We must appreciate how much has been achieved for Scotland in the last five years

But, perhaps it is time to take stock of the past year, a year like no other. A year when all resemblance of normality took a back seat, a year when massive decisions and emergency powers were all drafted in, a year when governments were certainly in the spotlight. This parliamentary term has delivered much more before the emergence of Covid and we need to reflect on some of the achievements during the lifetime of this parliament.

The introduction of giving every new born in Scotland an equal start with the Baby Box, the game changing Child Payment of £10/week, (currently being rolled out to every child in Scotland), Best Start Grants, School Holiday Meal Cover, Young Carers Grants and an increase in Carers Allowance bringing it into line with basic job seekers allowance, Free Personal Care being extended to all regardless of age.

Added to those are massive increases to Health and Social Care, Infrastructure, Environment and many more sectors of our daily lives.

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So as we now look to the elections on May 6, the words of the MSP who still holds the largest majority every achieved, Denis Canavan, in his autobiography come to mind, “Let the people decide”. I am sure in moving a vote of no confidence in a First Minister who has led the country through the most difficult of years and demonstrated leadership and sincerity the people will indeed decide.

Catriona C Clark
Falkirk

SO, The National starts The Yes Election 2021 feature by leaving out a Yes party in the coverage of the Shetland seat, poor show.

I look forward to making the argument that Scotland should be independent. That is out of the UK, and stay out of the EU.

The current Holyrood Parliament does not represent these positions, and that is why I am standing for Restore Scotland in this election in the Shetland constituency.

What about the one million plus voters in Scotland who voted to leave the EU, who should represent them?

What about the one third of SNP voters who voted to leave the EU, who should represent them? It will not be the SNP; they are putting the EU ahead of independence, ahead of their own voters.

Those SNP voters agree with the statement that you can either be independent or you can be in the EU, but you cannot be both.

The more I hear SNP spokespersons talking about the next referendum being about getting back into the EU, the more I know that the time is right for a double out party. Where is the logic in winning independence from the UK, and then giving it to the EU?

A vote for Restore Scotland is a vote for a referendum on independence. Let the voters in Scotland decide Scotland’s future! We want a government in Scotland elected by and answerable only to voters in Scotland.

For the avoidance of doubt, a vote for Restore Scotland is NOT a vote to return to the European Union. You can find out more at restorescotland.org

Brian Nugent
Restore Scotland Shetland candidate

I HAVE always enjoyed Kevin McKenna’s socialist principles. However l was disappointed to see him telling the SNP to have nothing to do with the Greens because of their stance on Catholic schools.

I was brought up in the east end of Glasgow. I remember we regularly had raids on the local Catholic school, with abuse being shouted and stones being thrown. The kids at the Catholic school would return the favour in equal measure. However, in our local street we all played together with absolutely no mention of religion.

I was a teacher for 33 years l taught an equal amount of time in both Catholic and public schools. I remember a relative saying to me “I hope you don’t teach them anything” when l was in a Catholic school. This kind of bigotry was ingrained in the society of the west of Scotland. I found when teaching the kids were all exactly the same, the vast majority were totally uninterested in religion. I can clearly remember the groans as they set off for religious education.

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On a personal level l think school is for educating children, passing on knowledge and facts, it is not a school’s job to perpetuate one particular religion over another. There are many thousands of religions; all of them believe they are right. Education should have no part in perpetuating one religion over another. I fully support the Greens’ belief that all children should be taught equally with no external interference. Ask yourself, would you support schools pushing one particular political party?

On that point, we should also not support private education as it encourages inequality in our society. Let’s all work for equal opportunities for all of our children.

F Paterson
Dunlop

AT last! A light on the far horizon was lit with your article by Heather Graham, “Tidal-powered charge point launched” (March 23).

The conservationist in me has often wondered why “wind power” attracted so much finance in the production of green energy.

For decades, I have strolled along the Solway shores witnessing the power of the tidal bore with this thought in mind.

Scotland has all those Firth inlets, Solway, Tweed, Forth, and Clyde, as well as the tides all around all the Western and Northern Isles.

