Letters to the press, 05/11/21: "Nicola Sturgeon has stated that Scotland and London have more to gain by "working together as partners. If only Scotland was already in some sort of longstanding, political, economic and social union, based in the British Isles"

Nicola Sturgeon has stated that Scotland and London have more to gain by “working together as partners (“Scotland and London have more to gain from being partners, claims Sturgeon”, The Herald, November 4). If only Scotland was already in some sort of longstanding, political, economic and social union, based in the British Isles, where nations could share resources, technology and talent, but with enough flexibility to reflect cultural and geographical differences. Oh well. David Bone, Girvan.

I was interested to read the SNP ad which appeared in the P&J and other newspapers with the words “a nation in waiting welcomes the nations of the world”. The COP26 conference was given to the United Kingdom not the “nation in waiting”. That is why it is chaired by Business Secretary Alok Shama and the opening speech was from the British Prime Minister. Glasgow was chosen as the venue for this conference as it is a British city, yet another Union dividend. Keith Shortreed, Aberdeenshire.

We all know that Nicola Sturgeon is not a world leader because she is not in the room when big decisions are being made. But she is a politician with environmental obligations and expectations on her shoulders, not a commentator or campaigner. So it is not appropriate for her to be hanging out with Greta Thunberg and the other bright young things of the environmental movement when she is another politician who is letting them down and needs to be pressurised. Ms Thunberg knows this of course, and has previously said that Scotland is not a world leader in relation to climate change. Hence the awkward-looking photo opportunity. Despite all her soundbites, Ms Sturgeon isn’t doing all that much to help. The massive investment in renewables over the last 15 years or so has been made by energy companies and UK taxpayers through their bills, not by the Scottish Government. She has missed just about every other target her government has set for itself, and now, when all the countries of the world are being asked to work together, Ms Sturgeon could not resist the temptation of suggesting we would be better off if we pulled apart. We know this because, on the opening day of COP26, that was her message in just about every mainstream newspaper. The 25,000 delegates from around the world will have noticed a one-dimensional politician with a one-dimensional agenda, and that agenda is not what they are interested in. We don’t know what the outcome of COP26 is going to be, but Ms Sturgeon’s presence will not influence things for the good, and may well undermine it if people see that we cannot get along here on this small island. If we cannot get along, what hope is there that everyone else will agree to anything? Victor Clements. Mamie’s Cottage, Aberfeldy.

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