JOHN Swinney, together with a plethora of political pundits, has suggested that, in calling a general election for July 4, the Prime Minister has paid scant regard to the fact that many Scottish schools will be on holiday by that date.

I beg to differ. I strongly suspect that his reason for the choice of date was both deliberate and devious.

While our local authority schools break up in late June, private fee-paying schools carry on for another couple of weeks. Sunak can be reasonably sure that far fewer Tory voters will be on vacation on that day.

However, his choice of date could be apposite. There is a majority of MSPs who support independence. That is what we people of Scotland voted for. Surely now is the opportunity to call a special session of the Scottish Parliament on July 4 to enact a Unilateral Declaration of Independence.

Faced by the prospect of a further five years of conservative London-centric government, led by either Sir Keir Starmer or Rishi Sunak, surely the time has come to stop pussyfooting with talk of new referenda or protracted begging. Our parliament should take decisive action now.
Eric Begbie, Stirling.

* NOT only will schools in Scotland be on their summer holidays on July 4, but so will those in Northern Ireland. Is it any coincidence that the two nations of the UK who voted to stay within the European Union are both ignored by the Prime Minister when it comes to ensuring the maximum number of people in the UK get out to vote?
Patricia Fort, Glasgow.

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Scotland's election: why Scottish issues really do matter in this vote

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The blame cuts both ways
YOUR regular anti-independence correspondents state incessantly that the SNP blames everything on Westminster.  This is probably true but just mirrors the fact that the London-based Unionist parties blame everything on the SNP.
Peter Dryburgh, Edinburgh.

 

Swinney needs a near-miracle
JOHN Swinney has struggled in the few days he has been leader. (‘FM’s election launch marred by police move on SNP fraud probe’, May 24). He now faces a true nightmare scenario as the SNP’s long-asked-for “de facto independence referendum” is finally about to happen.\

To keep the flame of independence alive Mr Swinney will need a near-miraculous turnaround in his party’s fortunes.  This quest is facing its first big hurdle with the SNP administration at Holyrood being tested by the votes over the Michael Matheson case.

If the SNP and Greens back up Mr Matheson then the general public will be given a rather graphic demonstration of loyalties. Which matters more : politicians jobs or public trust?

Mr Swinney has cast his vote already, who will follow and more to the point, just how will the general public view the outcome? Mr Swinney’s struggle continues.
Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow.

 

Voting SNP could be great for Britain
WHEN one remembers that Scotland hasn’t voted Conservative since 1959, 65 years ago, it is understandable that the Scottish voting public are keen to help vote out the Tory government on July 4.

Like Belarus, the only other European state using it, the UK has a first-past-the-post voting system at Westminster. Thus the only party likely to oust the Conservatives will be Labour, fuelling the temptation across the whole of the UK to vote Labour, the party with a history of socialism, including the formation of our beloved but under-threat NHS.

The knowledge that in 2024 the Labour Party in common with the Tories, include MPs, indeed Shadow Cabinet members who have shares in private health-care (and also receive funds from pro-Israel lobby groups) is shocking, to say the least.

The electoral assumption is that, in spite of the above, there will be a large swing to Labour in England and Wales, as voters have little other choice if they want to get rid of the current government.

In Scotland, voters are being persuaded to join in this movement and help by returning Labour MPs from north of the border, on the premise that a few more Labour MPs will swing the election.

This may result in a Labour government with a small majority (and probably for a few years only), which appears to be planning to broadly continue many of the policies of the current Conservative one.

Compare this to the effect that maintaining the SNP vote and representation at Westminster will have.

Sitting alongside the Labour Party (not in coalition) there would then be a large left-wing majority consisting of Labour and SNP, now prepared to legislate policies for the benefit of the whole British public, who have been experiencing a declining NHS, widespread poverty, and food banks, all starved of resources because of poor economic growth since the time of Thatcherism.

The Scottish collaboration in this arrangement would help put Britain back on the road to being Great again, the decline in Britain having risen as the influence of Scotland has waned, due in part at least to the first-past-the-post system, which made voters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland largely irrelevant to the balance of power situation in Westminster.

The SNP could then negotiate with the Labour Party to change the UK voting system to a proportional voting system, like the rest of Europe; to apply to re-enter the E.U.; and to agree the nation of Scotland should have the ability to hold referendums on self-government at any time they wish.
Alastair Grant, Elgin.

 

The sums of all fears
IN 2010, the American author, public speaker, and actor, Fran Lebowitz, quipped, ‘‘In real life, I assure you, there is no such thing as algebra.’’ Now our own Education Secretary, Jenny Gilruth, has shown that she realises just how deeply important mathematics is to our economy by appointing a former maths teacher, Andy Brown, to lead work to develop a new approach to the subject. Bit nervous about my maths exam. Think my chances of passing it are 40-40.
Doug Clark, Currie, Midlothian.

 

Crises exist in England, too
DOUGLAS  Cowe (letters, May 23) points out a number of crises from which our country is suffering. I’m content to add another two which have been well covered in recent times – Scotland’s drugs crisis and our social care crisis. I don’t believe though that all these political and social crises are exclusive to Scotland. I think you’ll find that the same challenges exist in England, you just don’t hear about them to the same extent!
Brian Watt, Edinburgh.

 

Who’s the extremist now, Mr Sunak?
PERHAPS it is no coincidence that, days before announcing the date of the general election, Rishi Sunak attempted to label independence supporters as “extremists”. Perhaps it is also not surprising that some who regularly contribute to these pages either openly back or, apparently, tacitly support, a PM intent on widening an already extreme wealth gap between the rich and the poor of the UK in seeking to denigrate those peacefully pursuing Scotland’s right to self-determination. 

Others might think it extreme to invade another country on a false premise and to participate in the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians. Others might think it extreme to continue to supply weapons and support to a fanatical regime that has slaughtered tens of thousands of women and children and stands accused of genocide. Others might think it extreme to send those fleeing from wars (often fuelled by UK arms supplies) and seeking a safe haven to an “unsafe” country thousands of miles distant.

Others might think it extreme to invite people into post-war UK to help rebuild the economy and then seek to deport the children and grandchildren of those people to a country they have never inhabited. Others might think it extreme to condone the use of potentially-contaminated blood products in a covert “experiment” leading to thousands of deaths and unbearable suffering. Others might think it extreme to perpetuate an anachronistic system of government in which an unelected Foreign Secretary, unaccountable to parliament, can direct the UK’s foreign policy.  Others might think it extreme to deny the elected representatives of a country the democratic right to hold a constitutional referendum.
Stan Grodynski, Longniddry, East Lothian.

 

Three strikes and you’re out
FOR the forthcoming election debates could I suggest the ‘three strikes and you’re out’ format? An independent assessor with an understanding of linguistics and semantics will adjudicate responses to questions and if the candidate fails to answer the question, a buzzer will sound. If it sounds three times the candidate will be removed from the panel. This might ensure clarity and honesty. Maybe there should also be a ‘fact-finder /lie-check’ bell?
Paul Dickson, Peebles.