Nicola Sturgeon missed an open goal over Boris Johnson's visit north

Patrick Harvie asked her about the PM’s visit being unnecessary, he asked her about sticking too closely to the UK rules, he asked about where sticking to a four-nations approach held Scotland back etc. These are clear, wide open goals for anyone of the independence movement to highlight where Scotland could have done things differently – but could not due to being in the UK.

Why did Nicola not mention a single thing that Scotland would have liked to have done, but couldn’t? Not a single criticism of Boris being in Scotland. Yes, I know she mentioned something in the press questions yesterday – but any opportunity to rightly criticise the PM/UK should be jumped on!

Thoroughly depressing, but this FMQs failure is just another addition to the list of missed opportunities. The day did have a little chink of light with Kate Forbes. Each time I’ve heard her, she has that passion missing from Nicola on making clear distinctions.

Kenneth Sutherland
Livingston

IT was very encouraging for peace and anti-nuclear campaigners to read the article in the National on Sunday (January 24) by David Pratt headed “Banned not Banished” about the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which was ratified by the UN on Friday January 22, 2021 after being signed by over 50 countries, with another 80 countries due to sign.

It was particularly encouraging to see as there was very little coverage in any other Scottish or UK media outlets.

READ MORE: Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons: How significant is the move?

It is the first multilateral, legally binding instrument for nuclear disarmament to have been negotiated in 20 years – surely the best news the world has witnessed in a long time .

The UN Secretary General, Antonio Gueterres, stated “the Treaty represents a meaningful commitment towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, which remains the highest disarmament priority of the UN”.

As David Pratt points out, this Treaty will not immediately halt the production and deployment of nuclear weapons as none of the 10 states known or believed to posses nuclear weapons have yet signed the Treaty.

But countries in Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Europe did sign the Treaty which commits the signatories to “never under any circumstances developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, otherwise acquiring, possessing or stockpiling nuclear weapons”.

This is hugely significant for everyone in the world and is an important milestone towards eliminating nuclear weapons.

And if the world can agree to ban biological weapons (1972) and chemical weapons (1993), why not follow suit with nuclear weapons?

David Pratt quotes my fellow Norwegian countryman Jens Stoltenberg (Secretary-General of Nato and former Prime Minister of Norway) as stating “giving up our deterrent without any guarantee that others will do the same is a dangerous option”.

Sadly Jens Stoltenberg is peddling the myth that nuclear weapons are a deterrent and that Nato must be a nuclear alliance – even his own country though part of Nato does not see the need to have nuclear weapons.

And maybe he should read the statement by Lord Mounbatten that “wars cannot be fought with nuclear weapons. Their existence only adds to our perils”.

READ MORE: Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons celebrated in Edinburgh

And the current UK Prime Minister, with his support for loyalty and the establishment should heed these words and ensure that the UK can become a signatory to the Treaty.

But prior to that when Scotland becomes independent the first actions of an incoming Scottish Government should be to sign the Treaty which would then require the Trident fleet to be removed from Faslane.

As there is nowhere else in the UK which could house these illegal weapons of mass destruction they would have to be decommissioned.

Nuclear weapons are already illegal under an advisory UN Treaty, can kill millions of people indiscriminately, cost us £250 billion (which should be spent on health, social care and education) and serve no strategic purpose in an age of terrorism and cyber attacks.

HANT (Highlands Against Nuclear Transport) would urge everyone in Scotland and the rest of the UK to lobby their MP’s to step up their efforts to eliminate nuclear weapons, including committing the UK to signing the Treaty.

Tor Justad
Chairperson, HANT (Highlands Against Nuclear Transport)

I AM astounded at the lack of economic knowledge displayed by Thursday’s contributors to Website Comments – Bill Anderson, Marion Lamont, and Don Johnstone. The worrying thing is they are not alone.

Most if not all politicians do not understand how money actually works.

I have been aware of this fact since I studied economic history and geography for the bank exams in the early 1980s. My lecturer one day asked a question “how do you start your economy?” and went on to say “there are two ways”:

1. Employ people to dig holes in the road and employ other people to come and fill them in.

2. Start a WAR because nobody cares about money in a war. Before you know where you are, money is circulating and people are employed.

Your contributors all need to refer to the book by Professor Stephanie Kelton The Deficit Myth, and get an understanding that Scotland with its own currency and central bank could never run out of money as long as it trades in that currency.

