Snooty response

Published on 21/10/2012 19:17

The most memorable part of Alex Salmond’s keynote speech to the SNP conference at the weekend was his claim that Scotland is being run by Lord Snootys who dismiss policemen as plebs and don’t like paying train fares.

It was a vintage performance and it would be churlish to point out that he already has responsibility for policing in Scotland and transport is also largely devolved.

Even though he was an 
undergraduate in the most 
public-school of residences at the University of St Andrews, he apparently does not see himself as a Lord Snooty. No mention was made of surveys that find that views on independence depend enormously on its perceived economic impact and conditions clearly do not favour “Scotland alone”. Nor did he mention the fact that European Union members such as Spain have their own separatist nightmares and will veto the entry of Scotland just as they have done Kosovo.

When it comes to currency, the EU is unlikely to allow yet another dodgy statelet into its embattled eurozone. Starting a new currency is out of the question, so that leaves sterling and a Bank of England straitjacket, which makes “independence” seem hardly worth the effort.

Many feel he lost out to David Cameron, who traded the unimportant timing, wording and teenage vote to block a third choice of staying in the UK with greater featherbedding.

Dr John Cameron

Howard Place,
St Andrews, Fife

I WAS quite amused about Alex Salmond asking: “Why on earth do we allow this bunch of incompetent Lord Snootys to be in positions of authority over our country?” He should remember that the UK parliament does not have a monopoly on arrogance, smugness and incompetence.

Bob MacDougall

Kippen

Stirlingshire