Letters to the press, 01/03/22: "if Scotland were to separate from the world's fifth-largest economy it would be left defenceless"

As Nicola Sturgeon calls for further action against the Putin regime, perhaps she should reflect on how her demand for independence undermines the security not only of the UK but of Nato. Apart from the disruption and economic uncertainty that another referendum would bring, if Scotland were to separate from the world’s fifth-largest economy it would be left defenceless, and the most important submarine base in Europe would be closed. Faslane is a vital cog in the machinery of Western defence, and without it, we would be open to Putin’s nuclear blackmail. An independent Scotland would be a gift to Putin. The SNP should end its opposition to nuclear weapons immediately and drop its foolish separation agenda because unity is strength. William Lonskie, Lauder, Berwickshire.

We hear the First Minister announce that the Scottish Government is giving initial humanitarian aid for Ukraine in the amount of £4 million as well as medical supplies. While this may appear noble, it is disingenuous when we had Finance Secretary Kate Forbes tell business owners that she had no money available to offer them support to keep their staff employed when the Christmas lockdown occurred, and we have hungry and homeless adults and children using soup kitchens in our snow-covered cities. This is pure virtue-signalling by Nicola Sturgeon, as the UK has pledged £140 million in international aid to Ukraine this year – it is after all a reserved matter. When will Ms Sturgeon and her SNP colleagues realise that she is letting down the people on our streets, business owners and their employees, or does she not care? Would she rather get grand headlines than help those here on our streets? It certainly looks that way. Jane Lax, Aberlour.

No event could have illustrated so perfectly the hypocrisy, no, absurdity, of the SNP/ Green policy of attempting to shut down all our oil and gas production and blindly fighting against the development of new fields than the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. In the entire history of western politics, this policy of closing down our energy reserves must rank high for sheer stupidity. Those making these policy decisions must exist on another”green” planet, where highly dangerous international bullies do not exist and wars and emergencies do not arise. Surely it is obvious that abundant energy supplies should not even be considered for being shut off until an absolutely assured, 24/7/365, alternative is up and running. If there were an Olympics for self-harming to put on a show or a race for cutting off your nose to spite your face, the SNP/Green administration running Scotland at present would win every gold, silver and bronze. Alexander McKay, Edinburgh.

What is the point of having a Scottish Parliament? My understanding is that it gives us the opportunity for doing things in a different way to the rest of the ITK if we judge that following a different route is in our interests. We can make our own laws and raise our own money to give ourselves maximum Here now is an opportunity to demonstrate those powers if the SNP disagree with the decision of the UK Government to roll back Covid-19 restrictions. If we think this is a mistake – and many in the Scottish Government appear to think so – will we see additional tax money raised in Scotland through the Budget to be spent on this, or will we simply hear a bumping of gums for a few days followed by the inevitable acceptance of the new measures? The evidence of the Scottish Parliament working for more than 20 years now is that it has never had the maturity to use its powers in the way intended. Indeed, they would like the public to believe we don’t have these powers at all. Almost certainly that is what we will see again now -the party that would have us independent, following along blindly behind the Tories, unwilling and unable to chart a different course for fear of having to make a choice and accepting the responsibility and comparisons that must inevitably accompany it. As others have noted, after nearly two years of differentiated Covid response in Scotland, the overall outcome from the pandemic has been more or less the same, and in some ways, much worse. So much for all the talk. Victor Clements, Mamie’s Cottage, Aberfeldy.

Sir, – It is going to be very hard for Nicola Sturgeon to remove the Covid restrictions. Controlling us is her “go to” response for any problem and letting go is gut-wrenching. The extra round of restrictions over the very unfestive period was a huge slap in the face for the already decimated hospitality trade, and for what? All the messages coming out of South Africa, where Omicron originated, were that it was a mild variant. So it has proved here. I quite understand Ms Sturgeon does not want to look as if she is following Boris Johnson. But she could sweeten the pill. We have all heard her tell us Denmark is a model to emulate: “Independence works. It works for Denmark” Well, now Denmark has removed almost all of its restrictions, why not tell us that is what small northern European countries do? Jill Stephenson, Corstorphine, Edinburgh.

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