This was previously recommended by Roddie Macpherson in Seven Days.

Stephanie Kelton, author of The Deficit Myth

A country’s budget is not the same as a household budget as long as it has its own FIAT Currency. This does not apply to Scotland as we cannot issue our own money. We therefore need to spend within the limits Westminster imposes on us!

Also as far as the DEFICIT is concerned, this is not a debt. It is merely the money in the private sector that has not been taxed back. It takes the form of GILTS etc which are sold into the market. Borrowing in another currency must be avoided at all costs.

The Treasury (the Issuer of the Currency)’s DEBT is our (the currency users)’s ASSET, but funnily enough the UK Government does not tell the people this fact.

READ MORE: Kate Forbes unveils pay hike for public sector workers in Scottish Budget

The ridiculous statements in the press and on the television that the deficit means that we all owe £30,000+ and the UK has no money are only stated in order that the UK Government can prepare the population for further unnecessary austerity. You can hear Sunak say it’s coming already. Andrew Wilson the dinosaur economist was in this very paper not so long ago spouting this type of nonsense too.

We need to educate the voters about the economic facts of modern life as soon as possible. Indeed I have put together a presentation on this very subject which I am going to deliver to my SNP branch and any Yes groups and other branches who are interested.

Reassuring voters that there will be no adverse effects to their finances, mortgages or other commitments is the most important single issue to obtain a positive vote for self-determination for our country.

John Robson
via email

THE selfish, insular Tories appear to be putting all their energy into a pathetic five-point plan to thwart the people of Scotland, having their democratic right to choose independence. Why don’t they have a democratic and fair plan to put their own house in order first?

1 Ditch the first past the voting system in local English councils and parliament

2 Replace the House of Lords with a democratic and accountable regional revising chamber

3 Stop tax avoiders that place their money in off shore tax havens

4 Stop the cronyism procedure that gives lucrative contracts to Tony donors.

5 Properly finance the NHS.

6 Cancel Trident.

7 Work harder with regard climate change.

8 Do more to stimulate the economy.

9 Stop the rise in poverty.

10 Listen to the devolved countries and English regions.

11 Ensure international companies pay taxes.

12 Stop trading weapons.

13 Do more to police the internet, prevent scams and unwanted harassing phone calls.

14 Do more to stop the pandemic (the list could go on forever).

Westminster’s actions first and foremost has been to safeguard their privileged and elitism position in British society which has in turn increased poverty and devastatingly lowered the country’s morale. Roll on the May elections. Let’s give them a result that will devastate the already archaic crumbling Houses of Parliament. Let’s make an important first step of Scotland’s plan, put an end to the Tory power grab and imperialism once and for all!

Robin MacLean
Fort Augustus

ARE we sleepwalking into the cashless society? The Westminster government made a commitment over a year ago to protect cash in our society! Yet ATMs along with bank closures are continuing at an alarming rate.

It is reported that ATM use is down over a third during the pandemic crisis; surely no surprise to anyone. But does the country have the technology to go cashless? Could small retailers, such as those involved in farmers markets, afford to carry the cost of cashless transactions? It simply does not make economic sense.

ATM use has dropped by more than a third during the pandemic

So, let’s start with some statistics: over eight million people in the UK have no other means of finance but cash, that is nearly 20% of the UK population, a large number to exclude from the country’s economy.

READ MORE: How Redditors are costing hedge funds billions of dollars

Those we will be excluding are in all walks of life, including those with disabilities, those who do not have a bank account, those who simply do not trust banks considering there has been a 238% rise in bank fraud during lockdown, and the older generation, with less than half over-75s digitally connected.

The current crisis of the pandemic has brought this topic to the forefront and should have given us all a reality check regarding our finances and the use of money in our lives for day-to-day living. We must address some vital questions, questions the pandemic has thrown up. Self-isolating, dependant on their local communities for vital supplies, how do they pay? A window cleaner managing to keep working during a pandemic, how do we pay for this service ?

Bank and ATM closures have been creeping onward for a number of years, not just closing the bank, but closing down communities as a result, denying many access to their money at the cost of protecting the banks’ profits. People’s ability to pay for services must not be taken away – it is a basic right.

Catriona C Clark
Falkirk