NOW that we are clear that Jeremiah Corbyn is for and against free immigration and free movement of labour, are we clear that Kezia Dugtail and her lost pack in Scotland are for a federal England encompassing Wales, Scotland and the Province of Six Occupied Counties in the North of Ireland? Given that her Glorious Loss Leader claims to support a united Ireland and more British rule for Scotland, where does she stand on that one?

Given that yet another Labour MP is stepping down, for a nice post as a Labour fossil in an imperial museum, with more to follow, will Jackie Baillie resign for a post in a nuclear museum bunker after independence?

Federalism within the one nation state, such as the US or Germany, may be feasible, but Kezia and co do not realise, or care, that Scotland is a nation with its own regions and can be outvoted in an English Parliament.

So why bother? Why save these grubbers when the gravy train has gone? Who cares about her latest silly plans, feted by a Brit Nat media, to save their favourite right-wing Unionist party in Scotland from extinction? They won’t need them after they have outlived their usefulness. The working class in Engerland has finally rumbled them for the class traitors they are, and they are regarded as worse traitors than that here. Nobody likes a snitch, not even their paymasters.

Jeremiah may be seen as a raving loony leftie in Sloan Square and the south-east of Engerland, but he is regarded as nothing more than a mealy-mouthed moderate here and a poor cartographer, historian and observer of Scottish politics North of Hadrian’s Wa’. He knows as much aboot Scottish politics as I do of the Chelsea Flower Show. His Team GB north of the Border are completely unaware that their role model on the English NHS, over-subsidised English Transport, etc, etc, is in complete meltdown and that there are not enough squandered Scottish resources left to plunder to save them.

They are too busy serving their non-caring masters in London by calling for serial resignations and inquires in Scotland and blaming Nicola Sturgeon for snowing on their parade here. They failed to recognise Nero’s last Brexit fiddle tune while London is burning in its own hell. Its chickens are coming home from the Empire to roast amidst a decadence of extreme poverty and wealth that they helped create. We in Scotland have at least some hope of getting away from their clutches and are awaiting Nicola to strike when time is right.
Donald Anderson
Glasgow

KEZIA Dugdale’s recent talk of a new “Act of Union” shows what a muddle she is in (Jeremy Corbyn rejects Kezia Dugdale’s plan for ‘new Act of Union’, The National, January 13). Firstly, the only Act of Union is the one which took place between the UK and Ireland in 1800. Secondly, there are also the various acts passed by the English Parliament between 1536 and 1543 which annexed and united Wales with England and known as the Acts (plural) of Union.

In the case of Scotland, however, it is the Treaty of Union – a treaty negotiated between two sovereign states, each nation passing an act in its own parliament to confirm the treaty as they had done with all other treaties between them prior to 1707.

Dugdale could not pass any imagined “Act of Union”, but would have to dissolve the existing Treaty of Union, at which point England and Scotland would revert to being sovereign states. So, no need for any referendum. And who in their right mind would want to renegotiate a new treaty with that regime?
Linda Horsburgh
Dundee

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Kenyon Wright leaves a truly great legacy

HOW sad it was to read of the death of Canon Kenyon Wright (The National, January 14). I well remember seeing him on that July day in 1999 when the Queen opened the Scottish Parliament. It was a legislature that Canon Kenyon Wright had done so much to help create.

The pomp and circumstance was over, and my wife and I were standing on the Mound as the crowd dispersed. Across the road from us, Canon Kenyon Wright was chatting quietly to a group of friends.

On our side of the road stood a group of young men who clearly had learning difficulties. Their carer was a man not much older than themselves. Suddenly he said: “That’s the man, over there. That’s the man you should be cheering." The group then gave a cheer in Canon Kenyon Wright’s direction.

Wright looked up, and then looked around to see which dignitary had caused this little flurry of excitement. Seeing no-one nearby, apart from his friends, he realised that the cheer was for him. He looked genuinely surprised, and quietly – and almost shyly – returned their greeting. It was this modest reaction that made such an impression on my memory.

This little incident summed up that wonderful day more than any other. What a man. What a legacy.
Keith Halley
Dalkeith

I WAS saddened on learning of the passing of Canon Kenyon Wright, who, as chairman of the Scottish Constitutional Convention, was surely one of the founding fathers of devolution.

Wright’s erudite, dignified demeanour was, I am sure, instrumental in persuading doubters and silencing naysayers on our long road to democracy.

I believe a commemorative plaque in Holyrood would not be amiss as, being above party politics, Wright had no expectation of high office, career advancement or petty party political gain through his involvement in the cause.

Therefore, let us recognise in a tangible way the contribution made by this ordinary, yet extraordinary, Scottish gentlemen.
Malcolm Cordell
Broughty Ferry

YOUR article on Friday (A&Es showing the way to the rest of UK, says FM, The National, January 13) struck a very poignant chord in me.

No doubt like many others, I get annoyed at the “carping from the sidelines” by the Tories and Labour MSPs regarding Scottish A&E turnaround time performance.

I had the misfortune to have to attend an A&E unit on Friday. At Wishaw General Hospital, I was seen within 35 minutes of my arrival and received the best possible professional attention, as did all the other patients who were there.

So this is a request to Ruth Davidson and Kezia Dugdale and their respective spokespersons.

Please get your facts right before you load bullets into the barrel of the gun you have permanently aimed at Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government simply to make yourselves look good.

We’re all getting weary of it and would like to hear more of the “give credit where credit is due” approach.

So, thanks to Nicola Sturgeon, and the A&E staff at the Wishaw General. I’m fine now and wish them all well!
Dennis White
Blackwood, Lanark

THERE has been a crisis in NHS England this last week because of severe shortage of beds.

This crisis is the direct result of NHS changes started by Mrs Thatcher which have continued until Mrs May. Mrs T decided that because hospitals with fewer beds were cheaper to run than hospitals with many beds, a financial deficit could be corrected by cutting the number of beds.

Despite the obvious stupidity of the idea that “bed closures could help to balance the books”, it was implemented. The fact that there was no challenge to the idea was because the health boards had grown so large that the top people knew nothing about what is needed to provide health care.

It is interesting that a survey in 2014 comparing the number of hospital beds per 1,000 people in a number of European countries showed: Germany had 8.29 beds per 1,000, Austria 7.25, Scotland 4.87 and England & Wales 2.95. Could this be the REAL reason for the recent (and continuing?) crisis?
Dr Evan Lloyd
Edinburgh