I NOTED correspondence within The National last week which expressed criticism and disapproval of Michael Russell’s article, “When Indy going gets tough, don’t run away” (July 15).
In his article Russell stated his disagreement with the decision taken by Angus MacNeil MP to remove himself from the SNP whip at Westminster and also his attack on the ability of his fellow party members. As an active member of the SNP for the past 38 years I can genuinely say that I totally agreed with the sentiments expressed by Michael Russell about the matter and that I share his very deep disappointment with regard to the recent behaviour and actions of Angus MacNeil MP.
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I do not know if any of the correspondents who criticised Michael Russell are SNP members. I would, however, ask them if they actually consider that the actions of Angus MacNeil during the past few weeks have in any way helped to advance the cause or case for Scottish independence?
MacNeil accused his SNP colleagues of being “clueless” as far as independence is concerned. On June 24 the SNP held a convention in Dundee where the sole subject under discussion was how the party could best progress its case for independence. The convention was attended by several of the party’s MPs, who took to the podium to express their opinions on what our strategy should be and the way forward for the party.
There was, however, one notable absentee from the convention podium and that was Angus MacNeil MP. Having last week read Mr MacNeil’s criticism of his fellow SNP members, I had to ask myself why did he not attend the convention and share his ideas on the best way to progress the case for achieving independence with the rest of us – especially if he considers that they are so much better than those of his colleagues?
READ MORE: Is it one rule for Angus MacNeil and another for everybody else?
Many of us inside the SNP are extremely frustrated by the lack of progress on achieving a democratic path towards independence. As a long-term Scottish football fan, however, I have on very many occasions stood beside fellow supporters on the terraces becoming extremely frustrated by my team’s performance. Over the years I learned that jeering and booing from the sidelines never helped the team to achieve the result we wanted and, indeed, only provided comfort and encouragement to our opponents.
I do not know if Angus MacNeil is a football fan, but if he is he might recognise the analogy. In a far more erudite way, I think that was the point Michael Russell put across to readers of The National last week in his article.
Jim Finlayson
Banchory
AS a common or garden member of the SNP I had always admired the perspicacity of Angus Brendan MacNeil MP. Perhaps as an islander he is more aware than most of the importance of taking advantage of the right tides and observing the timing of wind and weather, whether at sea or in human affairs.
I am sorry he has been “put to the whip” by the SNP in Westminster. It is understandable that in a political party there is sometimes (as Edinburgh schoolchildren say) a “hevtae”, but a whip?
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What is a whip anyway? When was it first introduced into Westminster party politics? Do we at Holyrood have to copy everything practised in Westminster? The party political practice of the whip is the nearest thing we have to Lenin’s controlling mantra of “political correctness", and we know where that leads.
One expects the conservative parties to protect small businesses, one expects the socialist parties to look after the rights of workers, one expects the SNP to try to work towards Scottish independence. Somehow in the storm of politics there has to be reasonable debate, respect for law and order, and recognition of matters of conscience. This last is the most important, but does the whip recognise this?
In the year in which Winnie Ewing lost her seat in Westminster and Donnie Stewart from the Western Isles gained his solitary seat for the SNP there, I remember congratulating him. He replied laughing: “I am just a toe in the door.” But his was a very good toe, and the door remained open.
It would be a pity if his excellent successor, Angus MacNeil, were not to be re-elected on account of the whip.
Lesley J Findlay
Fort Augustus
AGREE with sentiments regarding isles being missed off maps – it’s been going on for many a long time. A while ago, I and many others put pressure on the BBC to be more accurate in showing the weather map, as it portrayed the UK from France upwards thereby making Scotland look the size of Wales. Due respect to them, they changed it to a much more accurate size.
READ MORE: BBC insists ‘no inaccuracy’ in UK map without Orkney and Shetland
The worst by far at projecting the weather maps is ITV/STV. Again it shows the UK from France upwards, which demeans the size of Scotland and exaggerates the size of England. All this may appear insignificant to some. All I would say is that if they looked at the UK from, say, Iceland downwards, our English friends would be up in arms.
D Gill
via email
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