Surely the golden rule of politics or any other life situation is that when it is time to go, do it quietly with dignity and don’t linger over it. Also, do not pat yourself on the back. It is for others to judge you. In other words, have some respect for yourself. The rambling, self-indulgent “poor me” speech by Nicola Sturgeon was sickening. Dear me. All those years in politics and she has learned nothing. Dorothy Connor, Glasgow.
Nicola’s in a GRReat big hole and can’t stop digging!! Please help Scotland Matters make the hole as big as possible!!
There’s little doubt Nicola Sturgeon is on the way out but it could be months yet and we need to keep up the pressure. Scotland Matters is planning more advans, public meetings and social media advertising and ALL DONATIONS go directly to these efforts.
Now the big question is the succession. I was astonished to hear Nicola Sturgeon referring repeatedly to the wealth or talent” in her party. It is not only inveterate opponents of the SNP, like myself who find it hard to discern political or other talent in the wider SNP leadership. Keith Brown? Angus Robertson?KateForbes?John Swinney? Stephen Flynn? To ask the question is to know the answer. The stand-out SNP MSP, judging by recent performances, is Ash Regan. But her party will not forgive her principled, intelligent and articulate opposition to the Gender Recognition Reform bill. I just hope the Chinese curse, “may you live in interesting times”, isn’t too damaging for us. Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh.
Sir, – I quote part of the departing first minister of Scotland’s epilogue. “The blocking of a referendum as the accepted, constitutional route to independence is a democratic outrage”. Nicola Sturgeon’s embedded grievance rhetoric is undiminished right to the very end! The real democratic outrage, in my view, has been Nicola’s inability to accept the outcome of the last referendum, almost instantly blanking and denying the “fair and democratic” terms of the Edinburgh Agreement, of which she was both a contributor and co-signatory. We have seen nine years of concentrated political effort aimed at building support in Scotland for another referendum This was, sadly, to the exclusion of competent, attentive government. Had the SNP taken the route of demonstrating to the Scottish electorate that they were capable of good, trustworthy, democratic management, then there is a good chance many ‘No’ voters would have been swayed and a clear case for the viability and success of independence perhaps made. Instead and because of the distracting Indy obsession, there followed a catalogue of grievance, gesture politics, virtue signalling, risky industry interventions and disguised vote-buying initiatives, all launched with razzamatazz. Almost all fell very far short of demonstrating effective government. Whatever claims are made about potential majorities on `Yes’ and `No’ sides, there appears to be no significant margin for either side that is likely to deliver a decisive outcome for the people of Scotland. Therefore the unhealthy division and bitterness generated by both Nationalist and Unionist sides will, sadly, persist. The next Scottish FM needs to be a unifier, not a divider, to bring out the very best in my beloved Scotland. I live in hope! William Morgan, Midstocket, Aberdeen.
Sir – When the Conservatives changed prime minister they were criticised by many, including the SNP, for not having an election. Can we expect one in Scotland? William Ballantine Bo’ness, West Lothian.
I have been surprised, following the resignation of Nico-la Sturgeon, to see commentators concentrate on independence and the transgender issues as the main focus for assessing the success, or otherwise, of her tenure. It is undoubtedly true that Ms Sturgeon has raised the profile of Scotland and the issue of its relationship with the UK, but surely any comprehensive assessment should include the massive and expensive delays incurred over the opening of new hospitals, the protracted ferries disaster and the inordinate sums of money that have disappeared in legal challenges and expensive attempts to prop up firms in “difficulty” -assistance that only delayed collapse. James Watson, Dunbar, East Lothian.
It is surely a great relief to the majority of Scots voters that the SNP threat is in tatters. Obviously, a replacement for Nicola Sturgeon will be found but, unless that person can persuade the electorate that Scotland, as a separate country, can exist economically, industrially, and indeed in these troubled times, be secure from a defence perspective, then”independence” is merely a pipe-dream. It is obvious to all “thinking” people that a change of attitude is desperately needed at Holyrood. Unless that happens we Scots would be much better off if the governance of the UK was returned to Westminster. The concept of regional parliaments simply has not been a success. Robert I G Scott, Ceres, Fife.
Bonus Edition: Sturgeon Resignation Coverage – Notes on Nationalism