Learning to drive. Fostering children. Writing a novel, for goodness’ sake! If only our former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had been such a profound multi-tasker while in office, what successes might there have been for Scotland? We should feel dismayed at the loss of such incredible potential. I feel guilty on a personal level for not being sufficiently supportive. Mea culpa. Paul Marsden, Lockerbie, Dumfries and Galloway.
Let’s Make Scotland Normal Again!! Help us do more videos like this!! CLICK BELOW!!
Scottish Independence isn’t over. Polling puts it, consistently (and stubbornly), at the mid-40% mark. In other words, the future of your nation is still well within the margin of error.
Scotland Matters reached almost 40,000 people last month, through our website, newsletters/briefs and YouTube Channel.
We can only do this thanks to you. We have been expanding non-stop since 2019 and now possess more active platforms than any other pro-UK group; all on a shoestring budget.
Please help us to keep doing this and even expand. Consider a donation to our crowdfunder. Every penny goes to producing material that stops Scottish secession and the SNP.
ADAM Tomkins reminds us of another unnecessary and costly visit to the Supreme Court which unsurprisingly confirmed what had been accepted previously between Holyrood and Westminster, namely that there can be no Indyref2 without Westminster’s consent. Not unreasonably, it is obvious that that will only be given if Westminster is satisfied that the demand for such a referendum had become the settled will of the Scottish people. Possibly that could be established sometime in the future, for example after consistent and substantial majority polling in favour, but clearly that doesn’t exist at present. Having regard to all this and the limits of Holyrood activity, how does the First Minister justify this creation of a toothless Minister for Independence, supported by a large team of civil servants taken off other more useful work? Also, has he exceeded his authority in creating these costly posts which appear to concern only matters reserved to Westminster unless and until it consents to transferring them to Holyrood? Alan Fitzpatrick, Dunlop.
I totally agree with Allan Sutherland when he says your average litter lout is not going to hunt out a recycling point simply to get his 201) back (Letters, 31 May). The people who normally throw bottles at their feet, or out of the car window, will continue to do so regardless. The main impact of the deposit return scheme will be to make it more difficult for the majority of ordinary people, who will now have to go and look for these recycling points rather than put the bottles in the bin outside their house. However, the thought has occurred to me that perhaps this has nothing to do with reducing litter at all. If comfortable, middle-class people were to forego their recycling money and allow local children to collect the bottles and return them, like we used to do in days of yore, it could have a massive impact in reducing levels of child poverty in Scotland. So, if recycling points could be made available locally around all poorer housing schemes, just encourage people to throw their bottles out into the street, and we can redistribute wealth in a meaningful and more local manner. In a properly joined-up process, of course, local authorities would also reduce their council tax if they were no longer picking up. Small children would get more exercise, and perhaps learn a bit about enterprise too. What’s not to like? Perhaps ScotGov should just come at this problem from another angle, and public support for it might increase. Victor Clements, Aberfeldy, Perthshire.
Sir, – I am amused, and unapologetic, to be described by Herbert Petrie (Letters, May 29) as one of those who is “beyond shame perpetuating the false claim Scotland is dependent on and kept afloat by Westminster’s benevolence’: The difference between us is that he is a fantasist, whereas I live in the real world. How does he explain his SNP government’s own GERS figures last year which clearly state that Scotland’s expenditure was 30% higher than Scotland’s tax income – a deficit of £24bn? Who made up that shortfall, Mr Petrie? The SNP are deliberately disingenuous about the economics of secession. They know that since the 2014 referendum the UK national debt has almost doubled, caused by Brexit, Covid and the Ukraine war. In the event of separation Scotland would be legally responsible for its share of the debt, a figure of £250billion. Add to that starting point the doubling of public sector costs to do all that is currently done for us by the rest of the UK, the loss of Barnett Formula income, the flight south of capital and hi-tech private sector companies, the cost of new armed forces, embassies and consulates around the world and much, much more. With advice, I costed the above and presented the figures, along with the actual Scottish tax income for 2022, to international financiers. I asked if they would lend to an independent Scotland. The figures were so far outside their lending parameters it was risible. Without borrowing, no economy can function. Perhaps our new minister for independence could do the same exercise and show us the result – but don’t hold your breath! Dr Richard Marsh, Strathdon.
Watch out, Nicola: Scotland’s COVID inquiry wants ministers’ WhatsApps too...