish my contemporaries would recognise the improvements made to the infrastructure of Scotland thanks to the EU. Remember when motorways stopped at Carlisle? Remember Hielan’ roads, island communities being cut off from the mainland and main A-trunk roads with just two lanes? Have you really forgotten what life was like in our early years, or do you just take for granted the vast improvements that have been made in our lifetime – and believe it all came from Westminster and not from EU projects?

Forget at your peril, too, the times when shoddy, unsafe, unregulated and non-standardised goods, products and services could be sold to the unsuspecting public.

There have been so many good things to arise out of this union of European nations, much of which has never been acknowledged by Westminster parliamentarians. I have no doubt many of our elected representatives took credit for EU-funded projects, while at the same time using the EU as a scapegoat for their own inactivity and/or inability to fulfil their manifesto promises.

Thankfully, referendums and the pursuit of facts in making decisions before voting in them, inform us of much that is hidden from public scrutiny!

I am truly sickened by the legacy my generation appears to be leaving to younger people. We seem to be depriving them of what we experienced, gained and improved upon during our lifetimes. I can only hope young folk become politically engaged, take matters into their hands – and put an age limit on auld folks’ eligibility to vote.

Connie Paterson
Tullibody

THE National yesterday featured two of the most intelligent and interesting letters I have read for a long time. First there was Dr Mark Allinson’s suggestion that there should be a General Election due to the new constitutional situation. Then, as he says, if MPs from England and Wales decide to press ahead with EU withdrawal they can vote to exit the UK and leave the rest of us in the EU. Presumably English votes for English legislation would enable them to so do.

Then there was Alex Orr’s constructive vision of Scotland’s potential role as an economic gateway into the EU for both that new English state and indeed the rest of the world.

Obviously, there is much detail to work out, but we have at least two years of negotiations ahead of us and Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government seem to be on the case already. For the first time since Friday, I feel the way ahead is clearing.

Peter Craigie
Edinburgh

NOW that Scottish Labour is considering the previously unthinkable – self-governance for Scotland – I am fairly convinced they will push for a federal solution, with the UK retaining foreign policy and defence – we need the broad shoulders and all that sort of stuff.

That is not enough for me for the following reason. Until 2014 the UK armed services had been engaged in warfare in every single year of the previous century. Military chiefs ominously called the cessation a “strategic pause”, seemingly wanting a resumption of business as normal. An independent Scotland clearly has to break the warmongering trend of centuries of UK engagement in conflict. Near-perpetual warfare and nuclear weapons are mindbogglingly expensive as well as morally unacceptable to most Scots. We need to choose ourselves the size and costs of our armed and our diplomatic services and only commit ourselves to what is affordable.

An avowedly peace-loving, nuclear-free, independent Scotland would be for me a country with a much better chance of thriving and being held in high regard in the medium to long term. And it would provide a good example to neighbours such as England. There is a strong and growing movement against war there too which our example could help.

While we’re tidying up the finances, we could also get rid of the monarchy and all of the Lords and whatever it is that lady lords are called. I’m wondering if the rapidly evolving Scottish Labour Party will endorse that.

David Crines
Hamilton

DESPITE having heard and read it all before, I must reply to Andy Welsh’s somewhat sanctimonious claim (Letters, June 28) to be “absolutely appalled” by your Icelandic flag poster and encouragement for Iceland’s football team before their match against England at Euro 2016. The poster gave me a hearty chuckle but perhaps I am hardened by years of Scotland v England encounters, in which England are regularly referred to as the Auld Enemy on the sports pages of various (Unionist) rags. Not much brotherly love there then. The remark that we should be supporting the Scotland team is all very well but as usual we are not there.

I have admired and observed the tiny, resilient nation of Iceland since the 1970s when it stood up to UK naval power to protect its only major asset; the fishing industry. Would that the Scots possessed their hardy gallousness. At the risk of being labelled xenophobic, I admit to giving a hearty guffaw when the Icelandic minnows upset the “big nation” footie apple cart. For the remainder of the tournament I say: Iceland gaun yersel!

Malcolm Cordell
Broughty Ferry

ANDY Welsh does not represent my views about supporting Iceland. I don’t have a football bone in my body, but I was glued to the TV to watch a poor wee nation take on the might of England.

Mainly, however, I wanted to support a country with which Scotland has historic and geographic as well as cultural ties. I love my Nordic neighbours and I loved their achievement. My husband is English. We both support the SNP, independence and Remain and Iceland. This has nothing to do with xenophobia.

Shonagh Potter
Edinburgh

THANK God for Alyn Smith (Where there’s a will, surely there is a way for us not to be shut out of the EU, The National, June 28th). This nation should be very thankful we are represented among our friends in Europe by such a sincere and far-sighted spokesman.

Smith’s efforts have clearly continued the groundwork laid by his well-loved predecessor Madame Ecosse – Winnie Ewing – clearly demonstrating to all of Europe that Scotland has a very different philosophy to much of the rest of the UK. Jacobite ghosts seem to be stirring out there. The Auld Alliance lives on. Vive la difference.

John Andrews
Caithness

ALYN Smith immortalised himself with his “do not let Scotland down” speech to the European Parliament. Such words, delivered with such passion, can tip the scales of history. Our nation is immeasurably in his debt.

Billy Scobie
Alexandria