IN response to Dave McEwan Hill’s letter (March 15), I have said it a number of times before: if we want to be an independent nation again, then we must start to act like one. That means stop trying to defend ourselves against silly Unionist propaganda.

When defending against an adversary, you do not move your – or in this instance, our – case forward. More often than not, you go backwards. Some of the points that the Unionist faction are repeatedly raising have been clearly answered on numerous occasions prior to the referendum in 2014 and every time independence raises its head since. However, we keep on defending our position and answering them politely. The Unionist faction are like a spoilt little child throwing a tantrum knowing they are going to get an ice-cream for doing so. When they get sent to the naughty corner and don’t get any treats, they soon change their attitude. What we need to do is start sending them to the naughty corner.

If we are going to achieve our aim of regaining our independence again, then we need to progress the case for independence. On that front, we need to make the Unionists defend their position – which on many points are indefensible – such as the “subsidy” they keep telling us we get from England. No country subsidises another for 315 years without some return!

We need to be telling them that it is us who is subsidising the Union: we have to pay for the House of Lords, which is unelected of course. It is the only unelected body in the world other than Lesotho where hereditary clan chiefs make the laws of the country. It is the only legislative body in the world other than Iran where the clergy have power to make the laws of the land. It’s bigger than the Russian Duma and the Duma isn’t winning any friends these past couple of weeks for its imperialist outlook. More than 50% of those in the House of Lords are millionaires or billionaires, which makes it an oligarchy state we are living in – and not one of them wants Scottish independence, yet 50% of the Scottish electorate want it.

Then there are all the projects that are for England only like HS1 and HS2 or Crossrail, which we are subsidising. The Americans of course coined a phrase when wanting independence from Westminster: “No tax without representation!” Well, it’s about time we got our fair representation.
Alexander Potts
Kilmarnock

SIX days ago, I was reminded my ESTA – or Electronic System for Travel Authorisation – for travelling to the United States was due to expire in the first week of April, and rather than defer the issue until then, promptly accessed the “official” online portal for renewal. Strictly valid for two years, it cannot be extended, but for the princely sum of 14 dollars, a fresh and comprehensively detailed form must be submitted for consideration to a branch of Homeland Security who hopefully issue replacement authorisation.

Following the elapse of three hours, I downloaded and printed the visa-waiving document with the usual “have a nice trip. Welcome to the United States” in bold script at the lower end of the first page. An essential part of the Visa Waiver Program(me), it allows travel to the United States, but formalities or strictures at point of entry are of course still maintained.

Why could Imperialist Britain not provide a similar relatively easy routine for tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees which would at the very least allow for unhindered rapid access to a safe environment? Their immigrant status rights would begin some time after arrival.
Roderick MacSween
Stornoway

AT a time when a country led by a ruthless autocratic criminal is attacking Ukraine, it is somehow totally unsurprising that the amoral wretch who masquerades as the UK Prime Minister should plan a grovelling visit to Saudi Arabia regarding exports of oil and gas.

The fact that this particular country has one of the worst human rights records on the planet and is led by a brutal and psychopathic dictator will not deter Boris

Johnson one bit from his economic crusade to maintain the political, economic and social status quo in Britain. He will acknowledge no hypocrisy in pushing for closer and cosier ties with a government that has just carried out 81 executions in a single day and whose leader has continued to indiscriminately bomb the Yemeni people for seven years, killing hundreds of thousands and impoverishing millions. As the UK Government provides a great deal of the arms sales and weapons expertise to enable

the Saudis to carry out their appalling atrocities, it is very revealing to note the comments made by Health Secretary Sajid

Javid about Johnson’s proposed meeting with Mohammed bin Salman and the comments he recently made about the attacks on Ukraine by Putin.

The National: File photo dated 08/02/22 of Health Secretary Sajid Javid who has pledged to recruit 15,000 new health workers by the end of March as the Government warned the NHS waiting list in England will not start to fall for another two years and could even double

Javid said: “These are appalling atrocities being committed on innocent civilians … they are war crimes and Putin will be held responsible.” This is absolutely correct and no unbiased individual could disagree with this sentiment. However, it is clear that he does not consider the heinous, long-term crimes against humanity perpetrated by the Saudis and their leader and aided and abetted by his own government to be of a similar nature.

Apparently without any conscience or hint of irony, he stated: “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with the Saudi government … we don’t

agree with their approach on human rights – at the same time, it is also possible to have an economic relationship.”

Mr Javid provides a succinct summary of the priorities and breath-taking duplicity of this Tory government. It would appear that war crimes can only be determined as such when the UK and her allies are not complicit in them.
Owen Kelly
Stirling