SO, according to Mr Blair, Sir George Mathewson, the former chairman who helped make the Royal Bank of Scotland the world's fifth biggest bank, is not a real businessman. Mr Blair told a business breakfast: "You talk to real businesses . . . and look at the impact of separation on real businesses and real families." It seems that "real businessmen" only include those such as arch-Tory David Murray and the Scottish businessman who has gained more than any other from Labour's largesse, Willie Haughey. Coincidentally, both men are strong Unionists and two of the few who are willing to come out to support Labour's negative attacks on Scotland's potential and ability. If, as has been quoted, Sir George is "the banking answer to Bruce Springsteen. Dr George Mathewson is the Boss", then surely Blair and his sidekick Jack McConnell are the Keith Harris and Orville of politics.
If you really want to see how desperately short of ideas Labour is, visit the Scottish Labour website. It is almost completely taken up with attacks on the SNP. Even on its own site it can't find a good news story to tell its own supporters.
On May 3 it's time to decide if Scotland should go down the road of optimism and success with people such as Sir George Mathewson or to continue to follow the gloom and doom path of yesterday's men and women in the Labour Party.
James Dornan, 139 Cartvale Road, Glasgow. THE Prime Minister is either badly advised or perhaps he just does not listen to advice. Back in Scotland for yet another fleeting visit to lecture us on the errors of our ways, he resorts once again to the trite forebodings that proved so ineffective when he swept through Oban last November. After Blair and his cohorts left Scotland last time round SNP support soared Do you imagine for a moment that if Sir George Mathewson, by any standard a respected, influential and successful businessman, had indicated support for the status quo his comments would have been met by such deeply patronising comments from Blair? Apparently, Sir George is not a "real" businessman. It would be illuminating if such a withering and insulting dismissal of any other country's aspirations for independence were to be so lightly rejected. He might try them out next time he sets off enlarging his global footprint.
By contrast, Alex Salmond has stated that he considers the Prime Minister's remarks to be "petulant".
It is not difficult to see who is self-indulgent and absurd.
Kenneth MacColl, 24 Alexandra Place, Oban.
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