Boris Johnson has an easy option to avoid SNP-Labour deal

So much for the Precious Union of equals, but what it reveals is that there is overblown, undemocratic English influence on Scottish policy – or EVEL, aka English Votes for Everyone’s Laws, in the UK Parliament.

Scots voted to remain in the EU, and the English-dominatedHouse of Commons still determines more than 70-80% of spending in Scotland.

There is an obvious outcome to solve that dilemma for Johnson to the satisfaction of all, namely independence for Scotland and England from the UK. That would be a painless solution, like the Velvet Revolution in the former Czechoslovakia where the two nations amicably agreed to separate.

It needs to be repeated that we are not seeking hegemony over England, simply to exercise our Claim of Right to independence as there is a majority of Scottish MPs and MSPs on a manifesto for independence elected on previous elections after the Vow was brushed aside.

As we still elect MPs to Westminster and it looks like the majority elected this time will be MPs on a pro-independence ticket, then all is needed is an amicable end to the 1707 Treaty of Union.

As the majority of English Tories would give up the Union to attain Brexit, then why is Johnson hesitating? South of the Tweed there is a view that England subsidises Scots.

It is vital that we here develop policies as an independent state to alleviate the adverse effects of the incorporating Union of 1707. Westminster has had responsibility for macro economic and fiscal policy in the the UK since 1707 and it has failed Scotland’s needs. The commanding heights of all policy must return to Edinburgh where we can turn it around to meet our own needs with governments we elect without interference from south of the Tweed. The Unionist parties here are shrivelling further as Scots increasingly see them as irrelevant, mere relics of a Westminster parliamentary system unfit for purpose. Labour in Scotland on its banners proclaiming erroneously “Scottish Labour” has inserted the English rose as its mblem. Clueless to say the least!

So let’s get it done finally in Scotland!
John Edgar
Kilmaurs

PLAYING catch-up is apparently what Scotland is condemned to if we are to abide by the too-much publicised wishes of mainstream UK politicians with the enlightened exceptions of the Greens, Plaid Cymru and perhaps a few others, but all of these of course little publicised. However, as the school report might say, Scotland can do better than this. As Andy Anderson from Saltcoats wrote in his National letter on Thursday, the Skye Bridge toll protesters such as him didn’t surrender, some like him were imprisoned, but now crossing the bridge is free. Likewise Scotland will be free and be the “nation again” it once was before it too was jailed by the chicanery of the English parliament and its bribed Scottish parliamentarians at the time of the Union. The chicanery has continued, as has the bribery, as has the defiance of the nation that is forever Scotland and will be forever Scotland.

Three factors prompted me to write this letter on Thursday: 1. Mr Anderson’s letter; 2. Watching France v Moldova on TV in a Euro football qualifier and how the Moldovan players from the recently small independent country firstly led 1-0 before finally losing 2-1 to a penalty goal; 3. Outgoing EU chief Donald Tusk telling British EU Remainers not to give up in trying to stop Brexit (and would you believe it, being blasted by Leavers for interfering in the British election – yes, those who have been silent during the several occasions when US president Donald Trump has praised leading Brexiteers Farage and Johnson!).

Alba gu brath, as it goes in Gaelic.
Ian Johnstone
Peterhead

WE all know the reasons why the LibDems, Tories and Labour don’t want a second independence referendum and will do their best to ensure that no Section 30 agreement will be signed off. Every election bribe from LibDems, Tories and Labour rely on Scotland’s resources bankrolling them. Whether it’s extra investment in HS2, more funding for the English NHS or more money for infrastructure, it will come from borrowing based on Scotland’s assets.

The UK’s credit rating has yet again been decreased and borrowing will become more expensive so no UK Government can afford to let Scotland walk away with our own assets. No North Sea oil revenue would mean election bribes being unfilled, no tax from whisky and other Scottish produce would mean less money for all the promises currently being made by Swinson, Johnson and Corbyn.

