Alien thinking

WE KEEP being reminded by UK ministers that if we achieve independence, we will become “foreigners” – if not “aliens” – to those living south of the Border.

Tugging at the heartstrings at the Conservative Party conference (your reports), David Cameron tells us of his pride in his great-great- uncle’s heroism in the First World War, an example of UK togetherness. I note his uncle was serving in the army of a “foreign” country, Canada.

Unlike Tory ministers, I regard countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa – which are filled to the brim with Scottish expatriates – as compatriot nations with the dignity of making their own decisions. I look forward to Scotland joining them in the Commonwealth of Nations in similar circumstances.

Fergus Wood

Kinlochard

The Conservatives at their spring conference had an opportunity to put the case for Better Together, yet speaker after speaker chose to lift the name of First Minister Alex Salmond and the SNP.

But on a rare visit to Scotland, Prime Minister David Cameron in his key note speech pledged more tax powers for Scotland should the country vote No in September and this was reiterated by Scottish party leader Ruth Davidson when she announced the return of a tax on the sick through the reintroduction of prescription charges. The only policy pledge from the Scottish leader – a tax on the sick. And this announcement in the week when increases in prescription changes in England took a single item to more than £8.

This single policy pledge from Ms Davidson begs a few questions – can Scotland’s sick afford the Tories; do we want Scotland’s future to be in the hands of the Tories at Westminster?

Be assured if Scotland votes No we face a future under the Conservatives at Westminster regardless of how Scotland votes. There is only one Conservative MP in Scotland, yet they are imposing from Westminster polices which Scotland neither want nor voted for.

Catriona C Clark

Hawthorn Drive

Banknock, Falkirk

“With just one MP in Scotland the Tories have no mandate here,” says Nicola Sturgeon (your report, 14 March).

As an active member of the Liberal Democrats, I hold no brief for the Conservatives, but the Deputy First Minister should beware of equating a party’s Scottish democratic mandate with its number of MPs when her own has only six. 

Jane Ann Liston

Largo Road

St Andrews, Fife