Now is definitely not the time for Scotland to get behind Brexit

Securing a Yes vote, after insulting the common sense of some 65% of the population of Scotland, would indeed be doomed to failure.

As the easy bit of these Brexit negotiations is relentlessly dragged out to a conclusion by the UK Government, it is hard to see how the main part of the negotiations, ie the so-called frictionless trade deal, will be any less fraught, or take much less than five years.

READ MORE: Jim Sillars: ‘SNP should back deal to get referenda and more tax powers’

Now is definitely not the time to get behind Brexit. What is required is for the Scottish Government to rapidly enhance the ties between the EU and Scotland, in respect of health insurance and mutual acceptance of standards and food origin status etc.

What must also be progressed is a continued relationship with the EU’s Interreg programmes. These will be massively disrupted, especially as the UK removes itself from the several regional Interreg areas which overlap the UK. These Interreg projects typically include four different EU nations, within Interreg areas such as NWE (North West Europe), but there are other overlapping areas that currently include Scotland.

For the avoidance of doubt, taking part in an Interreg project is collaborative – typically including government agencies, practitioners, and academia – and can provide the technical impetus for EU-wide approaches to various common problems, such as flooding risk. It is not a treaty joining EU nations under a common flag within one national boundary, as the mainstream media would have their readers believe.

Should the UK Government be successful in either gaining a five-year transition period (probably in bits) or an extended Article 50 period covering four years (probably in bits), then Scotland probably requires the European Court of Justice to be arbiter on the frictionless trade agreements between Scotland and rUK. Whether by claim of right, or Article 30, or whatever, the reforming of ties between Scotland/EU, rUK/EU, and Scotland/rUK need to progress in parallel.

Now is indeed the time for indyref2, but crucially within an EU context.

Stephen Tingle
Greater Glasgow

SO Jim Sillars wants the SNP to trade in its opposition to Brexit for the price of a promise of maybe, possibly, sometime, more powers for Holyrood.

Firstly I think we all know how much promises, and even vows, from Westminster are worth. Secondly I suspect the people of Scotland, especially the many not predicted to benefit from full English Brexit or even May’s dirty deal, would not thank the SNP for its collaboration with the English Tory party.

The promise of more tax-raising powers for Holyrood would be little consolation to those getting their P45 as a result of May’s deal. I think we would all welcome the transfer of further powers to Holyrood, but not at any cost.

Brian Lawson
Paisley

READING Mr Sillars’s views in yesterday’s National, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Even assuming the SNP leadership agreed with his tactics, I think it risible in the extreme to think they would work.

In the first place, anyone with even a passing knowledge of Westminster politics of the last few decades would know that any promises extracted are worth squat. And secondly, even should Mrs May concede the SNP’s points, she is not long for this world and whoever her successor should turn out to be, they will not feel bound to make good on any of her promises.

Whether we like it or not, there is no point pursuing any more avenues in Westminster. It is time to focus completely in navigating our way out of the UK. Nothing else will go towards ensuring Scotland has the better future.

As I move around the Highlands from my home on Skye, I see very tangible evidence of the benefits of European membership. The EU isn’t perfect and is in great need of reform in some areas. But one thing I am completely sure of is that there will be no help to keep us growing from the UK. It will be the Clearances all over again, with only those too vulnerable to move left to live in the UK’s favourite theme park.

Mr Sillars once had a strong reputation within the independence movement and it’s about time he remembered which side he’s on.

Kris Murray Browne
via email

WATCHING Kirstene Hair MP on TV on Monday night I was reminded, once again, of her gross dereliction of duty.

We live in a supposedly representative democracy, where we elect MPs to Westminster to represent our views in Parliament. In an ideal world, MPs should seek their constituents’ views before every vote in the house. Obviously this is impractical in every sense, so we rely on (I almost said trust there!) our MPs to exercise their best judgment in the interests of their constituents.

In the case of Brexit, however, there is no need for them to exercise judgement. Brexit is only happening because there was a referendum, where Ms Hair’s constituents clearly expressed the view that they wished to remain in the EU. She seems intent on ignoring this.

We have seen the 10 DUP MPs extract £1 billion from the government for their province and possibly an important role in any future trade talks between the UK and the EU. What additional benefits have the 13 Tory MPs won for Scotland by their support of the government? Precisely nothing.

Perhaps they should be reminded that they are sent to Westminster to represent their constituents and not the Tory party.

I hope that when the next UK elections occur, if we are still unfortunate enough to be in this infernal Union, that voters will remember how their wishes were ignored by these individuals and punish them at the ballot box.

John Henderson
Linross