I READ that Labour (Scottish franchise) are “in turmoil”, most recently in yesterday’s National, over whether to support the call – which will soon be a shout – for another Scottish referendum.
Surely this makes perfect sense for them. Even if BoJo and his troupe of clowns make a complete horlicks of the next few years, he will either get lucky (as Thatcher did in The Falklands, for example) or the Tories will ensure that they have a new leader by the time of the next General Election.
READ MORE: Keir Starmer's indyref2 stance 'will lose Scotland for a generation'
Either way, with England retreating into a right-wing, xenophobic fantasy of “greatness” there is virtually no chance of Labour winning the next General Election without 25 or so Scottish seats. That ain’t going to happen, so Scottish Labour have to choose between nine or 10 more years in the wilderness or supporting independence and having a good chance of successfully challenging the post-independence SNP government for power at, say, the second Scottish General Election after Independence Day.
Most Scots are in favour of leftish policies of fairness and equitable distribution of wealth, and all non-Tory parties should relish the opportunity to use our fabulous resources to build a prosperous and compassionate European/North Sea powerhouse.
David Roche
Perth
IT’S interesting that James Macintyre and Andrew M Fraser, in making criticisms of my letter, have only succeeded in reinforcing my point while demonstrating that they had totally failed to grasp it (Letters, June 29).
Julia Pannell said that we did not need borrowing powers, we needed independence. My point was a simple one and not too difficult to grasp. It was that other small countries were able to finance the cost associated with dealing with the pandemic because they were independent.
READ MORE: It’s right to question the need for nations to borrow money
How James McIntyre failed to grasp that point is beyond me. And Mr Fraser saying that The Joy of Tax by Richard Murphy refutes my suggestion of independent countries having the power to borrow wisely at competitive rates with a lender of last resort is going to come as a great shock to Mr Murphy.
Douglas Turner
Edinburgh
WHAT a wonderful Long Letter yesterday by L McGregor, which encapsulates the situation for many of us octogenarians precisely. Westminster is coming for us, just when we need a bit of peace in our last years. Shortly, the massive bill for the TV licence will arrive on our doorstep – and many councils are charging to empty the brown bins, with no relief for older people.
READ MORE: My generation had to scrimp and save for the little we have
Of course the young need help as well, but it must not come from us. Perfidious Albion, up to its old tricks of “divide and rule” setting one part of the public against another. Young people, do not fall for it! We are not at war with you; we want you to enjoy the same privileges (free third-tier education, job opportunities, fair pay, good housing) as should be available in any modern society. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance!
Andrew McCrae
Gourock
MY wife and I worked damned hard for over 40 years to bring up our children, buy our house and earn our pensions. Yes, I am comfortably off but much of what I have is a widower’s pension and lump sum because my wife survived for only a few years after retirement.
The current Covid-19 casualties (or cull) have saved the Exchequer a bit of money, so I see no good reason why I should feel guilt on top of grief.
Ian Miller
via thenational.scot
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