The EU would welcome an independent Scotland - Readers' Letters

Christine Jardine has not been paying attention (Scotsman 18 January), as by voting for independence, Scotland can get back into the EU. Now that Sir Ed Davy has joined Sir Keir Starmer, the Lib Dems and Labour have become Brexit parties, leaving those who believe in the freedom of movement no other choice but to vote SNP.

An EU flag at the Scottish Parliament

The requirement for net public borrowing to be no more than three per cent of national income (GDP) is a reference value for EU membership, not a cast iron specification, which has been waived on several occasions.

Why should we in Scotland sacrifice food and environmental standards plus workers’ rights and human rights to the tender mercies of Boris Johnson and Jacob Rees Mogg?

Westminster has made yet another power grab of devolution by centralising the UK replacement for EU structural funds into the hands of a government we didn’t vote for. The Scottish Government previously had the powers to spend EU funds according to its priorities and the Tories are masters of pork barrel politics as evidenced by disproportionately funnelling money to swing seats ahead of the 2019 General Election and the awarding of lucrative Covid contracts without tendering to their donors with no track record in supplying the goods or services.

The pandemic didn’t stop the UK Government setting up a Union propaganda unit at taxpayers’ expense and expanding their new headquarters in Edinburgh to combat rising support for self-government.

Fraser Grant

Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh

Balanced diet

The MSP candidate for the Conservative Party Craig Ross has resigned over his comments on the users of food banks being fat and liable to diabetes (Scotsman, 16 January). He is ignorant of the way diet works.

Poor people are likely to obtain cheap foods which are high in carbohydrates, saturated fats, sugars, salt and chemical additives. These are mass produced to be attractive, easy to keep and serve. Foods that are high in protein, fibre, vitamins and trace elements tend to be more expensive and hard to bring to the table. Thus the poor become short of vital parts of their diet. But the body urges them to keeping eating in a vain attempt to make good the deficiencies. They have to persist in eating the empty calories which become deposited as adipose tissue. This is a part of the combination of factors that leads to bad health.

Experiments with omnivorous animals in wild conditions show that they instinctively adjust their diet to include all the complex of parts. All children in Scotland must be allowed to follow this natural path to a wholesome balanced diet by being provided with the whole range of foods necessary.

Iain WD Forde

Scotlandwell, Kinross-shire

Age of extremes?

On the Sunday Politics Scotland programme former First Minister Jack McConnell said Scottish politics is divided between extreme unionism and extreme nationalism.

I'd just like him to know it's not extreme unionism to be open to the concept of independence if it was promoted by a party and movement who had shown they could take over what were already fully devolved areas such as law and law enforcement,education, health and local government – aided by a wave of additional funds and politicians – and they had made a great job of it. This would have been a great platform to then say we could do more with a grown-up, costed, deliverable plan based on a Brexit-style treaty of independence.

More people would vote for it and if there was a landslide "Leave" vote most of the rest would certainly accept the result.How can that be extreme unionism?

Instead the SNP have trashed our education system, society and governance in their ludicrous fixation on indelendence. Their 2014 plan is in tatters, the array of new ones just don't stack up and cause deep divisions in the party and the country is increasingly agog at the growing evidence of internecine feuding

Who in their right mind can get behind any of that?

Allan Sutherland

Stonehaven. Aberdeenshire

Don’t delay

As confusion and deception reigns over the Brexit fall-out, former Labour First Miniser Henry McLeish is wrong to suggest postponing the May Scottish election.

Although he seems to be moving from unionist to federalist, any such postponement would seriously negate democracy and erode public confidence. However, with rising polls for independence it's obvious why Unionists should seek a postponement.

Furthermore around the world, from New Zealand to the USA, many nations have held successful elections during the global pandemic. With guidelines observed and millions voting by post along with online campaigning, a record level of votes have been recorded.

Since any Westminster government will never contemplate losing power to federalism, independence is the only option. So Henry please join us and work positively towards an independent Scotland, as we join other small successful and happy independent European nations.

Grant Frazer

Cruachan, Newtonmore

Burns statues

As Burns Night approaches, will there be a campaign to dismantle the 60 or 70 statues worldwide commemorating his genius – more than any other non-religious figure apart from Columbus and Queen Victoria?

Like Scotland’s Makar, Jackie Kay, I’m sure many of us would hope that, had Burns gone to Jamaica as a plantation overseer, he would soon have returned after seeing its reality.

John Birkett

Horseleys Park, St Andrews

No contest

Nicola Sturgeon recently said that she welcomed competition between Scotland and England in the roll-out of the coronavirus vaccine.

However, it seems that the race may now be over with England on course to vaccinate those over 70 while Scotland is struggling to give the jag to people over 80.

Health professionals in Scotland have blamed patchy vaccine supplies and bureaucratic red tape hampering efforts to recruit more badly needed vaccinators.

It speaks volumes that the Scottish Government has been forced to ask the British army for help, suggesting a lack of proper planning and expertise in getting the operation to run smoothly.

Perhaps the SNP should have considered a "vaccination taskforce” aimed at saving lives and the NHS before announcing an “independence taskforce”. It shows where the party's priorities lie.

Bob MacDougall

Oxhill, Kippen, Stirlingshire

Football catch

Was Nicola Sturgeon a sportsperson in a previous life?

Footballers and athletes often talk of giving 110 per cent. This can be the only explanation why the First Minister can declare she is totally focused on dealing with the pandemic while also creating an independence taskforce.

Jane Lax

Aberlour, Moray

Be prepared

Gill Turner (Letters, January 16) misrepresents my views. In no way am I critical of health professionals, who receive my total and grateful support. On the contrary, I was in complete sympathy with health professionals who received an email from the Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership warning of a "couple more weeks of frustration" due to a delay in setting up a national booking system entailing mass vaccination centres would not be operational until 15 February – the issue not addressed by Ms Turner. Government failings such as this and not alleged "carping" from the likes of me will surely be "dispiriting" for health professionals.

Ms Turner notes "mass centres without supplies of vaccine are pointless". Really! Is that not the very essence of the meaning of the word "proactive" –preparing in advance for a known or likely eventuality? Mass centres without a booking system, however, may well be pointless.

Is the vaccine system "working and ramping up quite quickly"? Jeane Freeman was reported on 13 January to have stated that 365,000 doses had been received. Ms Turner tells us that as of 14 January 208,207 people had been vaccinated.

I sincerely hope the mistakes made with testing are not repeated and that this government does not approach the vaccination programme with one arm tied behind its back.

Colin Hamilton

Braid Hlls Avenue, Edinburgh

Green team

In spite of the media focus on either Covid or Brexit the major problem for Scots over the next decade is the implementation of the COP26 recommendations. As the revised Growth Report indicates a generation of austerity after independence, it is up to Greta supporters to campaign for a Green Revolution to take precedence over IndyRef2.

Surely then time for Green and Scottish Labour voters to agree that they will jointly push policies at Holyrood which are designed to save the planet over decades of low-growth austerity.

For example, the cost of renewable energy is too expensive for those on the average wage hence the bill must be transferred to the taxpayer. The First Minister has failed to implement this policy so surely a Green/Labour pact could enact this at Holyrood especially as energy, free at the point of use, would eliminate fuel poverty in Scotland.

Again, the Economic Secretary has failed to demonstrate how a £150 billion Green Revolution debt can be repaid. By agreeing to retain the UK grid until the COP26 recommendations are all in place then English consumers will pay 92 per cent of the bill, leaving Scottish taxpayers with a reduced debt of only £12bn – surely a win-win policy for both the Greens and Labour.

Ian Moir

Queen Street, Castle Douglas