An independent Scotland must have complete control over currency

The EU monetary policy is neoliberal and this has been proven to be disadvantageous to the much of the populace, particularly in the UK. Putting it simply, the financial sector runs the country and this is fine if you happen to be in that clique, but not great if you aren’t. Investment is directed to where there is the greatest return, paying no attention to whether it benefits society as a whole.

An independent Scotland must have a constitutional currency, with only the state issuing money. The present arrangement, where 97% of the money in circulation is issued by the private banking industry in the form of debt, is a recipe for boom and bust and means that the state has no control over the amount of money that is in circulation. We must move forward to the Keynsian monetary principles that were so well-proven in the aftermath of the Second World War.

There will be no need to adopt the euro if we re-join the EU. It is clearly stated that no country can be forced into this adoption, it is only recommended. An independent Scotland with its own currency will be light on its fiscal feet and able to adapt to changing circumstances. If monetary policy is dictated by an outside authority, this flexibility of action would be curtailed. We have had quite enough of this nonsense over the last decades, being tied to the UK (or England, as it should be better termed). All monetary decisions concerning Scotland must be made by Scotland, without outside interference.
Tony Perridge
Inverness

I AGREE with Robin McAlpine that the use of violence to try to achieve Scottish independence is not acceptable. It would simply alienate those very people we’re trying to win over (Common Weal report offers solutions to indyref2 stalemate, The National, January 24).

I also agree that there are measures we could take, all the way to civil disobedience, in the hope that Westminster and Boris Johnson could be “persuaded” to recognise the democratic deficit of refusing the referendum.

However, it is a fundamental tenet of our adversarial legal system that if you aren’t winning your case on its merits, then to win the other option is to challenge the process.

We need to get to the point, and it should be sooner rather than later, when all reasonable tactics have been resisted and the democratic deficit remains when, with the full glare of publicity and the world watching, Ian Blackford formally and directly asks at PMQs for a referendum. If Boris then rejects it, shouldn’t Blackford point to the illusion of UK democracy and lead his Scottish MPs from the chamber, all further contact with Westminster through the Scottish Government?

Given recent events, if Wales and Northern Ireland, whose devolved administrations have also rejected Brexit, could also be persuaded to walk out, then the UK would be recognised as in the severest constitutional crisis. The international ramifications could well be immense.
Jim Taylor
Edinburgh

I WAS very pleased indeed to see Ian Richmond’s letter in Thursday’s National (January 23). It’s a timely alert indeed to the line our opponents will be taking.

As our moment of maximum opportunity presents itself, as our army champs at the bit to get into battle, we must join soon – the Unionists are desperate to delay everything. When the Brexit shambles becomes the normality and the people resign themselves to its consequences, our maximum opportunity then recedes and our opponents will have all the time in the world and all the huge power at their disposal to crank up the relentless attack against our country that we see all across the media every day.

Delay them, delay them is their weapon as they prowl our hospitals for the sick and dying, as the locks don’t work at police station toilets, as every pothole on every road becomes the direct responsibility of Nicola Sturgeon.

We should declare the date for our referendum and dare the UK to deny us in the face of our rights described in the UN Charter, the Scottish Claim of Right and the defining final words of the Smith Commission.

Put them in the dock.
David McEwan Hill
Sandbank, Argyll

WHY are our SNP MPs allowing the Tories to lie? The reason why you can’t call an MP a liar in Parliament is that when it was only wealthy men who were MPs it was considered that “Gentlemen” did not lie – balderdash! If you lie you are quite simply a liar and should be called so.

Liars deserve nothing but contempt. Lets see our MPs call the Tories the liars they are, even if it means that our MPs are banned from Parliament because, as one leaves, so should the next SNP MP on their feet say, “you are lying sir or madam” and so on until they are all banned and proud to stand as honest men and women.

Just a suggestion, change has to start somewhere.
Rosemary Smith
East Kilbride

PREVIOUS Prime Ministers have, at least, understood that some voices from Scotland have to be taken into account, but the present PM is only interested in stamping Scotland into oblivion.

Labour is still in denial, working peoples’ rights are crumbling – there can be no Labour government while those voters are misled by both the party’s hierarchy and the Tory press. When Scotland leaves the UK we will vote for the people who represent us in our own Parliament.

No matter who gets our vote, it will be Scotland we are voting for.
Moira Cochrane
via email