The tides, both in and out, are a dependable four-times-a-day resource!

Many years ago, in the early days of wind-power, when I was walking in Wales on holiday, we came upon a wind-farm. Although it was a windy day, several were still. We asked the locals, “Why?”. “Oh, the grid can’t take any more.” We were told. In other words storage was the problem!

The human race learned how to split “the atom” yet still we have found no better solution to storing electrons than the battery or power pack.

In my 80s now, I wonder if I will live to see the day when Scotland, rich in energy resources, will be able to export energy to all the European countries lacking such a coastline as ours!

E Hope
Dumfries and Galloway

I AM sick and tired of UK governments that continually refer to its constitution. Why? Because no one has ever seen, read, or worse knows what it consists of.

This present Tory government is the worst of its kind in many ways but tops is its constant reference to its apparent constitution. This week I read about the three-year-old, just-released Dunlop Review, which is about how Whitehall can maximise the continually alleged benefits of the Union.

Since 1707, the Union was conceived to maximise the beneficial gains available from a developing Scotland, nothing more and nothing less. And deceptively made possible with the forever fixed minority Scottish delegation of members, in a parliament based in England.

Dunlop has suggested yet another new Cabinet position to head the “responsibility for the constitutional integrity and operation of the United Kingdom”. Don’t make me laugh! Integrity does not exist in Johnson’s cabinet with himself lacking any moral or ethical principles whatsoever. There is nothing left of a united kingdom to be responsible for. Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and possibly even England looking to go their own way as independent nations.

One point in Dunlop’s favour is his comment that the UK’s “intergovernmental relations machinery is no fit for purpose”. Well he got that right! Nothing and no one in Johnson’s cabinet has shown or done anything that was ever fit for purpose. And it has cost the tax payers billions of pounds ever since Theresa May was the Tory government leader.

His replacement “UK Intergovermental Council” will do no better while consisting of the same Tories that purport to run a dis-united kingdom. ‘UKIC’ would no doubt be a cock up.

Scotland however, is in the process of putting together its own constitution, which is currently available on line to the Scottish sovereign people to read, and contribute by amendments or additions, as is the democratic way for an independent nation.

There, by the way, is another word that is not found in Tory language, namely, “democracy”! “Democracy” and “constitution”; two words that are integral to an independent nation. Let’s go forward with this in mind and vote the only party in Scotland that can achieve our independence with a resounding majority victory.

Alan Magnus-Bennett
Fife

WITH reference Steve Arnott’s letter on Wednesday March 24. The Constitution for Scotland website and interactive platform has been designed to be dynamic and the content is provided as a guide to stimulate discussion. The original proposal regarding a deficit limit of 3% has been overtaken by the ongoing nature of the interactive discussion under way at www.constitutionforscotland.scot

At Article Eight, alternative amendments have been offered that remove the reference to 3% deficit and folks can now vote on the alternative proposals to decide which one goes forward. From our virtual meetings, we are being told that involvement in this consultation about a constitution is helping folk define the kind of country that they want and also helps them with the doorstep questions.

And yes, we are in the middle of a pandemic and there’s an important election coming in a few weeks’ time, but surely the Scots are fully capable of handling more than one issue at a time? Considering what passes for good government in any of our parliaments, hand on heart, would you wish to leave the decisions of what is in our constitution to politicians?

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Let me digress a little. 36 years ago, my wife and I built our own home. It took almost three years to define the plans and obtain the necessary permissions before we started to build, and we were both working at our day jobs. Defining the principles for a country’s constitution is likely to take longer than three years and should involve all our society.

Remember that a written constitution is the primary rule book, incorporating what our politicians can and cannot do.

This Constitution for Scotland interactive consultation provides the opportunity for everyday folks to express their opinions on the standards our country, parliament and government should aspire to operate to. The results of the consultation can be assessed by a People’s Convention as an aid to the writing of our country’s first written constitution, ready for submitting for legislation on Independence Day.

Bob Ingram
Constitution for Scotland