Claim that Brexit can be made to work reeks of naive political folly

Of course many of us knew Brexit wouldn’t work. The pitfalls were hiding in plain sight.

Experience has proved it hasn’t worked. The British economy is indeed languishing in the sidings as predicted. The difficulties over economic slowdown, exporting, absence of meaningful trade deals, lack of growth and staffing problems in the public sector and wider economy are testament to the self-inflicted folly of Brexit perpetrated by our hapless Tory government that has long since lost its way as it slides further into the politically corrupt cesspit of its own making.

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Given the quality of current blue and prospective red Tory government there is scant prospect of Brexit ever “working”, at least not in any reasonable timescale, or of the costly economic damage inflicted by it ever being recouped.

Isn’t it clear that without even a hair’s breadth of difference between the blue and red Tory parties, much-needed change and a reboot of the economy and living standards for the many is not going to happen?

The forthcoming elections put Scotland and Scots at the crossroads. Only a vote for indy can bring the platform for change we sorely need.

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In the face of SNP difficulties, Rutherglen, seduced by a media assault on the SNP, may err and vote for this faux Labour Party being talked up by our politically right-leaning media. But what are really important are the votes garnered for indy-supporting parties. The imperative must be for every indy supporter to cast their ballot, make their voice heard.

Isn’t that where the real message for Scotland’s future lies? Isn’t indy Scotland’s “get out of jail free” card to release the talent and potential that’s imprisoned in this UK union of faux “partners”?

Jim Taylor
Edinburgh

HUMZA Yousaf revealing that he has had discussions with some Labour and LibDem MSPs sympathetic to independence is hardly surprising, given the post-Brexit politics at Westminster.

Keir Starmer has unashamedly mobilised the Labour machine to purge dissenters and push the party to the right, chasing Tory voters. In doing so, Labour continue to undermine their Scottish contingent (Anas Sarwar and co) who know that Scottish voters can tell left from right. Scottish Labour want to speak for Scotland but must swallow and regurgitate UK policies at odds with their own.

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The Scottish LibDems are no better off. Gone are the hopeful days of Charles Kennedy’s progressive, left-of-centre party. Crashed by Nick Clegg, the party’s subsequent leaders have failed to regain any real traction. In Scotland, their main thrust continues to be “SNP bad”, although there should be common ground between the two.

With Labour and the LibDems failing to represent aspirational Scots, will there be any defections to the SNP, or are we about to see the formation of another pro-indy party? The Scottish Labour Democrats perhaps?

Kyle Arnot
Glasgow

WELL done to Humza Yousaf for bringing back a rapid rebuttal unit for the SNP to tackle the myths and distortions of BritNat politicians and supporters. However, could he not simply ask the rebuttal unit set up about five years ago by current depute leader Keith Brown to step up to the mark?

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Is this another example of Humza’s leadership: rehashing announcements that have been made in the past? Maybe it won’t be too long before he remembers the SNP was formed to obtain Scotland’s independence and maybe he’ll deliver on the no ifs, no buts referendum in October as promised by the previous party leader?

Alex Beckett
Paisley

SO Jackie Baillie’s inflated sense of entitlement extends to telling people where they can and can’t go in Scotland. Her letter to the SNP requesting that Patrick Grady be banned from campaigning in Rutherglen and Hamilton West reeks of desperation and viciousness; it is distasteful muck-stirring.

Patrick Grady behaved inappropriately in 2016, apologised and was punished in accordance with the independent parliamentary complaints process and by his party.

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Ms Baillie – proclaimed the other day by Wes Streeting as “one of the best, sharpest political minds and operators in all of these islands” – clearly does not believe in forgiveness and people being given second chances. (Nor could she help herself from taking another dig at Margaret Ferrier, someone else who has paid the price for wrongdoing.) Baillie’s recent letter shows she has no policies to promote, only an unpleasant nastiness.

Iain Black
Edinburgh

THE problems being experienced by shopping centres with misbehaving kids seem to me to be an unintended consequence of the under-22 free travel policy.

Kids are now not walking or cycling anywhere and in so doing, are undermining their own fitness. They are travelling outwith their normal confines and causing trouble in other towns and cities, in shopping centres and on the buses to and from them. They also have now started, as soon as it starts to rain, jumping on a bus and treating it like a mobile youth club till the weather turns.

It only requires a tweak to this well-intentioned policy to put a stop to this. Nine-to-five-only free bus travel on Monday to Friday and no free travel at the weekend may just be what is required to nip this growing problem in the bud.

Steve Cunningham
Aberdeen