Letters: Does anyone still view the EU as a union of equals?

I used to have that rosy idea too, until recently. But when I look at the punitive austerity measures imposed by the big boys of the EU on the smaller partners like Greece and Portugal, who have fallen foul of their neoliberal agenda, it seems not.

And God help any peoples in the EU seeking self-determination from the big Nation State, as we have seen very recently with Catalonia and Spain. It seems not only will the EU ignore your human rights, they will marginalise you, side with the Nation State, praise it and say it “acted in moderation”.

It seems we may not have as much say as your correspondent so enthusiastically envisages. The EU most definitely seems only interested in preserving its economic agenda and the power of the big Nation State. In the EU all seem equal but some most definitely are much more equal and most definitely have more say than others, and some voices are ignored!
Crìsdean Mac Fhearghais
Dùn Eideann

THE anti-Brexit brigade must be getting desperate by continually wheeling out Lord Heseltine to boost their campaign. I just can’t believe him making the statement “Corbyn’s better than Brexit”. As most of the establishment/media are anti-Brexit he will for moment get away with it, but rest assured if the establishment/media post-Brexit think for one minute that Corbyn has a whisper of a chance of being elected, they will move into top gear to ensure that it does not happen and I suspect Heseltine will be among them!
John Connor
Dunfermline

JIM Lynch (Letters, December 29) is another apologist for big government. Apparently I need three Labour, three Tory and one Green list MSPs to “spread the load”. What load? They are hangers-on, elected by their party to represent the party interests, not my interests.

I am the leader of The Scottish Jacobite Party, with a firm vision of an independent Scotland out of the EU and with our own currency. An independent Scotland of small government at the national and local level, drastically reduced government spending on the NHS and Police Scotland, where money is wasted on paper pushing, and on detecting drivers exceeding an arbitrary speed limit rather than bad driving. An independent Scotland where professionals will be allowed to do their jobs in the absence of targets and tick-boxes.

I am not interested in restoring a Stuart monarchy. Bonnie Prince Charlie was the King of Scotland in September 1745 after the Battle of Prestonpans. He wasn’t interested in the Scottish crown. He wanted more. After Culloden in April 1746, he abandoned his loyal supporters who had assembled at Ruthven Barracks. He went into hiding for six months before fleeing the country. The Duke of Cumberland exacted a terrible toll on the Highlands and the Highlanders.

We need leaders who are interested in the people of Scotland, not their own vainglorious careers.

The Queen has served this country well. After independence she retains the use of Balmoral. But no hereditary monarchy in a Scottish Republic.
John Black
The Scottish Jacobite Party

THIS is the season of “goodwill towards men”. Not unexpectedly that sentiment was absent during the entirety of PMQs on December 13.The pantomime was instead characterised by demonstrations of antagonism by both Labour and Conservative leaders, with supporting roles by their backbench acolytes. The behaviour was frankly disgraceful and unacceptable. Expressions of good wishes for a happy 2018 were pure hypocrisy.

Equally evident was the lack of a single hint of empathy for the respective opposing views of any other party, exposing yet again the prevailing dilemma of the Westminster system – empathy or sympathy are signs of weakness. The opposite is the reality. The UK is struggling to attain a sustainable, appropriate identity, and cannot afford the wasteful, Sumo-like antics we see weekly on Wednesdays.

Change is unlikely, but for Scotland the remedy is only too apparent. Consign the Westminster system to history and recognise that Scots are different from the rest of the UK in so many ways and should be governed, appropriately, independently.
John Hamilton
Bearsden

HELLO 2018, and Labour is still divided as ever between the Blairities and Corbynistas. The faltering Tories have reached Peak Ruth with their “no to a second referendum” one-trick pony.

The SNP Scottish Government’s Budget was a masterstroke, progressive and fair, investing in public services. Those earning over £33,000 will pay a little more while those earning less will get a tax cut. A textbook example of how to make a Budget.

But the shadow of Brexit looms, despite the fact the No side during indyref told Scotland a No vote would secure EU membership. I believe independence is the perfect answer to Brexit: Scotland joining the single market, the largest economic block in the world, while a hapless, has-been, nostalgic, right-wing Brexit UK is on the road to irrelevance and isolation.

If I lived in Scotland I’d be voting Yes next time.
Chris Davies
Denbigh, Wales