I DON’T know if I am alone in feeling deeply anxious in the current maelstrom of Unionist attacks on the Scottish economy and political sovereignty.
In the Westminster Parliament we saw Ian Blackford derided when he asked the Prime Minister about Brexit arrangements for Scottish fish, reported to have lost one exporter £45,000. Meanwhile Alister Jack, Baroness Davidson and Douglas Ross are under the radar with their plans to use the new Edinburgh civil service facility to bypass Holyrood politically to do direct funding to Scotland in areas like housing and health.
READ MORE: Tories silent as fishermen watch Brexit take a wrecking ball to their sector
The UK Government’s fisheries minister announced on Twitter that she was quite unfussed about not having read about fishing in the Brexit Bill because she was “very busy organising her local Nativity trail” on Christmas Eve.
No worries for her about fragile fishing communities that still rely on the infrastructure that takes Scottish fish and seafood to France and Spain!
There may only be a few Scottish families controlling fishing in the north of Scotland but the reality is that they are not the ones packing boxes onto lorries – these are vital jobs in rural communities.
Brexit will be a catastrophe for Scottish food and drink exports. It occurs that this Conservative government not only don’t care, but are hoping that this will be the case.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson responds to Ian Blackford's Brexit question with indyref2 rant
As if this was not enough to worry independence supporters, we have the Alex Salmond/Nicola Sturgeon debacle lurking in the wings with the mainstream media readying themselves for an assault.
Boris Johnson is known to be the Prime Minister who doesn’t want to lose the Union. Although they have been the most inept government in living memory, they are not going to take risks. Everything will be thrown at it. I have an awful sense of foreboding that there is not enough anxiety at Holyrood.
Last week we saw Trump supporters invading the Capitol building and five people died.
Complacency is dangerous in these times. All strength to Martin Keatings for his efforts in pursuing resistance to the status quo. A bonny fechter!
Maggie Chetty
Glasgow
IS there any point to Westminster’s Prime Minister’s questions?
The PM, asked by Ian Blackford about the substantial financial loss by one of his constituents in the shellfish industry caused by the bureaucracy surrounding exporting following Brexit, meandered off into his usual anti-SNP, anti-independence referendum diatribe without making any attempt to answer the question. So, what’s the point?
READ MORE: PMQs sketch: Speaker has issues with 'hypocrites', but disrespect for the SNP gets a chuckle
If such important matters can be deflected so easily, what is the point of Scottish MPs attending the anti-democratic charade that Westminster has descended to?
We know the UK Union is not working for Scotland, and a major reason is the undemocratic shambles of Westminster where we have an effectively elected dictatorship that drives policies without any questioning, nor the checks and balances to moderate them. It’s time.
Jim Taylor
Edinburgh
I’M not on Facebook/Twitter etc etc so can’t comment on Kevin McKenna’s allegations regarding sectarian bigotry being indulged in by SNP members on these platforms (Why SNP should be taking seriously McEleny’s indyref back-up plan, January 13). I am, however, a party member since before the 1967 Hamilton election when Winnie Ewing was elected, and I can honestly say I have never encountered anyone’s religious beliefs being commented on or criticised at branch meetings.
READ MORE: Kevin McKenna: Why SNP should be taking Chris McEleny’s indyref back-up plan seriously
I speak as a non-Christian person with no axe to grind. I would like to think the people Kevin refers to, if identifiable, would be expelled from the party. I find sectarian bigotry ludicrous, as both the “Proddies” and the “Cafflics” profess to be Christians!! The Shiite and Sunni bigotry equally so, as both profess to be Muslims. My view is that religion isn’t a problem provided it remains a “belief” – when one group decide they have the truth and everyone else is wrong, or are “lost souls” who MUST be saved from the error of being a non-believer, then that’s when problems arise.
Religious intolerance belongs in the dark ages, as do the people who indulge in it. If it makes someone happy to believe that the earth is flat and the moon is made of green cheese – then leave them be. Your “God” made them too.
Barry Stewart
Blantyre
HERE I go again about billboards ... so to get my point across with as few words as possible, consider this: “It now seems increasingly clear the Scottish people have two clear choices before them: 1. Union with a declining imperial power, ruled by hard-right, neoliberal English nationalists or 2. Vote for Scottish independence and look to rejoin the EU, an emerging power with democratic institutions gaining in power not receding” – Clive Lewis MP, Labour Norwich South.
READ MORE: New Yes poll shows support for independence is still sky-high
I respect the fact that there are differences of opinion on the EU within the movement, but the general message is valuable. The potential of this statement to influence the minds of the undecideds and soft No voters is massive. The fact that it was made by an English Labour politician increases that potential. The response from the Britnat press and outraged Unionist politicians is proof of that. It’s a gift ... so let’s get it on a billboard!
Noirin Blackie
Haddington
HOW very EU, bless it! (Brexit: British drivers have sandwiches confiscated at Dutch border, January 11). Le petit empereur Macron and his 26 chums must be proud that European bureaucracy is alive and well.
WATCH: British drivers have sandwiches confiscated at Dutch border
The little border gauleiters must be having a field day banning British sandwiches made with Danish ham, Dutch leerdammer, Italian salami, German sausage … I’d have been tempted to stuff my banned sandwiches up their snotty noses.
Michael Horsnell
Colchester, Essex
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