“Fire and brimstone coming down from the sky. Rivers and seas boiling. Forty years of darkness, earthquakes, volcanoes. The dead rising from the grave.”
Not an extract from one of Kevin McKenna’s pieces about life under an SNP government, but the characters from the original Ghostbusters film, overdoing it a bit to get their point across to the Mayor of New York.
The reality for most voters under any government is that they are not watching the fabric of society being rent apart before their eyes, and are therefore well aware that opposition parties and their supporters may be over-egging the political pudding a bit and, often, merely indulging in opposition for opposition’s sake.
In the end, what sways electoral change is a party presenting credible alternative policies to those of the incumbent party of government. The current opposition parties in Scotland have until the beginning of May 2026 to find such policies and defy the opinion polls.
Robin Irvine, Helensburgh.
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Independence obsession fails Scots
Your article ("Swinney told to 'come clean' on his 'secret' independence plan", The Herald, October 16) raises important questions about transparency and accountability within the SNP government as it manoeuvres the political landscape towards a potential second independence referendum.
The people of Scotland are entitled to clarity about the implications of such a monumental decision.
As we dissect the SNP's leadership under John Swinney, we must acknowledge that the party's continuous preoccupation with independence is not only distracting but detrimental to pressing local issues.
Our education system is in a state of decline, evidenced by increasing classroom disruptions and teacher shortages, yet the narrative seems to divert attention from the everyday challenges that families face.
Prioritising academic excellence should take precedence over pursuit of independence. Former Prime Minister Winston Churchill stated: "To each, there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing."
Our moment in Scotland lies not in another divisive referendum but in the chance to repair and enhance our existing systems, ensuring better healthcare, education, and local governance.
If the SNP truly cares about Scotland's future, they should cease peddling the independence narrative and instead engage in serious discussions about how they can rectify the challenges facing our communities.
Voter engagement must shift to local accountability and straightforward communication around governance, which should focus on real solutions instead of unsustainable political ambitions.
Scotland deserves a government that invests in its people, prioritising pragmatic developments over abstract goals.
Only by confronting our issues head-on can we build a robust future for all Scots, one that reflects genuine local aspirations rather than divisive nationalism.
Alastair Majury, Dunblane, Perthshire.
Mystery plan
As one after another of the SNP chatterati insist they believe in John Swinney's "secret plan" to achieve independence, I increasingly suspect the plan is so secret that even Mr Swinney doesn't know what it is.
Martin Redfern, Melrose, Roxburghshire.
Jaunting John
In his conference speech in Aberdeen, John Swinney described Sir Keir Starmer’s reduction in foreign aid as “Shameful".
But if you check Scotland’s record, it falls well short of the planned £15million pledge for foreign aid.
This week Mr Swinney is touring Malawi and Zambia.
Having sorted out all Scotland’s problems, it seems he has time to inspect countries where poverty and homelessness is rife.
Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen.
A history lesson
I have news for the unionist front-line troops making their points in a recent Herald (Letters, Oct 15).
The constitutional status and international identity of our Scottish nation is not the responsibility of John Swinney, the SNP or any political party or organisation.
It is the responsibility of the sovereign people of the Scottish realm, dating back to the Claim of Right enacted in the Scottish Parliament in 1689.
The Claim of Right and the continued jurisdiction of the Law of Scotland were confirmed in the Treaty of Union in 1707, but the terms of that treaty were never complied with.
The Scottish parliament was unceremoniously abolished while the English parliament continued uninterrupted, with its authority extended to include Scotland, with a name change to Great Britain, and later the United Kingdom, after Ireland was similarly annexed in 1801.
No new unified parliament was created, and Scotland has been a non self-governing colony of England since that date; the referendum in 2014 did not create a union where none existed beforehand.
When the people of Scotland, regardless of party allegiances, decide it’s time to cast off the shackles of their colonial overlords and take their rightful place alongside other small independent European states, all they will require is the support of the international community rather than the English government.
The current SNP do not wish to acknowledge the undeniable facts of this situation as their interests are better served by seeking re-election rather than liberation from colonialism.
Willie Maclean, Milngavie.
Trump and Blair: the positives
Ruth Marr’s letter displays a one-sided, blinkered perspective that unfairly vilifies President Trump and Tony Blair, while ignoring their significant contributions to peace and justice (Letters, October 16).
Her visceral condemnation of Mr Trump’s address to Israel dismisses his unprecedented diplomatic success in securing the support of major Arab nations and Turkey for his peace plan - a historic step toward stability in the Middle East.
To label this achievement as “appalling” is not only misguided but ignores the complexities of international diplomacy.
Equally egregious is Ms Marr’s attack on Tony Blair, whom she accuses of leading a “needless illegal war” in Iraq.
This conveniently overlooks the reality of Saddam Hussein’s brutal regime, which murdered and gassed thousands of its own people.
Mr Blair, alongside the U.S. and other Western allies, acted to remove a despot whose atrocities demanded intervention.
To suggest Mr Blair deserves a prison cell rather than recognition for confronting tyranny is a gross distortion of history that insults the memory of those who suffered under Saddam’s rule.
Ms Marr’s selective outrage and failure to acknowledge these broader contexts reveal a narrative purely driven by political bias.
If she seeks true justice, she might start by examining the full picture rather than indulging in hyperbolic rhetoric.
Ian Lakin, Milltimber, Aberdeen.
Divided we fall
The Labour government admitted losing control of our borders.
It’s also lost control of the economy, a fact Chancellor Rachel Reeves might not admit, but her forthcoming budget will confirm.
Labour has also lost control of our justice system, as glaringly obvious two tier justice cases mount up.
In fact, Labour’s lost control of the UK.
The SNP might rub its hands with glee, except it too has lost control over the running of Scotland, as demonstrated by John Swinney's ludicrous ‘drop in’ GP clinics plan.
The answer is definitely not independence; it’s a strong UK government ready to confront rising challenges head on.
The problem is who can provide this? Going Left has proved disastrous.
A Reform UK / revitalised Conservative party deal is our only hope.
Instead of attacking this means of national salvation, would it not be refreshing to see a consensus to make it work?
We really are all in this together.
Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow.
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