Letter: Apathy to blame for 'day of disaster'

I DON'T wish to encroach on the current "love-in" between our politicians and commentators (so-called); but I suggest that last Thursday was a disaster day for Scotland.

A nationalist party, funded by big business, and boosted by widespread voter apathy, has gained power. I don't see any cause for joy in this tragic situation. After all, we've seen it all before; and nationalism (whether it be of the Scottish, British or any other variety) is a sinister and invidious doctrine.

So who is to blame for this tragic turn of events? Of course it's easy to point to juvenile and inexperienced Labour politicians who allowed themselves to be gulled by the absurd and wholly groundless "New Labour" project, foisted on the country by some of the most odious and self-serving people we ever had in public life.

And equally contemptible is the Scottish Conservative Party, which above all else was rooted in Unionism. Despite that, this bunch of unprincipled quislings propped up a minority nationalist government, when they had innumerable opportunities to bring them down.

But, most of all, our apathy was the main culprit. In round numbers, overall turnout was about 50 per cent and the Nationalists gained less than half that number of votes. Thus, our future lies in the hands of a party which is supported by only one in four voters.

By any standards, that's a scandalous situation; and all the more serious when it has allowed untrammelled power to people whose over-arching ambition is to shatter the United Kingdom.

Shame on all of us.

Jim Parker, Glenrothes