Self-delusions of Indyref2 supporters like Monty Python’s Black Knight sketch

Mary Thomas and Fraser Grant (Letters, 17 October) indulge in the familiar hallmark of Nationalist politics – wilful self- delusion. Ms Thomas eulogises over public services in Scotland under the SNP when the reality, well documented, is that public services are on the verge of meltdown. Mr Grant refers to the warm reception Nicola Sturgeon received from European leaders. Those junior few who did see her were probably only being polite and to be taken for lunch by a second or third string German official in a back street restaurant is not exactly significant on the political stage. He says Scotland would remain in the EU as a successor state. Stalin said if a lie is repeated often enough it becomes the truth. Does Mr Grant, or anyone in the SNP, really believe that 27 member states will agree unanimously to Scotland being allowed seamless entry to the EU with continuity of the special beneficial conditions that only the UK has?

Mr Grant also describes Scotland as a wealthy country. The reality, again well documented, is that Scotland’s nominal deficit is running at 9.5 per cent of GDP, way above the EU growth and stability pact criterion of 3 per cent. Last week’s report by the Taxpayers’ Alliance warned Scotland would have to impose spending cuts of £3 billion a year to meet the EU’S criterion. This is the equivalent of slashing health spending by 82 per cent. Failing that, it would have to increase the basic rate of income tax from 20p to 39p or double VAT to 40 per cent.

Professor John Mclaren, honorary professor at Glasgow University’s Adam Smith Business School, has said part of our economic malaise was attributable to the last independence referendum, which had a longer term negative impact on the economy. He further said that Brexit brings more uncertainty, but in Scotland that is doubled with the prospect of another independence referendum and that will hit investment even more.

It reminds me of the Monty Python Black Knight sketch in which the Knight, having had all his limbs cut off, insisted it was just a flesh wound and he was, in fact, winning,

DONALD LEWIS

East Lothian

Martin Blackshaw (Letters, 17 October) hits the nail on the head as to where we stand on true democracy. In 2014 Scotland voted to remain part of the UK, and in 2016 the UK voted to leave the EU. Nothing could be simpler. The fact that Scotland may have voted to remain in the EU is irrelevant in the context of a UK referendum. Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP have, of course, refused to accept the result of either referendum because neither produced the result they wanted.

However, Fraser Grant offers a quite astonishing proposition. He says that if the UK Government fails to deliver a good deal for Scotland, this will bring about Indyref2 whilst still within the EU, which would mean that in the event of a Yes vote Scotland would remain in the EU as successor state when the rest of the UK leaves, without being subject to conditions being imposed on new applicants. This defies all logic. How can Scotland succeed the UK as a member of the EU when no longer part of the UK? As and when Brexit takes place, the UK will leave the EU and if Scotland has separated from the UK by then the only course available will be to apply to join the EU as a new member state.

This may all be fairly academic as I doubt Indyref2 will be allowed to take place and even if it does come to pass, I would venture that the result will be the same as last time.

GORDON LAWSON Dornoch, Sutherland

We should be grateful to Martin Black shaw for his re interpretationof thee u referendum results. The reported margin of Scottish acceptance for the Remain vote – 62 per cent of Scots who voted – has sounded pretty overwhelming. It is the numbers that give a much truer picture than the much-quoted percentage.

1.66m voted Remain, 1m, roughly, voted Leave and 1.33m did not bother to use their vote at all. This last figure seems particularly relevant while the SNP are telling us how European we Scots are and how vital membership of the EU is to our vision of Scotland going forward.

Compare these figures to the historic turnout for the UK Referendum, when Scots turned out in droves to make sure that their vote counted. Thinking Scots understand the strength of shared history, common values, family ties – not to forget matters like currency, trade and deficit.

When Nicola Sturgeon leaped up within hours of the result in the EU Referendum to declare a material change gave her the right to renege on the promise to respect the result of the UK Referendum, she knew exactly what the voting numbers were.

Scotland is getting sick of this SNP government and its deliberate, calculated bad manners towards the UK government. Get on with your day job and show us some competence. A good start would be to finance local councils properly instead of this nine-year freeze on council tax. I dream of having last winter’s potholes fixed before the next lot appear!

ALISON FULLARTON Lumsdaine, Eyemouth.