Scotland on Sunday letters: Labour need to win friends and influence people

Euan McColm quotes a Labour MSP who states: “If anyone knows how you win over people who hate you perhaps they could let us know.”

Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar speaking at the Labour Party conference in Brighton earlier this week.. Picture: PA Wire

Let me enlighten him. Embrace Scottish independence.

I am one of the thousands of Scottish Labour supporters who have no particular affiliation to the SNP, but are forced to vote for them because we want to live in an independent Scotland.

If Scottish Labour were to back independence I am sure they would become a major force in Scotland again and with a manifesto commitment to regain entry into the European Union along with policies which would benefit the poorer in our society, they would become the Scottish Government.

The majority of people in Scotland do not want to be governed by a "Little England" xenophobic government who are more concerned with looking after the interests of their billionaire benefactors than they are of governing the country.

I say again to that Labour MSP, get your party to back Scottish independence and see the difference.

W.A. Ross, Aberdeen

Climatic horrors

While it is understandable that the looming COP26 extravaganza in Glasgow will feature heavily in your newspaper, I found it ironic that on page 12 (September 26) Ginny Sanderson’s piece extolled the impending climatic horrors of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Yet on page 15 Alison Campsie informs us of the discovery of a camp used by Ice Age explorers on Islay some 20,000 years ago.

The vast ice sheets covering what we now know as Europe had melted and sea levels rose around ten metres – all when the level of CO2 in the atmosphere was much lower than now. Interesting!

Alastair McCulloch, Dunblane

Backwards step

The Scottish Greens have warned against a ‘backwards step’ of increased reliance on nuclear power.

Over the last 143 days, on average, renewable energy, mostly wind, supplied only 18.5 per cent of our electricity. Nuclear was 16 per cent and fossil fuels 43.6 per cent.

The Scottish Greens should instead warn of a ‘backward step’ of increased reliance on unreliable subsidised wind turbines.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow

All hope lost

Another day, another police inquiry is announced into matters linked to the SNP. This time it is another investigation into the Alex Salmond inquiry leak. These investigations have become so common that I do not think a single Scot has even the slightest hope that justice will be served in any way whatsoever. The labyrinthine processes involved are mesmerising and even the most optimistic must know there is little or no chance of anything worthwhile being resolved.

On reflection, that is probably the saddest part of all in the way our country is run these days – all hope is lost. Probity and justice in Scotland under the SNP have disappeared. Sadder still, It is no longer even expected.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Out of touch

Possession of a class A drug for personal use will no longer be a criminal offence – but you can be fined for dropping litter. There is something not right here, and is evidence of a government out of touch!

William Ballantine, Bo'ness

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