THE Labour Party swept to victory on a pledge to growth the economy, noting in their manifesto that “sustained economic growth is the only route to improving the prosperity of our country and the living standards of working people.”
A few short months later, and despite continuing to trumpet “pro-business” credentials, Sir Keir Starmer seems certain to hike National Insurance on employers in the Budget, hobbling already faltering economic growth.
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Additional burdens on business such as this slay the golden goose of economic growth, with firms stalling taking on new workers due to the increased costs of doing this and having less money to invest in their staff.
Labour have clearly reneged on their manifesto promise not to raise taxes, including National Insurance, on “working people”. Firms are run by “working people”, with nearly all UK companies being small and many family-owned, the anchors in our local economies. This proposed tax hike makes every job in our local communities more expensive to maintain.
With faltering poll ratings, the very brief Labour post-election honeymoon with its promise of “change” is well and truly over.
Alex Orr
Edinburgh
I READ with interest The National’s extensive coverage of the tragic death of Alex Salmond.
The SNP’s Pete Wishart paid tribute to the former First Minister saying: “It was with a sense of disbelief that we heard this news on Saturday afternoon, and I think we all had to double check that they were referring to the Alex Salmond that we all got to know so well,” he told the Commons.
“In 50 years he has become a colossus, a huge political figure in Scotland, and it’s almost impossible to think of Scottish politics without Alex Salmond.”
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Wishart called Salmond “a man of many talents, of many facets”.
He added: “Watching him conduct political debates and working a room was watching a political masterclass in engagement and communication.
“He was able to do this with a charm that was so effective, and it was so beguiling, that people naturally felt that they wanted to contribute and be with Alex Salmond.
“Scotland will miss Alex, we will all miss Alex in the Scottish National Party, and we’ve always got to remember that he came so close to delivering what so many people thought was almost impossible – Scotland becoming an independent nation.
“That would never have been possible without the energy, the charisma and dynamism of Alex Salmond.”
I just can’t quite square that glowing tribute with Mr Wishart’s opinion of Mr Salmond over the past few years, for example in a tweet that stated: “Got a blog on the Albas coming. 'Only Alex could give this enterprise any sense of credibility. Only Alex could ensure that it was doomed from the very start. A tired and diminished political figure wanting his ego fed with a dish of revenge, served cold.' Think you’ll like it."
I would be grateful if Mr Wishart would explain this.
Brian Lawson
Paisley
I WAS utterly disgusted by the BBC’s presentation on Monday led by Sally Magnusson and Glenn Campbell. How dare they cast up material about Alex’ s life that has no place in the report given his untimely death? But we shouldn’t be surprised given the lack of honesty and integrity peddled by this “bash Scotland” media.
We shall be an independent Scotland. Freedom.
Jane Bullock
via email
I AM a strong advocate of pro-independence parties working together, indeed I was appalled by Nicola Sturgeon’s somehow casual rejection of the foresighted, late great Alex Salmond’s suggestion to her that SNP and Alba parties cooperate in 2021 Holyrood election – so much so that I put it to her deputy John Swinney that he take up the point.
Bill Golden’s letter on Wednesday on the same issue of party cooperation suggested three questions we all need to ask ourselves. However, the forth question we need to ask ourselves and bear the consequences for the rest of our lives is: Will you ever forgive yourself for not trying?
Tom Gray
Braco
DURING the period before the Westminster election I tried to encourage the Scottish people through their elected officials to resist the Stone of Destiny being sent to Westminster for the Coronation. It was our bit of stone! I even went to Westminster and at least made a somewhat pathetic attempt to suggest that this deliberate attempt back in the 13th century to humiliate the Scots by crowning the English monarch on his chair with the symbol of Scottish sovereignty beneath seemed self-destructive.
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The fact that William Wallace was tried, tortured and killed in that area makes it even more unacceptable to me. However, the one remark I will always remember from an SNP MP when I stated my simple case was: “That’s history. We have bigger fish to fry!” All of the MPs I spoke with have lost their jobs!
Today, listening to the comparisons of Alex Salmond with Wallace and Bruce as defenders of our nation, it makes me so aware of how Alex always emphasised the connections with history which made Scotland. Perhaps in this day of artificial intelligence having a history on a piece of land might seem totally irrelevant, but on the other hand perhaps understanding our history might give us some base for what is in front of us.
Isabelle Smith
via thenational.scot
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