THREE weeks ago I flew into the wonderfully idiosyncratic airport of Basel. It serves the city of Basel in Switzerland, it is located in France, but I was going to Germany. It’s a fantastic example of how our tiny continent has moved on since 1946.
Unlike where these nationalist Brexiteers want us to return to.
The next day I met a friend from the Confederation to travel for a week. Other than see The Red Hot Chilli Pipers near Bodensee (aka Lake Constance), our plans were weather-related only.
READ MORE: Fly EU flag alongside Scottish Saltires, says EU expert
Fortunately, the weather was kind and visibility great to allow s to see three countries each morning. I doubted my sight as I could not see the frontiers. I mentioned this to my friend, and she replied with a bit of satire, “Aye, it’s Schengen, it cleared that away many years ago. Mind and pick up your passport afore we leave.”
She had no such worries about carrying such a document. She can travel from Nordkapp to Naples without one; just a wee driving licence ID card.
At the end of the week as we were saying cheerio, she said: “If I come to Scotland next year I will need a passport. I never renewed after travelling to Asia, South America etc a few years ago. So to come Scotland I will have to get another. I think that costs around 120 Swiss francs (£100)”.
READ MORE: Jackson Carlaw would campaign for Brexit again in people's vote
Now, how many folk from the EU and entitled travel areas have no passports and will never come to Scotland due to that Brexit tax?
Shame on the Brexit lunatics, but mind there are serious dark forces behind them.
I left my pal and crossed the Rhein over an ancient bridge separating a town, Laufenburg, part Swiss, part German. The “border” is noted by flower pots.
These would-be-fascists of Brexit should heed the beautiful words of Dick Gaughan:
Let the love of our land’s sacred rights
To the love of our people succeed
Let friendship and honour unite
And flourish on both sides the Tweed.
Unfortunately, only those in power one side of the Tweed respect this.
Oh, and last week I was participating in two Scottish evenings for 150 German folk celebrating Scotland.
The host has been based in Scotland for 15 years. He will leave if he has to fill in a form. No wonder, from being equal to second-class.
Bryan Clark
Maybole
I UNDERSTAND that the reason the BBC allowed Boris Johnson to be interviewed by Andrew Marr without committing to examination by Andrew Neil was to enable him as Prime Minister to comment on the tragic events at London Bridge. I watched it and found it repulsive.
Rather than express the sorrow expected from a national leader, Johnson engaged in an ill-informed bombastic political diatribe which was quite at odds with the ideals of the two dedicated young people who had been murdered.
Every question led to further repetitive nonsense until Marr had to point out that the irrelevant ramblings were for the purpose of preventing further questions.
The pathetic answer, “I’ve only been in power for 120 days,” sat ill with his role in a decade of government and his disastrous record as Foreign Secretary.
What hypocrisy, what arrogance. What fundamental disregard for the feelings running high across our four nations. Above all, what contempt for the families and friends of the victims.
This man is not fit for any public office, let alone the one he temporarily holds.
KM Campbell
Doune
TSB has announced plans to close 17 of its 82 outlets in Scotland by the end of next year (TSB to close 17 Scots branches, November 29). The bank claims that, even after
the closures, 65% of its customers will still live within four miles of a branch. Presumably that branch is on a tree.
The banks are at present hell-bent on thrusting a cashless society upon us. The problem is that when the UK does go cashless our entire financial system will be in the hands of a handful of credit and debit card companies – and these are private companies. They currently have the legal power to refuse a person a card or to rescind an existing card – both without giving reasons – both of which instruments they have executed. The government should issue its own cards (via the Post Office) to ensure that when we do go cashless the nation’s legal tender is the in hands of its citizens.
Doug Clark
Currie, Midlothian
GREAT article in Seven Days by Stuart Cosgrove (The BBC is failing on impartiality at a fragile time in its own history, December 1). It perfectly sums up what many have been feeling for years, that the BBC are now an arm of government. Time for a boycott I think!
Cameron M Fraser
Bannockburn
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