Over the past year or two, President Trump has been threatening the United States’s friendly neighbours with invasion, first demanding that Greenland then Canada become part of a “big, beautiful America”. The rest of the world watches in horror, thinking “surely America is big enough already?”
Meanwhile, in Glasgow, a local councillor and prospective council leader has stated that Glasgow should be expanded to include neighbouring local authority areas, which would all become Glasgow.
This idea seems not to be driven by reinstatement, as these areas have never been part of Glasgow, but by seeing residents as pound signs to add to the assets column of Glasgow’s somewhat pressurised balance sheet.
Residents of Glasgow’s neighbouring authorities might wonder what exactly is in it for them.
With Glasgow already a bit on the big side, and within the context of prospective local government reorganisation, there is an alternative option not yet considered: Glasgow is divided up and subsumed into its neighbouring authorities. Could this be the transformation needed to bring Glasgow back from the brink?
Dr Clare Edwards, Clarkston.
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Pressing need for accountability
So the First Minister is proposing to “rewire” and “declutter” the public sector here in Scotland.
Currently there are 14 Health Boards and this proposal would lead to one for the East and one for the West with another for the Islands.
Another proposed re-organisation relates to how many councils will serve communities across Scotland.
I certainly support "rewiring" and "decluttering" the quango world, which in the main is not accountable to the people.
Where do local democracy, accountability and transparency fit into these scenarios? Check out the Christie Commission, which highlights the need to “Empower individuals and communities” and says that “Preventative measures have not been prioritised”.
Effective services must be designed in consultation with people, inclusive of front-line staff and the communities they serve. I conclude with a quote from Campbell Christie: “A ‘top down’ approach is unresponsive to the needs of individuals and communities”.
Mrs Teresa McNally MBE, Retired NHS Practitioner; former Councillor and Leader of Clackmannanshire Council; former Trustee on a Primary Care Health Trust, Alloa.
Smoke and mirrors over the NHS
Contrary to what Ian McNair implied in his letter of September 8, John Swinney played no part in the “creation” of Scotland’s 14 NHS Health Boards.
In 1974, prior to devolution, 15 Scottish health boards were created by the UK Government, and in 2001, before the SNP came into government, these boards were geographically re-aligned. In 2006, the number of boards was reduced from 15 to 14.
There is a debate to be had around how best to rationalise the NHS and optimise patients’ experiences across Scotland. Perhaps if Mr McNair, and others, could refrain from clouding that debate by refusing to conjure up more smoke and mirrors, it might be possible to achieve some form of genuine political consensus on this highly important topic.
Stan Grodynski, Longniddry, East Lothian.
Independence for London next?
Why do nationalists persist in repeating the falsehoods and myths regarding Scotland’s resources and economy?
Stan Grodynski (letters, September 7) asserts that England depends on Scotland’s resources.
I wonder if he and his fellow nationalists have taken time to read the SNP Scottish Government’s latest fiscal statement, compiled by SNP Scottish civil servants and statisticians, which shows that Scotland had a fiscal deficit of £25.3 billion in 2025/26.
This deficit is covered by the UK Treasury and makes it possible for the Scottish Government to pay for £2 bus fares, free university tuition, free prescriptions, baby boxes et cetera.
It should be noted that only two regions of the UK – London and south-east England – have fiscal surpluses.
Perhaps those two regions should declare independence from the rest of the UK.
James Quinn, Lanark.
Reassembling Britain
The letters by Messrs Inglis and Sheridan, (letters, September 8) both in their own way highlight the vulnerability of the UK gilt market.
Post-war UK governments played a canny game to retain global confidence in UK gilts market. Our democratic parliaments steered a low-growth, welfare state economy in what were often challenging global events and yet our gilt market retained international confidence.
A major strength was that our electorate, if one excludes Northern Ireland, was not prone to rioting.
However, events in Portsmouth and even Glasgow, referenced by Mr Inglis, will not go unnoticed in international money markets.
The letter by Mr Sheridan noted that by leaving the EU we were free to levy VAT on school fees.
As he noted, an unintended consequence was that Irish schools, which have an excellent educational reputation, are now attracting UK students.
Thus, UK parents are benefitting Euroland and to do so they sell sterling – whilst, of course, UK universities lose European students.
We are in turbulent times and I would contend that by proroguing parliament Boris Johnson at a stroke grievously damaged global trust in Britain. Furthermore, Brexit would appear to have ruptured the electorate.
The UK could have been fondly likened to a post-imperial Humpty Dumpty, but she has fallen from the wall. But who can put her together again?
Robert F Gibson, Milngavie.
A never-ending attainment gap
Another year, another set of PISA results and another attempt by the SNP to paint an awful picture as somehow a success.
When the SNP education secretary, Mairi McAllan, says: “Pisa 2025 shows real strengths in Scottish education” whilst the same report says 25% of primary pupils still do not have basic literacy skills then the disconnect between an SNP utopia and the real world becomes very clear.
Primary school teachers are being recruited to help secondary school pupils whose first language is English, who are still unable to read and write properly.
Twenty years of SNP rule, even with the “Curriculum of Excellence”, and it is very obvious that the much-touted “closing” of the attainment gap still looks as far away as ever.
Nicola Sturgeon promised us all that education was to be her most important achievement. She does not even live in Scotland any more.
Is the SNP working for us at all?
Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow.
Wisdom of overseas promotion
The Scottish Government’s proposal to expand Scotland’s overseas office network should be welcomed.
This is not about creating “embassies”. It is about creating opportunities — attracting investment, opening export markets, supporting Scottish businesses and promoting our universities and tourism.
Scotland currently has 39 offices overseas, counting all Scottish Government and Scottish Development International (SDI) sites.
Other regions, from Quebec to Catalonia, understand the value of having people on the ground building international relationships. Flanders, with a population smaller than Scotland’s, has around 100 economic offices around the world, alongside 13 official diplomatic representations
Scotland cannot afford to look inward while other economies compete aggressively for investment, talent and trade.
The test is simple: if these offices bring more investment, jobs and opportunities to Scotland than they cost, they are not a luxury. They are an investment in Scotland’s future. Scotland needs to be out there competing — not sitting on the sidelines.
Alex Orr, Edinburgh.
Plastic patriots’ hypocrisy
Isn't it amazing that the plastic patriots, who lionise their parents and grandparents for fighting under the flag they’re so proud of, and defeating fascism, are the same people supporting gangs of blackshirts roaming the streets threatening and intimidating people they don’t approve of?
Cameron Crawford, Rothesay.
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