Media don't seem interested in grilling political Houdini Anas Sarwar

Of course this disappearance comes as no surprise to those outside of his sycophantic entourage or to those who are not politically naive. Whenever awkward questions have arisen for Labour’s branch office manager in Scotland, such as over the UK Government’s abolition of the Winter Fuel Payment for those not in receipt of benefits or over the affront of the UK Government continuing to supply weapons to Israel, Anas Sarwar is nowhere to be found.

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In truth, many in the Scottish media do not appear interested in posing hard questions to our political Houdini even on the occasions he miraculously appears when there is an opportunity to seek political mileage out of any event that can be conveyed, rightly or wrongly, as a failing of the Scottish Government. Hopefully the Scottish public will see through the deception and realise that Anas’s goal of becoming First Minister is not about progressing the lives of the people of Scotland, but – like his previous counterpart in the Tory party, Douglas Ross – it is primarily about advancing his own political career.

Before the General Election Mr Sarwar was complicit in the conspiracy of silence around the “black hole” in the UK’s finances advised by the IFS, and Keir’s puppet would not speak up for Scotland even if sufficient numbers were temporarily deceived to misguidedly place their trust in him at the next Scottish Election.

Stan Grodynski
Longniddry, East Lothian

SINCE the 2014 independence referendum Westminster has repeatedly refused to respect pro-indy mandates, over a number of elections to both Holyrood and Westminster, denying all Section 30 requests.

It occurs to me that participation of pro-indy MPs at Westminster lends respectability to what is essentially a charade by the Unionist parties that suggest the Scottish voice has agency, is heard, and is respected at a UK level. It is clearly not. Repeated mandates for a referendum have been dismissed and now the Unionists are getting busy neutering the devolution settlement too.

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The strength of support for independence polled in 2014, and confirmed time and time again since, has sent a shockwave through the UK establishment that will never again give the Scottish people the opportunity to vote for independence, and certainly not while there is any chance of a Yes. In my view the UK state is at the beginning of a long-term project to put the indy genie back in the lamp, and by any means possible.

Where does the indy cause go from here? We recognise that Scottish representation at Westminster is a fig leaf to justify UK dominion over the Scottish nation. At the next General Election we stand candidates in all Scottish constituencies on the electorate’s understanding that, if elected, will not take seats. We participate only at Holyrood, in power or in opposition; the only parliament we recognise. The time to play nicey nicey with our overlords must end. We must recognise that those we fight against are playing for keeps. So must we.

Name and address supplied

I FOUND myself laughing at your article “Independence ‘no longer a prospect’ so SNP voters can back Tories, MSP claims” (Aug 22).

The idea of SNP voters backing the Conservatives is certainly stretching the imagination somewhat, but then Murdo Fraser may just be rather delusional. Mr Fraser knows fine well that most Scottish nationalists recognise the damage the Conservatives have done to Scotland over many, many years and are very unlikely to switch to the Conservatives at the recent election.

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But perhaps this call from Mr Fraser needs to be examined in context, and I would like to take him back some years to when he himself was worried about the survival of the Scottish Conservatives. His solution to this crisis in his party was to propose the Scottish Conservatives go it alone, become independent and separate from the UK party. Considering the current state of the Conservatives at Westminster, is Mr Fraser considering rekindling his proposal?

Catriona C Clark
Falkirk

FIRST Minister John Swinney has rightly praised the work done to bring 19 Afghani women to finish their medical degrees in Scotland. The Taliban and their assorted Islamic allies have turned back the clock in that troubled land to ensure these women had no chance of completing their education in what is now a medieval society.

Sadly they leave behind millions of other women and girls condemned to a life of poverty and virtual slavery. Girl children are regularly sold into marriage in order to raise a little money to help feed the remaining members of the family. In, for example, Iran, women have been killed by so-called modesty police for failure to cover their hair.

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Apparently John Swinney then went on to hold a virtual meeting with Husam Zomlot, the head of the Palestinian Mission to the UK, and discussed the Scottish Government’s “support for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the humanitarian crisis, and the safe return of all hostages”. No doubt the subject of Gaza, Palestine and the like will be raised at the forthcoming SNP conference.

I do often wonder what this “free” Palestinian state will look like and what its borders might be. Will its young girls and women be able to become doctors? Will they be able to vote freely? Perhaps these are questions Mr Swinney could pose to Mr Zomlot the next time they speak.

Sandra West
Dundee