I HAVE been critical of the SNP government for their failure to address the issue of a Scottish currency, and their failure to consider Graeme McCormick’s important views of land reform and the significance of that to fiscal policy in Scotland.

However, I have the highest respect for the way the SNP MPs have dealt with the Gaza genocide situation in Westminster. By taking up a principled position on this major international issue, they have served Scotland and the independence cause well.

In responding to the SNP’s persistence on this issue, the Labour Party leadership and the House of Commons Speaker have been exposed for the corrupt institutions they are.

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They did manage, by undermining their own Westminster constitution, to prevent the SNP from putting their motion through Westminster, but their victory was futile. Within a short period of time the UK Government was forced to support the essence of SNP policy, by voting for a ceasefire resolution at the UN in front of an international audience and in contradiction of their previous policy on Gaza. The UK Government had to scramble to get in line with SNP policy on this issue in front of other members of the UN Security Council while their puppet-master, the US, abstained.

In real international terms this was a major step forward for the SNP. The SNP MPs must keep the pressure up on Westminster, particularly on the arms issue. Since, to no-one’s surprise, Israel has ignored the UN and the International Court of Justice and is continuing to commit genocide in Gaza, the SNP must press the UK Government to follow up its vote at the UN by insisting that no country should sell arms, or indeed trade with Israel, while what country is continuing to ignore the UN and to commit genocide.

This is a policy which is also likely to gain international support, and which will present the UK Government, and the Labour Party leadership, with further political difficulties because of their funding links, and absence of any moral principles.

Andy Anderson
Ardrossan

I WATCHED with a tinge of sadness the recently produced SNP video in celebration of the party’s 90th birthday. Some six seconds into the video a well-known black-and-white image of an SNP conference appeared. This photograph shows all of those who attended the SNP conference in 1956 at the Allan Water Hotel, Bridge of Allan. There were only around 30 brave souls. I had the pleasure of meeting some of them in the 1970s. I came to count one of them as a close friend. I dread to think what these political pioneers would think of the current situation in Scotland.

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The video also contained a brief image of Margo McDonald. In 1999 she was elected to the Scottish Parliament, representing the SNP for the Lothians. She was disciplined in 2000 for missing a parliamentary vote. In 2002, she was ranked fifth on the SNP list for Lothians, effectively ending her chances of being re-elected as an SNP MSP. In response, there was a spate of resignations from the party and she decided to instead stand as an independent. For this she was expelled from the SNP on January 28 2003. Thankfully she was re-elected as an independent MSP at the 2003 Scottish Parliament election, and again in 2007 and 2011.

For the SNP to use her image in their birthday video leaves me speechless.

John Baird
Largs

AS a supporter of independence for the past decade (yes – a newbie) I am actively horrified that a small number of people still feel that the break-away Salmond cult is anything to do with the future of an independent Scotland.

This was a party that welcomed a candidate who was an anti-vaxxer and had racist views against travellers and appalling views regarding homeless people. Alex Arthur referred to homeless people as “pigs”.

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Then there is Salmond’s cosiness with Putin’s pennies.

Salmond was publicly deplored by all parties when he refused to give up his Russian Today programme even after the Salisbury poisonings and was only separated from his doynaya korova (cash cow) after pressure following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The programme Salmond hosted along with Ms Tasmina any-party-that-will-have-me Ahmed-Sheikh was shunned by politicians of all hues.

The idea that Alba is a party interested in Scotland’s future is so mad it cannot be ignored. Alba is not a “wing” of the indy movement. An Alba Scotland would alienate anyone who cares about fairness, decency, international credibility, minorities, loyalty and public standards. ALBA is simply the Alex Loves Being Alex party and is nothing to do with what is good for the rest of us.

In this SNP 90th anniversary year it’s the time to put the country before individuals and lift the independence movement above the corrosive actions of a poisoned ego.

Clearing Alba out at both a local and national level will leave the independence movement free to deal with the neo-colonialism of The Tories and the cowardice and uselessness of Labour, heal divisions, restore Scotland’s reputation and in good time, re-join Europe along with Ireland and Wales.

So – lets’ crack on…

Amanda Baker
Edinburgh

SO glad to see that Angus Robertson, our External Affairs Secretary, had his statutory minder from the UK Government chaperoning him during the Tartan Day parade in New York.

I so hope Angus didn’t actually dare to talk about Scotland while he was there, or he may get a wee rap on the knuckles from our unelected, ermine-clad Foreign Secretary. Personally I’d rather wear tartan!!!

Jenny Pearson
Edinburgh