This election is our chance to say enough is enough; why should our voice be silenced so that our country can be asset stripped? We can’t afford to remain within the UK anymore, let’s push for as many SNP wins as possible and let the London-led parties know that they don’t represent Scotland.
Cllr Kenny MacLaren
Paisley

SCOTLANDSHIRE should know its place and keep quiet about such things as independence. There are those who know so much better what is good for us. The prime minister Boris Johnson on his short, very short visit to Scotlandshire has intimated that he would “never allow another referendum”. Well, there you are, “we’ve been telt”.

Mr Jeremy Corbyn was in Scotlandshire wearing a tartan scarf – this proves that he likes us and we should appreciate this. He seemed somewhat confused about which box he wants to put us in, at the moment he has settled on “not in the first few years” though this could be subject to change.

I have saved Ms Swinson till last. This woman became leader of the LibDems and now thinks she is the leader of the free world. Her arrogance is astounding and at times she appears to speak in tongues as I have difficulty working out her accent. If she becomes prime minister (her words) she would revoke Article 50, not even hold a People’s Vote, but is adamant that Scotlandshire should not have a second referendum. Ms Swinson’s constituency in Scotlandshire is East Dunbartonshire.

Can someone who loses their seat in an election still be the leader of their party? Just sayin.
Hector Maclean
Glasgow

MANY of us familiar with the problems of our salmon feedlot industry, as featured in last week’s Sunday National, are inclined to blame Sepa, the government agency responsible for the control of its environmental impact. Disease and water quality problems such as harmful algal blooms are claimed to have caused the enormous stock losses.

Although these phenomena are closely related, governments have chosen to place disease and harmful bloom issues under the control of Marine Scotland, which is responsible for forming policies governing the promotion and development of the industry. Current policy is to double the size of the industry.

SEPA consents the open state discharge of salmon feed and effluent along with the many thousands of tonnes of pesticides and therapeutants required to minimise stock losses. Marine Scotland attempts to regulate and control disease, claiming that the harmful algal blooms which kill fish and contaminate shellfish are a natural phenomenon. Elsewhere in the world it has long been understood that the effluent from intensive carnivorous fish culture causes such blooms. SEPA defer to Marine Scotland on this issue.

Surely SEPA should have control of the harmful algal bloom problems, which are also affected by the pesticides and therapeutants? Water quality is a SEPA responsibility. For too long Marine Scotland as political promoters of the industry have failed to take proper account of the damage salmon feedlots cause to water quality by denying cause and effect in order to protect and promote an unsustainable industry.
Allan W Berry
Blairgowrie

WE were blessed with a visit from the leader of the Labour Party last week. He came to the National Mining Museum and Dalkeith followed by a meeting at McEwan Hall in the evening – where the SNP kindly lit up the outside of the building to help him find his way.

As one of Ian Murray’s constituents in Edinburgh South I was curious to see an absence of any mention of these events on my ex-MPs social media feeds. Indeed I can’t spot Ian Murray in any of the pictures of the events. I know Murray and Corbyn don’t get on but you would think Ian would turn up and force a grin during an election campaign.

The bigger question that is bothering me, and perhaps National readers can help out with, is whether Corbyn actually drove through the safest Labour seat in Scotland yesterday or whether he took a detour around it?
Roger Hyam
via email

READERS will doubtless be aware of the recent controversy which followed the heckling of the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in Glasgow by a Church of Scotland minister, the Rev Richard Cameron.

It quickly came to public attention that Rev Cameron has used Twitter to air many extreme and prejudiced views, including homophobic comments and inferences that the Church of Scotland’s recent more accommodating stance towards same-sex relationships is akin to Christian collaboration with fascism.

Rev Cameron has since been suspended by the Kirk while an investigation takes place into his online behaviour. He has also been sacked as chaplain by Scotstoun Primary School.

This case has clear similarities with the episode last year in which the then Catholic chaplain at Glasgow Caledonian University, Mark Morris, was dismissed following a public outcry about his views about Glasgow Pride.

The employment of such persons within the education sector must be questioned. Why are chaplains needed? And what vetting procedures are in place to prevent such eccentric personalities gaining access to schools and to university campuses? And how have they again failed so badly?
Dr Charlie Lynch
Glasgow