Letters: We need Holyrood opposition parties to form alliances

A ban on junk food advertising is welcome but we need an SNP-led war on obesity to reduce self -inflicted illness, a major cause of the health service crisis, acknowledgement that reform of our education system is beyond the ability and fixed mindset of this Government, and big, radical plans to solve the housing crisis

The SNP has run out of steam and this rag-bag announcement merely highlights the paucity of imagination and ministerial talent, the impotence of the LibDems and the neutering of a Labour Party riven by division which may mean the obvious choice as leader, Anas Sarwar, is jilted in favour of a rookie, Richard Leonard.

Which leaves the Conservatives and Ruth Davidson, whose speech last week on housing and other policy plans, including shipbuilding and hydro power, suggests their seizure of the anti-independence mantle and lack of complicity in 18 years of limp devolved government has emboldened them to offer a radical, electable alternative government.

We need them, the LibDems and Labour to move beyond their doughty performance at First Minister's Questions and start forming policies and alliances to repair and transform my country and bring about an early end to this knuckle-dragging SNP regime that will never change its independence spots.

Allan Sutherland,

1 Willow Row, Stonehaven.

FIONA Brown (Letters, September 6) attempts to praise the SNP’s 10 years in office by listing its achievements, including bus passes, free university tuition fees and free personal care. However, no-one could surely fail to notice that these were in fact introduced by the former Labour/LibDem administrations.

Which leaves 10 years of what: free drugs for the rich, a failed referendum and an admittedly handsome bridge? As Neil Young also said “time fades away…”

Peter A Russell,

87 Munro Road, Jordanhill, Glasgow.

WILF O’Malley (Letters, September 5) lists the many achievements of the Atlee-led Labour government of 1945-51 and invites me to “give some credit to a Labour government”. I’m happy to do so, I think the post-war Labour government achieved a great deal and we all still benefit from many of the measures it introduced.

More controversially, perhaps, I also give credit to the Blair-led Labour government post-1997. It delivered devolution, the European Social Chapter, a huge boost to spending on health and education, the minimum wage and so on. A different approach from its predecessors for different times. However, I decide which political party to support on the basis of its current policies, not on how they were 70 or even 20 years ago.

Funnily enough, it was while campaigning for Labour in the likes of Paisley and Glasgow East that I became acutely aware of the condition of much of our public housing, as described so vividly by Ruth Marr (Letters, September 5). Those communities had been represented by Labour politicians for aeons, at both national and local level, and had very little to show for it. That made me very uncomfortable, especially when I heard some of those Labour worthies, come election time, spout empty platitudes about “fighting for the most disadvantaged in society”.

The Labour Party is a basket case, at both Westminster and Holyrood, full of careerist politicians whose main objective is climbing the greasy pole of power. Atlee, a quiet, modest and pragmatic man, would never have risen through today’s Labour ranks. Perhaps the next Labour (Scottish branch) leader will accept that independence from the London elite is the way forward and we can get on with doing a few things here in Scotland to improve the lot of all our citizens.

Doug Maughan,

52 Menteith View, Dunblane.

READING George Robertson's comments for Border TV (“Robertson: Independence would have had cataclysmic repercussions”, The Herald, September 6) I must assume that Reporting Borders is made by its comedy unit. The idea that Scottish independence would have led to an increase in global terrorism is so ridiculous that it cannot be taken seriously. But then after his comments on devolution his political forecasting has always seemed a few pleats short of a kilt.

He is also inaccurate in his assertion that Britain is the second power in Nato. France is considerably ahead in all branches of the armed services, Turkey has more land-based assets and Germany equals Britain in many assets.

Taking Scotland out of Britain would not have made much difference to the British contribution aside from making a drop below Italy in resources more likely.

Britain's large military spend is often wasted on never fulfilled projects (TSR2, Nimrod MR4A) or over-budget projects like the carriers. Our lack of strategic thinking by government means we have financially inefficient forces. We might have a large spend on defence but we get very little for our money.

The fight against terrorism is a global fight with the large non-NATO powers like Russia, China and the Asian nations also involved. In real terms Britain is a small player in military resources and Scottish independence would probably go unnoticed in the world view. In more serious terms his party's support for withdrawal from the EU is more likely to harm Scotland.

No doubt if an asteroid hit the earth, from the ruins he would be heard claiming that it was caused by Scottish independence.

Bruce D Skivington,

8 Pairc a Ghliob, Strath, Gairloch, Wester Ross.

GOOD old Lord Robertson of Port Ellen: if he didn’t exist, we’d have to invent him. I just love his entertaining predictions.

First, he forecast that “devolution will kill nationalism stone dead”.

Now, he tells us that independence would have been “cataclysmic”.

History records the accuracy of his first prediction. So how did he guess the second? As for his third, I can’t wait.

Gordon Casely,

Westerton Cottage, Crathes, Kincardineshire.