Labour’s task
Paris Gourtsoyannis (Scotsman 13 February) was correct when he wrote months earlier that Jeremy Corbyn’s attempt to outflank the SNP on the left was doomed to failure as the latest Scottish opinion poll published earlier this month puts the SNP 17 percentage points ahead of both Labour and Conservatives.
This is a reflection on new Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard’s clueless performances at FMQS, his failure to grasp what powers our Scottish Parliament actually has, his unworkable taxation plans, plus his silence on Mr Corbyn’s failure to adequately deal with Labour MP Hugh Gaffney’s bigoted comments.
If Labour wants to win back lost support to the SNP they need to acknowledge that Westminster economic policies plus ongoing cuts to the Scottish budget are the real causes of austerity, reductions in public services and local government finances, while campaigning for more fiscal powers for the Scottish Parliament.
Recent economic analysis by both the UK and Scottish Governments show there is no good deal to be had for Scotland following Brexit. However, replacing Theresa May with other Brexit supporters like Jacob Rees-mogg will not change this outcome so it is clear our best hope is to forge our own destiny in Europe through self-government.
MARY THOMAS Watson Crescent , Edinburgh Your report on Jeremy Corbyn’s visit to the Borders includes a comment from Joan Mcalpine saying the biggest threat to Scotland was from Brexit and that Mr Corbyn is “completely behind” Theresa May. She is right, there’s hardly a fag paper between the two leaders on Brexit and I wish they would admit this and sit down and agree a common approach to get a Brexit that suits the UK and puts an end to all the SNP spoiling tactics which are only a forlorn ruse to whip up desire for independence.
If I was in one of Mr Corbyn’s meetings, I’d be asking him what his party’s policies are for getting Scottish education back to where it was pre-1999, fixing the health service, growing the economy and building a team of politicians capable of winning the 2021 Holyrood elections and delivering this burned-out, divisive SNP government to the history books. ALLAN SUTHERLAND Willow Row, Stonehaven