Games show need for independence

I was very impressed with the opening celebrations for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. One of the commentators remarked that, whoever the winners were among the competitors, the real winners were the wonderful people of Glasgow.

I can only echo those sentiments and hope for a magnificently successful Games.

I was also impressed with the athletes who paraded into the arena, their faces 
aglow with the joy and pride of representing their different nations.

It is amazing to think that, not so long ago, they were all subjects of the British Empire, ruled from Westminster. Over the years, they have demanded – and won – their independence without the hullabaloo and scaremongering that accompanies Scotland’s opportunity to join them as a free nation within the Commonwealth.

Of the 71 nations competing, only Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (with the descendants of its implanted presbyterian Scots – not really a nation) are still colonies of what was imperial London rule.

I sincerely hope that the Scots will rediscover their national pride and join the competing nations as another free and independent Commonwealth nation for the next Commonwealth Games by voting Yes in September.

What does it matter if we are £500 better off or £500 worse off as members of an independent nation? What price freedom?

Hugh White

Carlisle Road

Crawford,

South Lanarkshire

While the Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony has been described as “pure dead brilliant” and was indeed a striking reminder that we are at the epicentre of such a remarkable force for good, surely with 
1 billion viewers worldwide, the subliminal message should have been that Glasgow has moved on from its 
illustrious past of Lord Kelvin and heavy engineering and is now a centre of excellence for research, development and innovation for to-morrow’s world.

I would respectfully suggest that the closing ceremony be modified accordingly before such an amazing opportunity is forever lost.

Let Glasgow flourish.

Michael Morton

Craigleith Drive

Edinburgh

I loved the opening song and dance number for 
the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. It was full of self-
deprecating good humour and contained no attempt to disguise the kitsch element in much of our cultural iconography.

Led by two gay performers and showcasing some healthy ironic sensibility, this was the best of Scotland.

Neil Barber

Saughtonhall Drive

Edinburgh

What a pity that Ian Richmond (Letters, 24 July) should write such an inaccurate assessment of the Glasgow Games in an attempt to have a dig at the Better Together campaign.

For anyone who drives in Glasgow, the restrictions on taking your own car to the Games and parking at the venues are very sensible. To not have these in place would result in gridlock probably before and definitely after the events.

This way public transport has a fighting chance of 
getting people away. (There are park and ride facilities on the edge of Glasgow which have been advertised for some time.)

It is regrettable that it 
is necessary to impose 
restrictions on what you carry into the venues and conduct bag searches, but that is where we are in this day and age.

Not to have them and then for there to be an 
incident would leave the Games’ organisers open to the most severe criticism and rightly so.

As for the Games’ Lanes, they are there to help people like myself, drivers of the Games volunteer work force, transport the athletes, their support teams and the various officials and their support staff necessary to make the Games work, across Glasgow to the various venues.

They are not there to transport “big wigs”.

The crowd on Wednesday exemplified the spirit of warmth and welcome that Glasgow buzzes with just now, as Glasgow – and indeed Scotland – showcases herself.

How appropriate that part of Wednesday night’s opening ceremony had a recording of Andy Stewart singing “Come in, come in it’s nice to see you”. The Games are indeed the “Friendly Games”.

John B Gorrie

T2 Driver

Commonwealth Games Voluntary Work Force

Craigmount Gardens

Edinburgh

Obviously you can’t please everyone but we thought the Opening Ceremony was brilliant, as did the Ausssies, 
Gibraltarians and New Zealanders beside us.

When leaving all we heard were positive comments and everyone had a smile 
on their face. Transport was no problem. We drove to 
one of the park and ride 
sites, were picked up immediately and taken to Celtic Park.

At the end we waited five minutes for the shuttle bus back to the park and ride which we left with no problems.

Well done to the transport employees.

Maureen Blair

McWilliam Place

Kinross

In the opening ceremony of the 2014 Commonwealth Games did John Barrowman really sing (about 
Scotland) that “we come from a land of heather where men wear kilts and women blather”?

How can such misogynistic lyrics be written about Scottish women and be broadcast nationally and internationally to millions?

Sam Ruston

Hackney

London