I DO hope that people think carefully about the implications of what a vote for any of the Unionist parties tomorrow means for Holyrood and our devolved parliament.

Irrespective of what you think about a second independence referendum, the majority of our MSPs voted on March 28 in favour of it on the basis of the material change in Scotland’s position, ie being taken out of the EU against our will.

The SNP and Greens made their feelings very clear ahead of the 2016 Holyrood election and, had that election used a first-past-the-post voting system as for the General Election, there would have been very few Tory, Labour and LibDem MSPs.

The Scottish Tories, Labour and LibDems have tried to turn the General Election into a vote against the will of the majority of Holyrood MSPs and, should they succeed, the Tories in Westminster will no doubt be quick to say that Holyrood does not represent the Scottish people and should be stripped of its devolved powers.

Westminster would then turn around and deny Scots the right to hold another referendum. Of course, this will be music to the ears of die-hard Unionists but the Brexit cloud hanging over the UK will still be there and Scots will have lost the option of choosing their own destiny should Brexit prove to be a disaster.

It is imperative that Scotland keeps its options open until the results of the Brexit negotiations and their effect on our economy are known in 2018-19.

Let’s not forget that after the EU referendum last year, those who had lied their way to the ballot box were put in charge of negotiating the UK’s destiny.

Far from giving Theresa May and the hard right a mandate to do as they choose, the UK needs a government of national unity with the voices of all of us being represented. An increased Tory majority would be a disaster for the UK and far from uniting the UK would complete the job of tearing it apart.

Voting Tory, Labour or LibDem will merely lessen Scotland’s voice at Westminster, and undermine Holyrood’s authority. We must keep our options open as the Brexit negotiations unfold and, if the UK’s position is likely to result in dire consequences for our people, we must have the option of holding another independence referendum.

If the Tories win an increased majority the chances of them walking away from the EU are very real and we’ll get a hard Brexit. A hard Brexit would damage Scotland’s economy immeasurably, with losses of tens of thousands of jobs. The only people I’ve heard say that a hard Brexit’s OK are those who misled the electorate in the EU referendum last year.

Does Scotland really want to burn its get out of jail card before it knows the likely sentence?
Geoff Tompson
Helensburgh

THIS General Election has been like no other in as much as we have had a party leader shy of the press and cameras and another party leader thriving despite having to look over their shoulder at the threat within. Here in Scotland, like never before, we have a party defending 95 per cent of seats, no mean feat.

So what does tomorrow hold? Perhaps a look at two aspects of this election may hold the key, as the polling stations await.

First, the campaign (lacklustre as it was) witnessed the opposition that is the Labour Party try as it might to pull itself together yet their own candidates refusing to have Jeremy Corbyn on any of their literature.

Secondly, was the very unusual occurrence of a U-turn on a manifesto commitment, only 48 hours after its launch. This was the Conservatives on social care.

What are the main two UK parties bringing to Scotland, other than internal disunity and the shambles that is social care?
Catriona C Clark
Banknock, Falkirk

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Elderly have paid their fair share so please vote carefully

CAN I please beg those who are thinking of lending their vote to the Tories tomorrow to pause and consider the future of our older generations?

The current generation of pensioners are largely those who lived through the kind of austerity after the war which nowadays would be regarded as abject poverty and who made sacrifices, made do and mended, paid their taxes and asked for no state help. Even so, most scrimped and saved to provide themselves with secure homes and savings for their own support in old age.

Now they are threatened with loss of the triple lock on pensions and possibly their heating allowance. Those suddenly finding themselves alone after bereavement, on a fixed income, stand to lose the widow’s benefit or equivalent pension increase, as compensation for lost income, after 18 months. What then? Is their only solution to sell up all they strove for through all their working life?

As to the dementia tax, a major element of the cost in a care home is for accommodation, heating, lighting, food, council tax and property maintenance. All these costs are already being borne by the person receiving care at home. So to charge the same may seem fair at first sight, but would actually be charging them twice for these elements.

All these threats are supported by the Scottish Tories and will happen if the Tories have sufficient power after the election. Might it happen to your granny? After tomorrow, you could have voted for it. Just remember that today’s old folk paid up willingly when they were young to help previous older generations, and one day the current young folk will be old too.
P Davidson
Falkirk

THE recent young people’s mental health statistics have shown us again that young people in care are not being listened to. More than half of young people in care experience mental health challenges so access to the right support, at the right time, is vital. To make a difference to people’s lives, these waiting times must change.

Whilst we ensure that access to mental health services is better, we must also try to understand why so many young people, who are in the care of the state, need support with their mental health in the first place.

Some of Who Cares? Scotland’s members tell me that mental health challenges can be a symptom of the trauma they experienced before care, and the lack of love they can find in care.

After our members asked for it, Nicola Sturgeon called an independent root and branch review into care in Scotland. Over the next two years, the review will explore and understand the best kind of care possible for young people. It will try to understand how to make young people in care feel loved.

This review is a once in a lifetime opportunity to create real and positive change for young people in care. I hope that the mental health of our young people will be something that we see improve as a result.
Duncan Dunlop
Who Cares? Scotland

IT’S the last lap, well at least this time round, with the General Election looming. What an excellent run in then from The National and two superb articles spotlighting women. The courage and determination shown by the female journalists (Magazine to fight Taboos, The National, June 5) and the steely determination to succeed without compromises of “Winnie the Wonder Woman” (The National, June 6) say it all.

For the Afghani editor Fatana Hassanzada to even contemplate her venture, far less make it a reality speaks volumes for her guts and determination. That she and her reporters/contributors are doing this on a voluntary basis (at the moment) is even more remarkable.

Women fought and died for me to get the vote here, and women worldwide continue to suffer oppression, deprivation, misogyny and inequalities too many to line up. But they continue to fight against tyrannies, fight for a vote and their rights whilst prepared to take up their responsibilities.

So ranging from Afghanistan to Scotland and a’ the airts, please sisters, go out and vote. Make sure your families do too. Take the weans with you, get them familiar with this part of democracy.
Selma Rahman
Edinburgh