SADLY I find myself in agreement with the letter headed “Butler set an example to the lapdogs in the SNP’ from Kenny Henderson (Jul 24) and Mike Russell’s column on the expulsion of Labour MP Dawn Butler from the Westminster House of Horrors. Ms Butler has indeed set an example for the SNP at Westminster to follow.
Contrast her actions with the pathetic words of SNP MP Chris Stephens, who thought it would be a funny end-of-term joke to suggest that Scottish independence should be decided by a penalty shoot-out, and went on to praise Scotland for reaching Euro 2020. I watched both events and can say I cringed at Mr Stephens‘s speech and felt pride as Ms Butler marched from the chamber.
READ MORE: Chris Stephens: Scottish independence should be decided on penalties
Perhaps it is time to drastically reduce the pointless so-called debating with right-wing English Tory MPs. If the SNP had won every Scottish seat at the last General Election, can we in all honesty say that it would make the slightest difference to the average resident back home in Scotland?
Try as I might, I cannot recall a Westminster vote which the SNP has won, or come near to winning. I cannot even think of an issue in which their contribution – often good – has influenced the outcome of a debate. I hate to say it, but I feel that the SNP MPs are settling down, not thinking of settling up. Assuming there may not be an independence referendum in the next few years, what will be the point of voting SNP at the next General Election if all we are to get is more of the same?
READ MORE: Labour's Dawn Butler set an example to the lapdogs in the SNP at Westminster
Are we all to suffer another four or five years of having almost every contribution being met with a barrage of laughter and disdain from the Tory benches? Who in their right mind thinks they can win a battle when they are outnumbered around 10 to one?
If the history of the Irish nation has anything to teach us it is that a perfect attendance record at Westminster will not lead us to independence.
John Baird
Largs
REGARDING Kenny Henderson’s letter in the National on Saturday. Yes, Dawn Butler stood up and called Boris Johnson a liar and refused to retract it and was told to leave the House of Commons, but to what avail? In my opinion It will not make one iota of a difference.
I watch PMQs a lot. Ian Blackford asks serious questions all the time and Boris Johnson never answers them. His answers are just full of his usual bluster and soundbites.
Labour are the main opposition and with all the shenanigans going on within the Tory party you would think Keir Starmer would ask more serious questions than he does. But then again, when he does he never gets a proper answer either. The Tories have an 80-seat majority and can do what they like. I think the best thing our SNP MPs could do is not take their seats at Westminster and concentrate on fighting the cause for independence and concentrate on helping their constituents with any problems they may have. They are wasted at Westminster. They will always be outnumbered in any vote.
As for a referendum on independence, I think we need to be patient for a bit longer because we can’t afford to lose it this time. I wonder if the people who want one now have any suggestions as to how we get one if Boris Johnson continues to refuse one, bearing in mind that it has to be a legal one so that we are recognised internationally as an independent country.
I Wood
Aberdeen
I LIKE the gist of Chris Stephen’s suggestion that we decide our future with a penalty shootout. However, if the Union was run along anything remotely as strict as football regulations then the entire Westminster team would have been red-carded for foul play long before now, and the trophy would be secure with its rightful owners.
Tom Gray
Braco
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