Olympics won’t influence referendum

Published on 07/08/2012 00:00

It is deeply disappointing to note those who have sought to make political capital out of the success of Team GB at the London Olympics.

The independence debate has another two years to run, and for those in favour of it, independence will lead to greater economic growth, the ability to tackle social deprivation and the removal of Trident from our shores.

The notion that people will somehow make a judgment on independence based on how many gold, silver and bronze medals could be achieved at an Olympics Games is patent nonsense.

This week Jamaica celebrates 50 years of independence from the UK, and one wonders if Usain Bolt and his colleagues would surrender that precious independence and become part of the 
British Empire again so it could be part of a bigger 
entity in order to deliver more medals.

The independence referendum will take place in autumn 2014 and it would be great if we could put the politics momentarily to the side and enjoy the fantastic sport.

Alex Orr

Leamington Terrace

Edinburgh

The stunning successes of Team GB in the London 
Olympic Games should give the SNP and its scheme to destroy the United Kingdom some serious cause for concern. What has been achieved by these athletes on behalf of Great Britain is little short of marvellous.

The sound of the chant “Team GB… Team GB” thundering round the various arenas lifts the spirit and sends the senses racing with sheer national pride and patriotism, and that is something that Alex Salmond and his inward-looking petty nationalism could never hope to emulate.

The sight of the Scottish athletes proudly wearing the Union flag should make this very clear. We live in what is possibly the finest and most resourceful country in the world and even to contemplate destroying that is an act of wanton vandalism on an unbelievable scale.

The old adage of “united we stand, divided we fall” has never been so clearly demonstrated and I am immensely proud to be both Scottish and British.

Brian Allan

Keith Street

Kincardine-on-Forth

Persuasive oratory and sound argument are prime characteristics of capable politicians: small wonder, then, that Scottish Tories are widely derided by the electorate when served by such specimens as MEP Struan Stevenson and MSP Murdo Fraser (your report, 6 August).

It’s bad enough to attach such importance to a sporting competition in connection with the independence issue, but for Stevenson to suggest that Salmond would be anything other than proudly delighted to see Murray on the podium as a representative of the British team is crass in the extreme.

Fraser exceeds him in 
political pygmy performance, however, with his emotional hyperbole of Nationalists wanting to “destroy” Team GB. I seriously doubt whether the national 
Olympic choice figures at all in plans for independence; team composition would just alter naturally as a result.

Typically, he labels Nationalists as “narrow-minded”, which he no doubt uses in the political sense of having views opposed to his own.

The word actually means “intolerant”, “bigoted” and “prejudiced”; all of which I see in the two of them with regard to Scottish independence.

Incidentally, I believe I noticed an English gold medallist receiving his reward without honouring the 
national anthem.

Robert Dow

Ormiston Road

Tranent, East Lothian

What greater vindication of the combined talents of the sportsmen and sportswomen of the UK can there be than the Team GB results so far in the London 2012 Olympics?

The team clearly demonstrate that Scots, English, Welsh and Northern Irish are, per capita, overwhelmingly ahead of the rest of the world in sporting terms.

For such a small country, we pack a punch well above our weight.

In industrial terms, the UK is showing signs that our independent currency and expanding world trade vision are also beginning to reap rewards.

The more we can develop trade with the world beyond the EU and free ourselves from its influence, the better.

This is a lesson which underlines how strong we are together. The results of recent opinion polls show that the people of Scotland realise this. It will be a struggle, especially when the forces of navel-gazing Nationalism are ranged against us, but things are definitely looking up.

Andrew HN Gray

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh

What a great ambassador for Scotland and Britain! Forgetting his previous disappointments, Andy Murray chose the right moment and right place to prove he can beat the tennis “greats”.

His Olympic gold at Wimbledon and the manner in which he destroyed Roger 
Federer were superb. Andy and his fellow athletes in Team GB have proved that Britain still has some of the best sportsmen and sportswomen in the world.

They are an inspiration to the younger generation and can only encourage more young people to take up sport. Andy Murray may win or lose as he pursues his future tennis career but surely nothing can be more memorable than his Olympic gold.

Bob MacDougall

Kippen

Stirlingshire

I never cease to be amazed at the ease with which 
royalty, politicians and 
celebrities can obtain tickets to top sporting events such as the Olympics and Wimbledon, while the ordinary man in the street is reduced to joining lengthy queues, or spending hours on the internet, in an often futile attempt to obtain tickets.

Keddie Law

Lunan Avenue

Montrose

In answer to Mr Suddon (Letters, 4 August) asking why medal winners are announced first in French, French is the official language of the International Olympic Committee (based in Lausanne) so everything both written and spoken comes in French first.

(Dr) George Mieras

Oxgangs Road

Edinburgh

While most of the Olympic medal winners have displayed great enthusiasm when interviewed after their success, Andy Murray, having just won two excellent medals in quick succession, seemed rather more reserved during his interview. Was he baptised by the Rev I M Jolly?

Bruce D Skivington

Strath

Gairloch, Wester Ross