The latest fiasco over the Met Police force and the Sue Gray report highlights how far the UK has descended into a fascist state. We now have the clear politicisation of the police force in London, where the chief of police seems only interested in saving the Prime Minister.
I had thought the police investigation may have been a last-gasp attempt by the Met to save face as everyone expected Boris Johnson to go, but no, it now looks as if the only reason is to delay the publication of the Sue Gray report, effectively buying the Prime Minister time to save his career.
WATCH: Line of Duty cast turn tables on Cressida Dick over Partygate
No doubt, as others have mentioned, he’s rubbing his hands in glee about taking on Russia over the Ukraine in the hope that people will forget his deficiencies. If he’s managed to be responsible for the deaths of over 150,000 civilians during a pandemic, how many deaths would he be responsible for if the UK actually went to war?
How many more examples do we need of the widespread corruption within the UK before we have the confidence to take control of our own affairs and become an independence nation?
Cllr Kenny MacLaren
Paisley
MUCKIER and muckier – that is the Sue Gray investigation. The only person gaining from all this is Boris – more time to twist arms up backs.
As far as not naming those attending “events” in Downing Street and Westminster – people who were charged with breaking Covid rules were named, shamed and fined and no-one thought anything of it.
READ MORE: Alister Jack accused of being 'in hiding' over Boris Johnson's partygate
The idea of Boris meeting Putin or visiting the region fills me with horror. Could we believe a word he says about the meeting, and what could he say to anyone in the region that would be comprehensible? After all, he now calls lies “rhubarb”. His only response when questioned is to mock, either about dress, smiles or weight – he has no valid arguments left.
Every time a civil servant is sent out to change the narrative, they are made a fool of by him and by the non-functioning government we now have in place. The government, the police and the civil service have all suffered reputational damage. Heaven help us if there is another variant requiring regulation. Putin and Trump have nothing on this PM.
Winifred McCartney
Paisley
I DO think that much of the criticism, anger, confusion etc surrounding the delay in the publication of Sue Gray’s report is a wee bit harsh. After all, it can’t be easy to track down a stationer holding a stock of jotters with all of the pages fully blacked out in advance at the printing stage. Time to cut the Cabinet Office and the Met some slack, surely?
Ian Duff
Inverness
THE arrogance of Great Britain and the Westminster establishment, priding themselves that their political system is superior to others around the world. They believe that fair play and decency in public office have protected their citizens or subjects from the intolerance and corruption found in lesser countries.
Well, how the proud and mighty have fallen into the dust of complacency and failure with the unbelievable antics of this UK Tory government, led by a lying, deceitful Prime Minister.
READ MORE: Fears over top-secret papers left strewn by Boris Johnson revealed
Scotland must leave this rotten Union as soon as possible, since a snap General Election will bury us all in a rising tide of English or British nationalism, destroying the peace and harmony of Europe.
Grant Frazer
Newtonmore
ALEX Salmond should exploit some of his considerable political talents and “get a grip” of his Alba Party. With a second referendum, or a pivotal General Election, to be contested within the next couple of years, Alba, its MPs, councillors and more vocal supporters, should cease dwelling on personally perceived shortcomings of the SNP, the Scottish Government or the First Minister, and focus their energies on presenting positive arguments for independence.
Attempting to grow Alba support through denigrating recognised independence advocates is not going to help Scotland achieve self-determination, and may actually cause some recent converts to independence to question their decision-making. A party promoting self-determination without the heavy responsibilities of government, but astutely guided by its leader and determined to shatter the myth of governance from Westminster being advantageous for most people in Scotland (even in the unlikely event of a majority Labour Party government) while championing the democratic, social and economic advances that independence could precipitate, would undoubtedly help to persuade some of the many remaining undecideds to vote Yes.
READ MORE: Ian Blackford should shift focus from the PM to the Tory government's record
Of course this prospect assumes that Alex Salmond himself has an overriding commitment to Scotland’s self-determination that has enabled him to put the past behind him, including his apparent misgivings over the actions of others in facilitating “due process” in response to allegations over his personal behaviour when FM.
Doing nothing to change the direction of what appears to be an increasingly bitter flock of disaffected Labour and SNP supporters with personal gripes to air will not help to deliver a “new beginning” for Scotland but could mark the end of the road for Alba.
Stan Grodynski
Longniddry, East Lothian
“GO it alone and we’ll struggle, says ‘oil boom’ economist” – what a headline. Gavin McCrone, economist extraordinaire, has emerged out of his crypt to comment in the Sunday Times informing that Scotland would be a basket case if it embraced independence.
Isn’t there a 30-year rule to cover such information? Or are such 30-year rules only reserved for political economic intelligence of a more subtle variety?
Bob Cotton
Edinburgh
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel