Let’s not give scare stories too much attention

I’m sure there will be some readers – or simply people who see the newspaper headline while passing a newsagents – who will think there must be some truth in the story for it to merit such denunciation. Maybe it would have been better to keep the story inside the paper or to have an alternative headline highlighting that Scotland’s NHS is much better prepared to deal with a health issue like coronavirus than any other part of the UK.

READ MORE: SNP MPs reject claims coronavirus weakens case for independence

I think its important we look at the language we use when we tackle the indy scare stories. My SNP branch (Paisley Tannahill) had an excellent training session on Reframing the Argument – maybe more independence supporters should look into this.

Cllr Kenny MacLaren
Paisley

AGAINST the growing restrictions of the coronavirus I, along with the majority of Scots, am saddened and angry about losing EU citizenship and the right of people to freely travel, work and study in one of the largest and most stable trading partnerships in the world. Scotland is indeed out of the EU, against the wish of its people, and this by a Tory government it did not vote for and has not voted for in 60 years.

Where is the unity in this UK “family of nations” when the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments rejected the Brexit Withdrawal Bill? In this “union of equals” or the PM’s “awesome foursome”, Brexit has happened with out the consent or consultation of these political institutions. Also with Boris Johnson’s “one-nation Conservatives” it seems that one nation is England. Indeed Brexit Britain is now England !

Brexit will not only harm the UK economy but also those of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, resulting in these devolved administrations having more in common with each other than with Westminster. In such “changed circumstances”, the Unionist mantra “not in a generation” is null and void and indyref 2 must go ahead. An independent Scotland can make its own decisions on Europe and the world.

Grant Frazer
Newtonmore

I CLAIM no economic expertise, but wish to comment on points in Michael Fry’s article from the experience of a fairly long life (I’d put money on capitalism solving the coronavirus crisis. Here’s why..., March 10).

He claims that war “devours life and property” but “stimulates production”. Indeed, these statements may be true, but it is patently untrue that “in the long run, all of us get richer”.

I lived through the Second World War and rationing, and I know that the increased production required by war produced great profits, but that went into the pockets of the few owners of the production facilities, who afterwards stashed their money in tax havens rather than passing any of it to their workforce.

By contrast, those at the bottom of society provided the cannon fodder and, if they were fortunate enough to survive, especially if they had been wounded, came home to unemployment and pittance wages, as the need for war work ended, and to a life far removed from the fabled “land fit for heroes”.

Few if any of them ever got richer. Instead many became homeless, on the streets, begging, seeking oblivion in drink or drugs, and went to an early grave.

Others thought themselves lucky to have any work at all, however poor the pay.

Michael Fry ignores, or does not realise, the fact that the poor do not have “a long run” to wait for better things. If you can’t feed yourself today, or next week, or next month, it is no consolation that you might be richer in two, five or perhaps ten years’ time.

P Davidson
Falkirk

A SCOTLAND-Northern Ireland fixed link is topical, with Her Majesty’s Government’s emerging preference for a tunnel over bridge. In fact there is room for both.

There is potential for a road bridge between Campbeltown and Mull of Kintyre. This will link Northern Ireland with the Scottish interior.

And of course we need the rail tunnel between Belfast and Galloway. Such a proposition would allow for a high-speed “Scottish HS3” between Belfast and Glasgow/Edinburgh.

The scheme would also necessitate the reinstatement of the much missed Stranraer/Portpatrick-Dumfries line to enable direct access of freight by rail between Belfast and likes of London – and continental Europe via Channel Tunnel. The great ports of Belfast and Larne would also be linked to the rail tunnel.

Such a scheme would allow for a major transfer of freight from road to rail. In addition such infrastructure would make the UK more attractive to inward investment and business.

John Barstow
via email