IT is almost unbelievable that our elected government is seeking a political appointee to “represent the government and the Prime Minister” to speak “directly to the public on the issues they care most about, explaining the government’s position, reassuring people that we are taking action on their priorities and driving positive changes” (Scottish Tories left red-faced as No 10 seeks host for daily TV briefings, July 30).
The situation would be laughable if it wasn’t so reminiscent of the behaviour of dictatorships through history, with governments in hiding from the people.
READ MORE: Scottish Tories left red-faced as No 10 seeks host for daily TV briefings
In Scotland our First Minister appears in public and holds briefings where she talks directly to the people and takes questions from the media, with experts and ministers on hand to go into detail if required.
The UK Prime Minister rarely appears in public, prefers to make broadcasts to the nation rather than talk to the people, seldom took part in the daily briefings and only answered a few preselected questions when he did show up.
Now the government is going to retreat from public view and release daily 10-minute political broadcasts through an intermediary.
The whole government is now going to join Boris Johnson in his fridge, safely insulated from the rigours of the outside world, leaving this intermediary – a world-beating first of a cross between an organ grinder’s monkey and a fridge magnet paid in sweetie money – with the people who elected them.
John Jamieson
South Queensferry
PLEASE sir, please sir! You missed one! My heartfelt call is to The Jouker regarding his list of kicks up the backside administered to George “The Hat” Galloway in various elections (One serial loser’s bid to save the Union falters, July 29).
In 1977, George achieved the almost impossible by being defeated in one of Labour’s safest Dundee Council seats, beaten by a totally unknown elderly lady with no political experience whatsoever.
READ MORE: George Galloway's bid to save the Union gets off to a bad start
However, the recent announcement that Galloway has thrown his hat into the ring for Holyrood 2021 raises, for me, a serious and troubling question.
Henceforth, will the legendary mountebank and man of many clubs be pictured wearing a bunnet?
Malcolm Cordell
Dundee
I JOINED the SNP in 1965 when we were regarded as the “lunatic fringe” of politics, and only because of the policy of independence. I read often in The National of worries over “morality” and our political “ethics” and even about “international backing or recognition” (There’s one way to end the ‘Both votes SNP’ debate once and for all, July 25). These political niceties and navel-gazing can be considered (at length if necessary) after we achieve our target of full independence.
We need to focus on it and be ruthless, in response to what we have suffered at the hands of Cumberland to Thatcher and the Brexiteers.
Constituency vote for, of course, the SNP and the list for ONE independence party to be decided upon diligently which will maximise the cause of independence and limit those sneaking in on the list, in a system foisted upon us by the “establishment”.
Doug Drever
Dundee
ONE of your correspondents in yesterday’s National referred to a letter from Mr Ó Gallchóir. I was happy to note that I am not the only one of your readers who is not republican, left-wing and fighting the class war. As a long-time member of the SNP I am in the party for only one reason: I am Scots. I find it dishonourable that my country is ruled by a foreign government; it offends me. Just so long as my country does not become either fascist or communist, I really have little interest.
It would be a pity to alienate independence supporters who are monarchist and, dare I say it, not even left-of-centre. Reading The National, which I enjoy, it would be easy to form the impression that those seeking independence are well to the left. There are a number who are not.
A further point I would like to mention is that if I read too many more references to the UNELECTED House of Lords I will run round the room screaming. That house does a somewhat better job than the menagerie next door.
R Mill Irving
Gifford, East Lothian
I COULDN’T help but be a bit gobsmacked by the letter from a reader (name and address supplied) stating that “An independent Scotland would be very foolish indeed to dispense with constitutional monarchy, which is our safeguard against power-heady presidents overruling parliament”. Holy moly, that’s working well isn’t it? I nearly choked on my petit pan au chocolat.
Noirin Blackie
Haddington
AT last I can actually say I agree with Jackson Carlaw MSP – he certainly wasn’t the best person to lead the Scottish Tories. However,
I was impressed by his ability to boost the support for independence with his fake outrages and blind loyalty to anything Dominic Cummings told him to do!
READ MORE: This is Boris Johnson's response to Jackson Carlaw quitting
I don’t think there is anyone either in the Scottish Tories or elsewhere who can now save the Union, the best they can do is to stall Scottish independence. Our job as supporters of Scottish independence is to hasten the break-up of this Union and to save Scotland from the political follies of Westminster governments.
Cllr Kenny MacLaren
Paisley
IF the “Scottish Tories” had any gumption they would all resign from the Tory party and create their own centre-right party campaigning for an independent Scotland. I don’t see yesterday’s resignation stemming from the “Scottish Tories” at all. Watch Dominic and Michael’s next moves to “streamline” the party.
Fiona Johnston
via thenational.scot
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