KARL Rosie is absolutely right about the “incoherence” of the SNP independence strategy (SNP councillor quits party over ‘incoherent independence strategy’, thenational.scot, Feb 14).
From the report about his resignation, I discovered his understanding of the plan was different from mine. We are both members of the SNP and yet one of us, if not both, is not clear about the strategy going forward, even this close to an election. What chance do the rest of the electorate have?
Starmer’s “green” strategy (or what remains of it) relies heavily on Scotland’s energy resources. So he’s not up for a change. Meanwhile, the latest iteration of a Tory PM could cut and run at any time, as his miserable tenure declines daily and California beckons.
Given uncertainty about an election date, which could result in it happening with only a few weeks’ notice, is the SNP plan to clarify the strategy and sell it to the electorate within a three-to-four-week period prior to the election? It can’t be. Surely?
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You can hear the counter narrative now. “The separatist SNP are only interested in independence but we’re focused on the cost of living crisis ... and the rest.”
Get the finger out, SNP. Leave no voter in Scotland in doubt about what a vote for the SNP will mean in terms of a specific independence mandate and then take on the Unionist parties on the key policy concerns and how independence will impact them, safe in the knowledge that the independence strategy is baked in and clearly understood by everyone.
Get the strategy clarified now and then no-one can argue that the Scottish electorate were unclear about the consequences of their SNP vote. Absolutely no-one. Not even your own members.
I Easton
Glasgow
GLASGOW should rightly be proud to host the World Athletics Indoor Championships next month, bringing together more than 130 countries. Athletes from two countries, Russia and Belarus, will be missing.
While the International Olympic Committee now allows athletes from these countries to compete as neutrals, president Sebastian Coe has remained resolute in maintaining a complete ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes taking part in World Athletics competitions. In an interview, Lord Coe told Inside the Games that: “Athletics will not be on the wrong side of history.”
It is therefore to be expected that the same strict and ethical standard is applied to athletes competing under the Israeli flag.
Given the atrocities carried out by Israel on civilians in Palestine, the contravention of the genocide and Geneva conventions and the blatant disregard and disrespect for the International Court of Justice ruling, then surely Israel must be disallowed from taking part? Otherwise, World Athletics will most definitely be on the wrong side of history.
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Glasgow City Council (GCC) has said that it has “strategy and actions aligned to the World Athletics social responsibility programme: Athletics for a Better World”.
If it is sincere about this, then I would urge GCC to do whatever it takes to ensure World Athletics shows consistency in its approach, and that the country of Israel is not represented at these games.
In terms of World Athletics’s aims towards inclusion, it must be acknowledged that Palestinian athletes are significantly disadvantaged, from training and health facilities destroyed and deprivation of basic needs through to high risk of severe and lifelong injury and death itself (more than 80 sportsmen and women have already been killed). This does not seem to me to support equality and inclusion.
Ella Wilson
Lanark
WHAT a dreadful party political broadcast by Labour (supposedly Scottish Labour but there is no “Scottish” Labour – it’s all about Westminster).
They used innuendo to imply that our FM’s evidence at the pandemic inquiry was suspect. They then went on to suggest our former FM, who was visibly upset giving her evidence, was being patronising. Both of these people were on our screens/radios daily – updating us, answering questions and leading by example – and what they get from supposed parliamentary colleagues is disrespect and personal abuse.
Take a long look in the mirror, Mr Starmer and Mr Sarwar! Shame on you.
All you hear and see from these desperate Unionist branch offices is vile vindictiveness. What a poor example for anyone considering a career in public service.
Folks in Scotland, the Tories and Labour offer us nothing, as to them we are just another region of the UK. Look at the shelves in your supermarkets – it’s all Union Jacks and British logos. Scottish produce and our Saltires are being airbrushed out of our own country.
Scotland is our country and we can take our own decisions co-operatively – by ourselves and for ourselves. Don’t waste your vote on more Unionist tripe that will not improve our lives. We in our own independent country could do so much better.
Jan Ferrie
South Ayrshire
HOW deluded is David Cameron? Does he really think if he contacts the US and tells it to do something, it will even bat an eyelid, never mind commit to billions of dollars in extra spending on foreign aid?
The UK Government may run around like the US’s little lapdog and follow on blindly when the US starts its latest war, but the US doesn’t respect or appreciate any of it.
Don’t believe me? Well, why won’t it even give the UK a trade deal? It’s because it sees the UK as a wee non-entity of an island with absolutely no credibility in the world anymore and shakes its head at the complete and downright stupidity of England’s leaders breaking away from the largest trade bloc on earth, making them even more insignificant in the eyes of the US.
Scotland cannot break away a moment too soon.
Iain K
Dunoon
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