Talk of 2021 elections providing a ‘definitive’ mandate is claptrap

I was asked by your readers to hold my nose and vote for the SNP in the General Election as this was the only way to bring about an independence referendum. I think, therefore, that the SNP should be held accountable and deliver on the mandate they have. All this talk that the 2021 Scottish elections will now provide the “definitive” mandate is claptrap. How many mandates do the SNP need? Can they not see that they are just being strung along by Westminster into chasing an ephemeral mandate?

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The Scottish Government have an elected responsibility to protect and serve the people of Scotland. The Scottish economy cannot be allowed to be crashed into the ground simply because England wants to pursue Brexit. Ironic as it may seem, the Treaty of Union prevents this from happening. I would urge everyone to read through the articles and then tell me that granting Northern Ireland different trade and customs arrangements does not break the Treaty?

I also find it strange that we must somehow win over No voters by providing information as to the benefits of independence. The argument, to me, for independence is self-evident. If we take all the resources and revenue of one small nation, for these to then be utilised and redistributed at will by a larger nation, it can never be more efficient (or democratic) than for the small nation to manage its own affairs and resources. Or to put it another way, if the Netherlands were to join in a political union with Germany under the same conditions as the Treaty of Union, would it in any way be beneficial to the Netherlands?

I think not!

Solomon Steinbett
Glasgow

THERE have been many letters recently advocating opposing ways in which the First Minister should respond to the derisory refusal of the British Prime Minister to her request for a new referendum. Should she go ahead regardless, or wait until the lawyers have fought it out? She is clearly in a very difficult position, as there will be senior SNP members advising her from both sides of the argument. Sure, the actions of the Tories at Westminster are appalling and getting worse by the day, but unilaterally calling a referendum might not at this stage result in a convincing Yes majority, so Nicola cannot do right by either viewpoint.

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I wonder if anyone has considered an alternative? Seeking the views of the Scottish electorate may not strictly speaking be classed as a referendum. The Scottish Government could as a first step initiate a voluntary consultation of the electorate on the question, or a set of questions, perhaps with the scrutiny of another EU country. If, as I hope and suspect, there would be a significant majority in favour of ultimate independence, this would give more strength to the argument of subsequently having a full-scale referendum with or without the S30 protocol, and if it did not, any points raised by respondents could show the SNP the issues on which they still need to convince the sceptical.

Mary Brown
Banchory

LAST September, Boris Johnson gave himself the new title Minister for the Union. This new Ministry solemnly announced, in its spending package: “£10 million of additional funding to strengthen the links between the four nations of the union as the UK leaves the EU, supporting the work of the Prime Minister as Minister for the Union. Of this, £5m will be allocated to the Territorial Offices.”

Amazingly, “the Territorial Offices” is the UK Government’s official term for the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales and the Northern Ireland Office. So Scotland is one of the British “territories”, just like the British Virgin Islands or Gibraltar, with Johnson’s new role as the visiting Governor General.

Councillor Tom Johnston (SNP)
North Lanarkshire Council

IT is clear that Boris Johnson is indeed a “One Nation” Conservative. With the refusal of consent for the EU Withdrawal Agreement by governments in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, it appears that one nation is England.

Alex Orr
Edinburgh

I’M sure the Scottish Conservatives for Yes group will wholeheartedly agree with the comments made by Frieda Burns (Letters, January 21) about cutting out negative chanting against Conservatives on independence marches. I have to say that the chant I enjoyed the most on the Glasgow march was “Big enough, rich enough, smart enough, had enough!” Says it all really.

Douglas Turner
Edinburgh

GIBRALTAR is considering going solo and joining the Schengen Agreement to ease the Brexit chaos which it feels will descend on it. The Britisher’s Britisher outpost on the Rock in the Med is realigning itself, the place that seems a 50s England frozen in jelly is reaching out to keep the contacts with Spain and the EU. You could not make it up! No doubt there will be apoplexy in No 10 and at Sandringham. Perhaps, Gibraltar will be kicked out like the Sussexes into outer Non-Englishness for having open borders and EU-ness.

John Edgar
Kilmaurs

WHETHER it’s Jack McConnell, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown or Jim Sillars, they all exist in their own little ego-fuelled political bubbles. Each of them feels compelled to emerge from time to time and give us the benefit of their perceived “wisdom”. Living proof that self-awareness and good sense don’t necessarily come with age.

James Arthur
Paisley