KEITH Howell (Letters, January 11) writes about "uncertainty hanging over Scotland" and claims that "the First Minister continues to threaten the UK Government if the SNP does not get its way on Brexit", but the uncertainty hanging over Scotland is the Brexit result which Scotland didn't vote for. I would ask Mr Howell to cast his mind back to last May's SNP manifesto, which stated that the Scottish Parliament should have the right to hold another independence referendum if there was a significant and material change in circumstances, such as Scotland being taken out of the EU against our will. The SNP was re-elected to Holyrood on the strength of that manifesto, and only weeks later, 62 per cent of voters and every local authority area in Scotland voted to remain within the European Union.
Who can forget the aftermath of last June's referendum? Chaos reigned at Westminster; David Cameron resigned, his Chancellor, George Osborne, was nowhere to be seen for days on end, and the Brexiters suddenly went very quiet. Seven months later, all is still confusion and muddle from both new Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on their Brexit positions. By contrast, in the wake of the Brexit result, Nicola Sturgeon was the only senior politician to keep calm and have a plan, the only one to stand up for Scotland's interests and remind both Westminster and Europe that Scotland voted overwhelmingly to stay within the EU.
While Scotland cannot leave the UK without the consent of the majority of Scottish voters, Scotland will be taken out of the EU without the consent of the majority of Scottish voters, which is why Ms Sturgeon's efforts to find a way to protect Scotland's interests are vitally important, and should be supported across the political spectrum.
Ruth Marr,
99 Grampian Road,
Stirling.
IAIN AD Mann (Letters, January 10) appears to think that our economic needs are so different from the rest of the of the UK that we should demand a different and special status. This is not going to happen. We are not in a position to demand from Europe any special conditions.
He talks of "a significant proportion of our trade being with Europe". I suggest that it is quite the opposite. It is to England that a significant proportion of our trade lies. Our economic needs are joined at the hip with those south of the Border.
R Johnston
3 Barcapel Avenue,
Newton Mearns.
IT is time we had a new referendum. The question on the paper should be: Would you rather we spent more money on the NHS than building nuclear submarines – Yes or No?
I think we know what the answer would be.
Dave Biggart,
Southcroft,
Knockbuckle Road, Kilmacolm.
ALTHOUGH I enjoyed Thom Cross's letter (January 11) immensely, I do not think one really needs the odes of Quintus Horatius Flaccus to be persuaded to distrust the pollsters. In the 21st century political polls are not designed to inform – but to influence.
DH Telford,
11 Highfield Terrace, Fairlie.
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