THE new identity politics, considered to be a major force behind both the Brexit vote and Trump’s election, have been alive and well in Scotland since the rise of the SNP. Every one of us has multiple identities, in my own case Glaswegian, Scottish, British, European, but SNP identity politics tells us that one is much better than any other. Being Scottish trumps everything.

That means having place names in Gaelic that none of us can read or pronounce is a good use of public money. Encouraging children to learn Scots, a dialect that will be of no benefit to them, is better than learning German or Spanish.   I consider myself very lucky to be a Glaswegian Scot. I live in the liveliest city, in the most beautiful and interesting part of the UK, one of the most prosperous, stable, law-abiding parts of Europe.

I am not proud of any of my identities because I did nothing to achieve them. But I value them all and have no intention of surrendering any of them. Setting one identity against any other is not my idea of social justice or progressive politics. It leads to division and animosity, and we can do without both.

Carole Ford
Glasgow

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BREXIT IS SERVED – AND ITS WHOLLY UNAPALATABLE

WELL, there we have it. It is clear from the Prime Minister’s speech that the worst possible scenario, a hard Brexit, is about to descend on us. No-one should be surprised that the UK Government has no interest in listening to Scotland. We knew this from the referendum campaign and the aftermath, of course, but to many who wished to stay part of a United Kingdom it must be unpalatable to realise the No campaign was based on flawed arguments, desperate posturing and outright lies.

But now is not the time to shout at those who voted No. Rather, we must do all we can to discuss rationally exactly what this monumental disaster means to all of us. One thing is clear – the inclusivity of the first referendum must continue apace. The Independence Convention at the weekend proved there is more than an appetite for a second referendum. There is a positive hunger.

Those who voted No last time must face up to some hard truths. We were never an equal part of a Union and never going to be listened to. There was never any chance that the platitudes of “don’t leave us, we love you” were anything other than empty cries of the desperate.

That so many swallowed this palpable nonsense was incredibly sad but surely this time around those who voted No will be taking a long, hard, rational look at the implications of the catastrophe that is unfolding.

Graeme Finnie
Blairgowrie, Perthshire

SO now we know what Brexit means. No access to the single market, likely no membership of a customs union, no coverage from the European Court of Justice and soon no access to the European Court of Human Rights. Was all this mentioned during the referendum debate? No, quite the opposite, we were repeatedly told we could stay in the single market while leaving the EU.

The big prize for the Brexiteer is, of course, control of immigration, yet the majority of immigrants to Britain come from outside the EU. Also, as we know in Scotland, most of the young people who come here from the EU are well-educated and hard-working and make an excellent contribution to the economy. Indeed economists argue that the recent economic growth in the UK has only been achieved because of the contributions of migrant workers.

The effects of the UK leaving the EU are becoming clear. There will be significant job losses due to businesses leaving Britain. The Tories are likely to strip away many of the employment protections of the EU.

When I was an MEP I was in charge of one of the most important directives protecting workers rights, the Acquired Rights Directive better known as TUPE. The British Tory Government wanted it weakened but I successfully strengthened it with the aid of colleagues across the Parliament. Ironically it was weakened in the Council of Ministers by the incoming Labour Government which removed pensions from its scope, much to the cost of many workers since.

For Scotland, Brexit means we must press forward with a second independence referendum at the right time. The future is clear – do we want to be a low-wage, low-protection, insular island off the coast of Europe or do we want to take charge of our own affairs and continue to share our sovereignty with others in Europe? Faced with that choice I think the majority of Scots will choose independence.

Hugh Kerr (MEP 1994-99)
Edinburgh

THE news Theresa May plans to take the UK out of the single market will accelerate calls for indyref2. Scotland has had, in effect, three votes on the question of Brexit since May 2015 and overwhelmingly rejected it.

The fact the House of Commons will get a vote on the final deal will bring no comfort here, because, as usual, our wishes will be outvoted by MPs from “down south” with an agenda driven by immigration. We must have our own say on the Brexit deal. A final rejection would mandate the Scottish Government to negotiate to retain our membership of the EU (or at least the single market), through independence if there is no other way.

But I see no need to tie that vote specifically to the question of independence. This is no longer about the advantages of being an independent country, but about who has the right to tell us what we can do. Let the onus be on Unionists to argue why that should be the preserve of English MPs and not ours.

Robert Fraser
Edinburgh

ANYONE who watched yesterday’s lunchtime edition of the BBC News is surely now under no illusion about Auntie’s view of the SNP. Reporting on the PM’s Brexit speech, the Beeb sought reaction from Westminster’s second-biggest party, then mysteriously skipped to the fourth-biggest. Not one SNP or Holyrood politician was interviewed. The party that has arguably the most at stake, the party that has pledged to fight a second independence referendum over this issue was shamefully ignored.

Wake up people, the BBC is the state broadcaster – it will protect the state.

Eugene Cairns
Prestwick

SO, there is an inquiry in the legacy of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and an inquiry into the Edinburgh tram farce.

It seems these days if you want to make a buck the best suggestion is to get yourself hired by a team inquiring into something that was a waste of time and money.

Amanda Baker
Edinburgh