LIKE many other Sunday morning TV viewers, I watched Richard Tice’s interuptive performance on the Laura Kuenssberg show. Reading the follow-up in Monday’s National I picked up on the Tice opinion concerning British culture being made the poorer through immigration.
He is totally wrong on two counts.
Firstly, the UK has been accepting migration from other countries since the 1960s to my knowledge and maybe before that decade. The influence of migrants from the West Indies was beginning in my young life after leaving school in 1958. Future years saw immigration from other parts of the world, from as far as China, the Middle East and African countries, to mention just a few.
READ MORE: BBC viewers fume over Richard Tice's appearance on Laura Kuenssberg
To say that the UK (Britain) was being spoiled culturally was definitely out of order. I can only presume that Richard Tice was referring to some unknown notion of the existence of a British culture.
Which brings me to my second point. Surely Tice must be aware that Britain, or the UK as I prefer, is made up of four very different nations, three of which are probably much older than England. In particular Scotland. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are all Celtic nations with strong cultural personalities. England is not (obviously) a Celtic nation.
We all have a very much different culture to that of England. In addition, two of the aforementioned Celtic countries, Scotland and Wales, have a national dress in addition to our ancient languages.
The isolation of Scotland, in particular before 1707, meant the Scottish way of life, via its clanship peculiarities, was very different from that seen anywhere in England. England, since Cromwell, was ruled by a parliament. Scotland wasn’t, at least not the same direct way as that of Westminster (please read up on “Salvo” to understand that fact).
READ MORE: Scottish trade unionist clashes with Richard Tice on Laura Kuenssberg show
Richard Tice is typical of the Conservative and Tory government attitude towards Scotland which has been maintained since the 1707 Union of the English and Scottish parliaments. Much, I should add, to the detriment of Scotland in that the Union was designed to maintain England as the superior nation.
England has no culture in my view, having spent most of my life living there. There is no national dress, no language (English has become an international language). Sure, there are cultural variations depending on where in England you live, but nothing the same as the “national culture” by which Scotland has maintained its identity for a millennia.
Alan Magnus-Bennett
Fife
IMMIGRATION is the big issue at the moment, based on the UK net immigration figures released last week of 750,000, well above plan.
This is a UK statistic which does not break down where the immigrants are going within our broken Britain.
A summary quoted advises that Scotland has a net reduction in working-age population, creating a long-term ageing problem for Scotland, as now integrated in the UK.
READ MORE: Nigel Farage says immigration to blame for potholes
I fully understand that England is concerned about immigration; being the head of a colonial empire it was ever thus – ask the Romans.
As the empire has collapsed, those in countries that have ties to England (aka Britain) will always migrate to their emotional, financial, societal home. It may also be war/religious prejudice/gender/pressure over political views driving the migration.
Several “tropes” emerge in discussions – we need to stop them because they will overrun services, like health, education and social care. They are on benefits and a drag on our economy.
READ MORE: Robert Jenrick says asylum seekers are 'breaking into our country'
Generally, migrants, when they can gain employment, are just as good contributors to our society as existing Scots. Being on benefits is a status which is conferred on them by UK Government policy. Migrants who are asylum seekers are NOT permitted to work, until their asylum status is sorted.
Canada has a different immigration model, where each dominion can offer settled status to migrants in specific areas. To control drift to other dominions, migrants are identified as only having employment or benefits or health care within that dominion.
Scotland can operate this model now, which would relieve some of the pressure experienced in southern England.
Just a suggestion.
Alistair Ballantyne
Angus
WELL done Charlie boy. God save the creep who wouldn’t know how to squeeze a tube of toothpaste but knows how to squeeze the estates of those who die intestate (King directly and privately profiting from people’s deaths, Nov 24). Most wealthy folks know how keep their assets safe from the tax man. Just keep piling it up, ensuring the gap between rich and poor will steadily widen. The odd spare half a million goes in donations to the Tory party, guarantees mansions remain in good repair.
Tax collectors and those at the bottom must know their place. No leaks in the Balmoral roof or any from the royal tax accounts, if you don’t mind.
High time to raise the Nordic legacy in our Scottish character. No more bending the knee; leave that to sycophants south of the Border. A taxation system which ensures the final estate of those often hard-working people who’ve put a little together for their family on a rainy day doesn’t help keep an imperial Union Jack flying from Westminster.
An independent Scotland will do, minus a parasitic monarchy.
Iain R Thomson
Strathglass
I SEE the BBC are saying that they cut the Gaza ceasefire call at the Scottish Baftas “to hit the programme’s run time”. I recall a quote saying never apportion malice if you can apportion stupidity. Perhaps the BBC could let us know if this was just a stupid decision or a political one and not treat us like idiots.
Professor Alan Boyter
Strachur, Argyll
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