I HAVE bought the National almost every day since it began. Over that time, I have been impressed with your front page headlines. One that springs to mind was the recent “LIAR LIAR” with Pinocchio’s nose continuing on the next two pages.
However, on Saturday I was disappointed. While I agree with all you say about being a republic, the most important thing to me is to get as many Yes votes as possible in the referendum. We must succeed.
READ MORE: It's time for us to move towards a Scottish republic
I think there are a lot of votes to be had from disillusioned Tory pensioners. I have two friends in particular who vote Tory and enjoyed all the Jubilee celebrations. Since Boris Johnson’s parties, they have been speaking to me and seriously considering the advantages of independence. Now with your headline I feel I will be back to square one if they see The National. I’ll be hiding it instead of proudly showing it to anyone interested.
Ann Leitch
via email
FOR most of the four days of the English Jubilee celebrations I succeeded in avoiding most of the publicity and news bulletins. Occasionally, however, I fell into some items extolling the virtues of the Queen and her assorted hangers-on.
What intrigues me is that I saw several interviews praising her by people wearing shirts, dresses, bow ties, peculiar headgear and sundry other items of dress emblazoned with the Union flag. They all seemed to utter a series of platitudes such as the ubiquitous “amazing”, “unbelievable”, “marvellous” and so on.
READ MORE: Royalists riled by The National's Platinum Jubilee front-page
What I find hard to comprehend is how such a group of people can end up sounding and looking like escapees from a convocation of village idiots.
There’s nae feel like a royalist feel.
Colin Mowat
Laurencekirk
WITH regards to your front page on Saturday, just why exactly are you pushing an agenda which is contrary to the SNP’s long debated and settled policy? Are you seeking to cause yet more problems for the First Minister? Or just cause splits in the SNP in general?
I do begin to wonder if your newspaper really does support an independent Scotland or if you’re simply agents provocateurs acting for the Unionist side, as has been suggested by others.
READ MORE: Labour now the 'party of patriotism', not Tories, argues shadow minister Lucy Powell
My great grandfather worked at Covilles (Dalzell), my grandfather at Ravenscraig and my late uncle at Clydesdale, so you will understand that my commitment to Scottish independence is a very long-standing one. However, I am not a republican and, for all their faults, I’d rather see Mrs Windsor (whose mother was a Scot, after all) as our head of state than have our fingers burnt by President Salmond.
My late father, who voted Yes in 2014 and was at school with Margo MacDonald, always pointed out that the monarch is important for the simple fact that it has power which it does not and will not use. Could the same be said for a political president? If we have a non-executive president, then what is the point in doing away with the current system?
I had hoped that The National was a bit more mature than indulging in the sort of statements normally reserved to the sixth-year common room/student digs, but I begin to think I may be wrong.
Andrew Haddow
Glasgow
I WOULD like to thank each and every person involved in the creation of Saturday’s blockbuster edition of The National. No matter what your contribution, however big or little your role in its production, every single one of you can be proud of what you have together achieved.
I’m still gobsmacked at the breadth and depth of its contents and trust that the the National Library of Scotland will, with haste, be acquiring its copy.
Jennifer Rodger
West Kilbride
SO there we have it, the “royal” BBC have underlined their complete lack of neutrality with regard to Scotland’s view of the monarchy. We have heard for days how fortunate we are that the Queen loves coming to Scotland and how grateful we should be for that.
Yes, reigning for 70 years is a remarkable achievement and she should be congratulated for that. But the blanket BBC coverage is too much.
Should Her Majesty not honour the BBC with one of her “By appointment to the Queen” blue plaques? Furthermore, are all the presenters of Jubilee programmes not worthy of recognition with MBEs, OBEs and knighthoods at the New Years Honours for their services in promoting the monarchy?
(Prof) John Watson
Alford, Aberdeenshire
I COULDN’T help but notice the beacon lit on Friday for the Jubilee had the insignia E II R. This does not apply in Scotland as we have never had a Queen Elizabeth I. Elizabeth Windsor, therefore, is Elizabeth I in Scotland.
READ MORE: Sky News erases Scottish history with false monarchy claim
I wonder how long we will have to put up with this constant undermining of our own national identity and history.
Anne Campbell
Edinburgh
ON the question of monarchy or president, may I suggest another alternative? The leader of the governing party is to be the head of state. The position of president will be ad hoc. Should there be a major sports event then Andy Murray would be “President Murray” for the duration of the event, any literary event would be overseen by “President Val McDermid”, the duties of office being to host the event and welcome the visitors.
We have many suitable persons capable of home support and international respect to meet the role. We could even have two or three presidents at the same time should the need arise.
M Ross
Aviemore
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