SNP faultlines

When is Alex Salmond going to realise that just because he ­expresses his view or judgment on a matter that does not make it correct or beyond reproach. His gaffes now seem to be surfacing on a daily basis.

We are advised by the president of the European Commission that an independent Scotland’s membership of the EU would not be automatic. Scotland would be regarded as a new state and would have to apply to join. The First Minister and his deputy are “openly scoffing” at this advice.

And why does he think that the Bank of England would necessarily welcome an independent Scotland as a customer? The Scottish Government would surely require to prove that its credit rating was good enough; and I am fairly certain that Salmond or one of his team would not automatically get a seat on the Bank’s governing committee – why should they?

The First Minister has been the subject of criticism in connection with the Leveson Report, mainly I gather over his striking willingness to lobby on behalf of Rupert Murdoch.

Also he can hardly claim to be prudent with the public purse. Let us consider closely the grandiose style of his trip to the Ryder Cup, with full entourage in tow.

And why is Mr Salmond so keen to promote the Gaelic language; we now appear to have an ever-increasing number of town and other signs sporting their “Q-Celtic” equivalent. Gaelic is only understood by about 1 per cent of the population of ­Scotland; it never was the tongue of the populous southern and eastern parts of Scotland. There has been more influence exerted on the guid Scots tongue from Lallans and Doric sources.

Most practical and fair-minded Scots are not in favour of Alex Salmond’s Brigadoon-like concepts of what Scotland should be like. We will vote for Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom in his contrived 2014 referendum.

When he discovers that his campaign has been in vain he can retire to some remote isle in the Hebrides and study Gaelic to his heart’s content.

Robert IG Scott

Cupar Road

Ceres, Fife