Calls for more money into the NHS budget, calls for more nurses, more doctors, more specialists, calls for more GPs. The list goes on, but one thing I am sure of, the First Minister and the Scottish Government are fully aware of the task and challenges facing the NHS, especially as winter is upon us.

Amidst all the calls and criticism of the performance of our NHS, we never hear those opposition MSP relay any positive experiences from their constituents, of which there are many. And exactly what effect is all the criticism having on the morale of NHS staff, staff who are working so hard in all our interests? Call s and criticism are easy when in opposition – after all, you do not have to make the decisions, decisions that the country depends upon.

So, let’s turn the tables and ask Scotland’s opposition parties to come forward with some positive and constructive contributions, contributions in the interest of NHS workers and the country at large.

Opposition parties should stop attacking the Scottish Government on the NHS and come up with positive suggestions for improvement, says reader (Picture: Adobe)

And while we are at it, they may want to phone their friends in England and Wales and share their proposals because the NHS in England under the Conservatives and in Wales under Labour are having the same performance issues as NHS Scotland is currently enduring.

Catriona C Clark, Banknock, Falkirk

Demolition job

Stephen Flynn MP appeared assured at his first PMQs as the SNP Westminster leader and measured in his questioning while exploiting the opportunity to inform a UK audience of the latest poll on Scottish independence indicating support at 56 per cent.

It is, of course, important to pose relevant and concise questions to a Prime Minister who seems just as evasive as the one who preceded him, but it would also seem wise in the future to anticipate, and address, the trite responses which repeatedly leave important questions unanswered.

Perhaps one of the first Tory boasts he should publicly dismantle is that the UK had the world’s fastest Covid-19 vaccine roll-out and that such was only achieved because of the UK leaving the EU.

While the UK embarked slightly earlier on its roll-out by effectively short-cutting procedures to which other countries adhered (something it could have done within the EU), it took risks in doing so (as was evident with the seemingly premature Astra Zeneca vaccine roll-out as that vaccine had significant side effects which were subsequently discovered by other countries).

However, not only did other countries quickly catch up in administering vaccines and many countries exceed the UK roll-out rate, a number of those countries have vaccinated higher percentages of their populations. That said, no talk of vaccinations should be allowed to mask the fact that the UK Government presided over, if not caused, one of the highest Covid-19 death rates in the world.

It is clear that Mr Flynn will have to manage a lot of organising behind the scenes in order to coordinate the efforts of SNP MPs to produce the maximum impact at Westminster in furthering Scottish independence, but those efforts will undoubtedly be enhanced the more effective he becomes at PMQs.

Stan Grodynski, Longniddry, East Lothian

Poll clarity

Regarding Brian Wilson's article “Governing better across the UK is the only way to save the Union” (Perspective,10 December), he makes a good point that any future referendum must “Spell out the economic realities of division”.

In 2014 the Yes campaign got away with camouflaging fantasy and wish lists as truth and reality. I well remember big business being gagged from making public their plans in the event of separation as this would apparently have shown "bias”.

It was therefore strange that after Brexit the same people enforcing the gagging complained that people hadn’t been informed of the full reality of a Leave vote before going to the ballot box. This should not happen again if 2014 is re-run.

It would also be proper and correct to expand this to a full Quebec style clarity act which has an appropriate question, includes the Scottish UK diaspora, and has an overwhelming majority, which balances out the democrat deficit of nationalists being able to re-run referendums until they win, when surprise surprise, there would then be no more referendums.

Why indeed wouldn't the nationalist leadership want “clarity”? I think we know the answer to that.

As a footnote, it's no surprise that Quebec's own separatist movement has hit the rocks now their own quest has been exposed to clarity.

Martin Lamond, Kilmacolm, Inverclyde

Poor proposals

Scotland will become a normal self-governing nation long before the Labour Party abolishes the House of Lords (Brian Wilson, 10 December).

Labour is not proposing to transfer any meaningful powers to Scotland and has rolled back on previous commitments.

Gordon Brown promised “near federal” powers in his last-ditch effort to save the Union in 2014 and in 2019 the Labour manifesto promised devolution of employment law and unlimited borrowing powers for Scotland.

Labour’s proposals don’t include issues of EU membership, trade deals or immigration, allowing Scotland to recruit more foreign workers to deal with staff shortages in our health service and tourism industries – all the actual powers that would help Scotland’s economy.

According to the UK’s leading pollster, Professor John Curtice, Labour “had to give up” hopes of winning seats in Scotland to pursue pro-Brexit votes in the north of England.

Labour’s idea of democracy is that a majority of seats at Westminster gives them a mandate to change powers in the UK but a majority of seats at Holyrood in favour of Scotland holding a referendum on our future will be ignored by London.

As well as increased support for independence, the latest Ipsos /STV poll showed that 53 per cent of voters in Scotland would vote for the SNP in a de facto referendum at the next general election and approval ratings for Anas Sarwar have fallen by eight per cent since May, while Sir Keir Starmer has a minus 13 per cent rating in Scotland.

Fraser Grant, Edinburgh

Labour mistake

By supporting the SNP's Gender Recognition legislation Scottish Labour is missing a huge opportunity to win back seats in Scotland.

In contrast the Conservatives have not only allowed a free vote, their counterparts at Westminster are considering legal action because trans people who move south of the Border could have difficulties obtaining pensions and benefits.

I, and a million others, want a Scottish Labour comeback, but if they can't get out of their party bubble and produce policies to meet the common sense views and needs of their natural voter base they are destined to be the “woulda, shoulda, coulda” guys (and gals) of Scottish politics.

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Irish smiling

After a lifetime of reading The Scotsman I feel motivated to write to the paper following Martin O’Gorman’s latest criticism of Eire (Letters, 9 December).

Now in our late seventies, my wife and I have holidayed extensively across Southern Ireland and as an ex-banker I could challenge Mr O’Gorman on some of his economic statements.

But I will rest content with one question. If Eire is such a disaster as a country, why are the Southern Irish as a people without exception, in our experience, happy, outgoing, friendly to all and enormously proud of their heritage, culminating in huge, but engaging, self confidence?

Iain & Jane MacIntyre, Oban, Argyll and Bute

Let down

The Scottish Government should be ashamed of themselves. After bringing in the Short Term Let Licensing rules and insisting that all existing businesses have to have everything in place by March, they have now decided to delay the scheme by six months because of the current cost of living crisis.

For the last year business owners, industry bodies and tourism groups have been saying this was the worst possible time to introduce this scheme and this was ignored.

After three bad years of Covid-affected tourism, the introduction of the new fire alarm measures and now with the energy prices and cost of living rises, many are struggling with their finances.

Most have already started to get things into place for March, spending large sums of money for the inspections and certificates needed. We have already spent nearly £900 and that's not including the licence fee.

Many smaller business use the money they have made over the year to keep them going through the winter, so they could ill afford this. Now all these documents will have one year less before they will need to be applied for again. A lot of small businesses had already made the decision to close down as they could not afford the costs to obtain a licence .

Even worse, new businesses not yet opened had to apply by1 December and are not allowed to take any bookings until they get their licence. Imagine ploughing all your money into your business and then being told you can't recoup any. Some councils haven't even started the licence application yet, and one I read of yesterday only has one member of staff to deal with the applications. How long is it going to take for people to get their licence? Many will probably miss next season’s bookings.

All this for a licence which the majority believe is not needed and will not help the situation it is designed to deal with.

Tracey Smith, Rosehall, Highlands

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Readers' Letters: Let’s hear how Opposition would help NHS

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