WAS Margaret Irvine’s contribution yesterday serious or is it meant to promote debate (Letters, October 17)?

The EU indeed is far from perfect. I have concerns among other things about the influence of the world’s financial powers over some of it, but it is an entirely voluntary association. All member states of it retain full sovereignty and can leave if they wish. Its founding principal is non-interference in the internal affairs of member states (which partly explains though does not effectively excuse its failings over Spain’s behaviour).

All proposed legislation is put to all members for amendment or rejection and then put to the EU Parliament for support. There is also a limited veto option. All EU legislation presently operating in the UK has been agreed by the UK. Only around 6% of law in the UK is of EU origin, very little of it concerning our domestic laws.

We do not send our taxation to the EU (though of course Scotland sends ours to Westminster, which then decides how much of it we actually get back after they have deducted our share of “national” expenditure, ie Trident, invading the Middle East, the House of Lords etc).

The EU has removed trade borders and also allows our people to travel, train, be educated, live and work all across Europe. It allows hundreds of thousands of skilled and trained Europeans to come here and support our struggling services.

The only control we as Scots have as members of the UK are those powers currently grudgingly conceded to us in a “devolution is power retained” straightjacket allowing our parliament less than 20% control of our taxation powers.

We have no power whatsoever over defence or foreign affairs – the biggest reasons in my opinion why we have to get out of the floundering UK and live freely and in cooperation with our friends and neighbours across the continent.

David McEwan Hill
Argyll

MARGARET Irvine would rather be part of the UK Government where we have at least some control rather than be within the EU and just another cog in a big wheel.

Events since 2014 and the Vow it shows we have no control. The power grab by Westminster after the Brexit vote shows that power can be taken away by Westminster.

The UK Union is an incorporating Union. That in effect means we are in a Great England, not a GB.

Members of the EU have full national representation at the top through the Council of Ministers, where the chair is taken in turn by each member. The UK at Westminster does it even have that mechanism. Also member states have the power of veto in Brussels. Do Scots have that power at Westminster if legislation is not in Scotland’s interest?

The fundamental difference is this: in the UK we do not have the right to leave without Westminster’s permission. Any state can leave the EU by invoking Article 50.

Scotland has no power at Westminster, no veto, no guarantees that even devolution or the Scottish Parliament is permanent. Westminster can dissolve the Scottish Parliament at any time against the wishes of all Scottish MPs.

At present, Scotland is not even a cog in a big wheel at Westminster.

John Edgar
Kilmaurs

BEING a 77-year-old retired EU official, I would like to correct the conclusion Margaret Irvine arrived at in her interesting letter. In her final paragraph she stated: “Given the choice I think I would rather be part of the UK Government, where at least we have some control, than within the EU where we, if we are honest, have none.”

I would have thought that the experience of the last two years or so has provided sufficient evidence that neither our loyal and excellent MPs at Westminster nor the efforts of our diligent and strong First Minister and her government have any impact whatsoever on the UK Government. The sheer incompetence and arrogance of the British government, not to mention the character defects of both members of the government party as well as those in the opposition, lead me to the conclusion that these are the last thing any normal civilised person would wish to be associated with.

If an independent Scotland were a member of the EU, the FM would be a member of the Council of Ministers made up of heads of state and Prime Ministers. The ministers in the Scottish Government would be members of the Council of Ministers for their specific responsibility (finance, agriculture, fishing etc). There would also be an ambassador to the EU and a commissioner in the European Commission, not to mention that the number of MEPs would be increased.

Unlike in Westminster where there is very little opportunity to make alliances, it is much easier in Europe to find like-minded allies among the other 27 member states. Finally Scotland would have a seat at the high table and finally be free of the diktats of Westminster.

Hugh McLean
Newton Mearns

I’M reading the online version of The National in bed, and I have to say that the 75-year-old lady Margaret Irvine has just ruined this 75-year-old gentleman’s day.

How many people do not realise that we have no voice in the EU precisely because we have no voice in the UK?

Rather remain in the UK than be in the EU? Talk about cutting off your nose. Stop reading the Unionist press!

Jim Clark
Scone