Letters: Millions of Leavers were voting against austerity

Let’s be clear, many millions without a voice under a Westminster broken electoral system who voted for Brexit were not voting against Europe but against austerity, and politicians from all parties who have ignored them or taken them for granted for years. Yes, they also voted for promises that have since been broken. The chance to make an informed decision when we have the Brexit deal is therefore only fair and essential in any democracy.

All parties should get off the fence and get behind the demand for a people’s vote on the Brexit deal. On this issue we must put people before party politics. Big respect to all those cross-party speakers at our public meetings in East Lothian in support of the campaign.

Tony Martin
East Lothian4Europe

I WOULD like to applaud MP Gareth Thomas, who on May 9 brought before the Commons proposals for a Ten Minute Rule motion to give the public a vote on the European Union withdrawal agreement that will be secured by the Conservative government. The House was by no means crowded, however Mr Thomas secured unanimous agreement to allow him to bring forward a Bill to give the people and not just MPs a final say on the agreement in early July.

The puzzling element of the House’s unanimous agreement was the scarcity of the Brexiters who were conspicuous by their absence, demonstrating no opposition to allowing this motion to come forth in due course. So can we assume they have finally accepted they led voters astray in 2016 ?

Catriona C Clark
Falkirk

A DANIEL come to judgement was my immediate reaction to the Wee Ginger Dug’s analysis of why saltire be-decked events are essential for the Yes Movement, given that the media reinforces the fears and prejudices of the No voters daily (A message to those who can’t see a buzz without wanting to kill it..., May 9).

I have made this point to indy-supporting friends, who shake their heads in disbelief regarding Unionists who, when pressed, will trot out the same old claptrap with a kind of obtuse obstinacy.

However, I believe much of this Unionism is not due to logical reasoning – or something the Yes/SNP side did or did not do – but is solely down to the clever and multi-faceted British media onslaught.

On the media theme, I attended Saturday’s walk (I don’t do marching!) accompanied by friends and an astonishing turnout of some 50,000. Even more astonishing (or maybe not), our third-rate fourth estate in general deemed the event not newsworthy. BBC “Scotland” ditto, despite its “vast output”, to quote a Pacific Quay panjandrum whose recent letters in The National suggested he is, if nothing else, an avid reader of your paper.

Regarding press coverage of the event, a Sunday newspaper carried a front page picture nicely highlighting some Union flag-waving Britnats extolling the benefits of the Union, although to be fair I suspect they were merely exuberant Gers fans humourously killing some time en route to Ibrox.

Finally, regarding Nicola’s call for Channel 4 to locate its HQ in Scotland, I believe that with BBC and STV we have quite enough British broadcasters billeted here, thank you very much.

Malcolm Cordell
Broughty Ferry, Dundee

WE now know what the PM meant by “taking back control”, as she reveals that Scotland’s agriculture, fisheries etc will be taken back to Westminster.

Claims about Scotland as an equal partner in the UK, to be “consulted every step of the way” in the Brexit process, are exposed as meaningless.

While Cameron flattered to deceive, May no longer makes any attempt to conceal her total disregard for this part of her “precious union of equals”.

Scotland’s destiny? Remote Control.

James Stevenson
Auchterarder

IT was shocking to note that one in nine young people in Scotland have attempted suicide, as outlined in Glasgow University’s recent study.

The importance of prevention and early intervention, which is cheap, effective and cost-saving, cannot be underestimated. This includes increased investment in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) as well as greater education and support in schools.

All secondary schools must have a qualified and appropriately experienced counsellor, providing support to troubled and/or distressed children and young people, including those with mental health difficulties. Scotland is currently the only UK country with no national strategy for school-based counselling services. Children and young people in Scotland are subject to a “postcode lottery” of access to support and it has been estimated that more than 250,000 have no access to school-based counselling services.

Counselling services are guaranteed in all secondary schools in Northern Ireland and Wales. In Wales the vast majority of children and young people who received counselling (88%) did not require any form of onward referral once counselling sessions had been completed.

Investing a fraction of the mental health budget on school-based counselling services helps to keep children in school and avoid unnecessary and often stigmatising mental health diagnoses, as well as reducing the burden on the already stretched and costly CAMHS provision – the cost of five sessions of counselling is equivalent to just one contact with CAMHS.

With a shocking number of young lives at risk in Scotland, the figures make it clear that there is no time to waste in immediately implementing guaranteed school counselling.

Scottish Children’s Services Coalition, Edinburgh

I DO wish your many republican correspondents would bother to find out how the monarchy is funded rather than twitter on about the taxpayer. The phrase “Crown Estates” springs to mind!

Of course, to a republican no monarch has any property rights, only Charlie MacFouter in Cowdenbeath has those!

R Mill Irving
Gifford, East Lothian