YESTERDAY’S Jouker article (Scottish Tory issues desperate letter ahead of election, February 25) is hilarious as it highlights many of the problems faced by the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party.
Perhaps what Annie Wells MSP fails to grasp is that her party is based on the fallacy that the Scottish people are not capable of governing themselves and need to be governed by their “betters” in Westminster.
This requires that its elected representatives in Scotland must be prepared to put the interests of their London-based party before that of their constituents even although it is to their constituents’ detriment, eg the recent debate on a proposed Scottish visa.
This is also borne out by the appointment and performance of the present and past holder of the post of Secretary of State for Scotland – appointed by London! The net result is that people with ability and commitment to Scotland can see no future in being a member of such a party.
If there is to be a resurgence of the party in Scotland – and that seems highly unlikely given its leadership AT Holyrood and Westminster – then perhaps it should drop the word Unionist and reform as the Scottish Conservative Party. As for Annie Wells MSP, perhaps she should be looking for another means of earning her living post May 2021!
Thomas L Inglis
Fintry
SO we have a bridge to Ireland project on the cards, what next? We have lots of other projects which would be of greater value to Scotland’s economy, so let’s get our priorities in proper order. The east coast has, thanks to the Scottish Government, ample bridge facilities. Now it should be the poor old west coast’s turn.
The lower Clyde has no bridge. Car ferries and small passenger boats are all that’s available to cross this great river. The west coast would be opened up if we had a bridge over the river joining the road to the isles. This is not a new idea by any means, as back in the fifties the SNP presented a plan for a fantastic multi-purpose lower Clyde crossing. This was not only a bridge but was intended to be a tidal barrage, which could capture the Clyde’s strong tidal forces to produce electricity. It would have a movable section to let ships through, and if required could also take a rail crossing.
This plan came before the Greenock Labour and Unionist town council in the late sixties, but they were told by their masters in London that it was too expensive, Sadly this was long before we had a Scottish Government to promote any such brilliant projects, so it was shelved.
When we gain our independence this crossing must be given top priority. Let’s hope, and trust, that the blueprints for same can be retrieved, dusted down, and put into action.
Iain Ramsay
Greenock & Inverclyde
MANY years ago I remember a committed member of the SNP saying that at any rallies they held, there was always someone from Special Branch in attendance. I doubt if this has changed any in the ensuing years. Remember how police intelligence officers infiltrated animal rights organisations to the extent of having an intimate relationship with one of their members? This agent provocateur behaviour led to legal action.
The closer we get to achieving self-government, the sneakier and nastier the British state will become. Be on your guard, Yessers!
They will NOT play by the rules (unless it’s the ones they make up as they go along). The goalposts are on nylon wheels with teflon-coated bearings.
Barry Stewart
Blantyre
SOME of those subjected to misinformation in the Unionist press genuinely believe that Scotland has a deficit and that it constitutes more than half the UK deficit. Were that true, the rest of the UK would want rid of us rather than wanting to hold onto us.
It is unlikely that Unionists and those who want Scotland to be a normal independent country will ever agree about the financial situation of Scotland until it is an independent country in charge of all its own resources. I am sure that our human and natural resources are sufficient to allow us to have a standard of living comparable to that of our Scandinavian and other neighbours and, at the same time, to contribute usefully to international affairs.
David Stevenson
Edinburgh
I CAN’T be the only one who is sick to death hearing about “low-skilled workers”. Carers would fall into this category. My husband spent the last years of his life in a care home in Dingwall. I saw no low-skilled workers, only low-paid carers who are more skilled and much more admirable human beings than most members of the so-called Tory “elite” who seem to be running the country.
Elspeth HM Kidd
Inverness
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