Johnson has spent all of his time in office distorting the truth

Income tax and corporation tax cuts have both failed to make it.

Boris has spent all his time in office distorting the truth. He claimed that every cut in corporation tax has resulted in greater revenue, but in recent years this has not been the case. He claimed the Scottish NHS is so inefficient that control must be returned to Westminster, even though, in every measure, it is in fact more efficient.

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He lied to the British public on his “Brexit battle bus” about our contribution to the EU and he lied to the Queen about his reasons for closing down parliament, both matters of public record. A court of law proved these offences, but one judge said “we expect politicians to lie”. Well, no. I expect them to tell the truth.

How come he is still more than 10% in front of Labour in the opinion polls? Do we really want to elect a known cheat and liar to rule the UK? It seems so.

Pete Rowberry
Duns

THE Conservative party have pledged to raise the threshold for paying National Insurance from the current £8,362 to £12,500. The new threshold would be introduced gradually, with the saving to workers rising to about £460 per year.

This might seem like a boon to the low-paid, but one has to consider the cost to the Treasury of such a cut. The Institute For Fiscal Studies has calculated that this measure would cost at least £2 billion.

And where would the lost revenue be recouped? No doubt in cuts to public services, which hurt the low-paid first and worst.

The Scottish Socialist Party is not fooled by such chicanery on the part of a party which has systematically attacked the working class. We are convinced the best way to help low-paid workers is to pay them more.

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That is why the SSP continues to campaign for a “Living Wage” of at least £10 per hour and an end to zero-hour contracts, replacing these with minimum 16-hours contracts.

It is an obvious truth that the more money the workers earn the more they spend, thus increasing the money going into the Treasury which allows for more spending on public services, not less. A virtuous circle.

Working people value their schools and hospitals, not to mention their local amenities, and recognise they need to be paid for from taxation.

Workers want and deserve to pay their own way and contribute to

the collective good. The way to empower them to do this is not by cutting taxes, but by paying them a living wage.

Michael Davidson
Edinburgh

I SPENT the morning of the General Election in 2017 helping to “get out the vote.” It rained continuously all over Scotland and it made me very despondent. I knew that it would discourage some of the Scottish independence supporters. I do not think there was enough consideration of the effect of the bad weather on that day.

For a variety of reasons, bad weather has more of an adverse effect on the turnout on non-Conservative voters. A big factor is that the latter have more to lose so they are more motivated to make the effort.

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Now we are faced with a winter vote on December 12. I hope it will be a bright sunny day. The Tories are fighting for their survival.

So is Scotland, but many of us do not realise that. I add my voiceto all who have been adamant that we must make the trip to the polling station.

Victor Moncrieff
Lanark

ALL your correspondents who in past weeks have denounced the phrase “once in a generation” as some sort of Unionist/Westminster-inspired fib should perhaps revisit the White Paper, Scotland’s Future.

This document was published by the Scottish Government on November 2013, and summarises the issues and sets out questions and answers relating to an independent Scotland.

Question 557: “If Scotland votes NO, will there be another referendum on independence at a later date?”

Answer: “The Edinburgh Agreement states that a referendum must be held by the end of 2014. There is no arrangement in place for another referendum on independence. It is the view of the current Scottish Government that a referendum is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.”

Surely it would be more honest for nationalists of all hues to accept this statement and to concede the change in policy? Most politicians often change their minds over issues in the course of their lifetime and let us not forget, the SNP dramatically changed their position over membership of Nato some years back.

D Duncan
Kingussie

I NOTE that the Brexit Party “contract” proposes conditions on future referenda. People will be allowed to call a referendum subject to a five million threshold of registered voters. Thus Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland could never muster the number to even have a vote, and only English votes could ever trigger a referendum.

Whilst some may say the Brexit Party will not attain power, it is clear that what the Brexit Party suggests today, the Conservative party will adopt tomorrow.

Kerr Walker
Alford