The case for remaining in this Union is lost

Pamela Nash( Perspective, December 2) says it’ s important to bring people together in the face of unprecedented challenge. But that’s not what’s happened under the Tories. The rabid English nationalists and Brexiteers who dominate the Tor y government are showing what a sham this union is.

Did Ms Nash forget that Scotland is being dragged from the EU in a matter of days when it voted overwhelmingly to remain in the world’s most successful supranational trading bloc?

The economic consequences, combined with the impact of Covid, will be catastrophic, but the Tories don’t care. They are ram ming through the devolution-wrecking Internal Market Bill over the objections of all three devolved governments, reimposing Westminster control over every aspect of our lives, gutting our environmental, food, education, and labour standards, and privatising our health service.

The UK’S economy is abysmal and will worsen. Years of austerity have left millions in poverty and now the Tories want to reintroduce this disastrous policy by freezing public sector pay. The UK has the worst growth in the G20, the meanest state pension in the OECD, falling wages, a stratospheric government debt, a failing banking system, an historically weak pound, and the third worst Covid death rate in the world.

The case for remaining in this union is lost.

LEAH GUNN BARRETT Merchiston Crescent, Edinburgh

A great effort

As the vaccine is soon to be rolled out across the UK, Scotland's First Minister refused, of course, to acknowledge and appreciate the hard work of the Westminster Government in securing the vaccine and the extraordinary efforts being made for the plans to transport it across the United Kingdom.

It actually fell to Linda Bauld, Professor of Public Health at Edinburgh University, to thank the UK Government and acknowledge the fact that the UK were the first country to roll out a vaccine.

It is quite shocking that Sturgeon's bitterness continues to be part of our daily media. It is embarrassing for all Scots when their First Minister cannot even bring herself to say a simple “Thank You”.

It’s time Scots stopped allowing one woman's obsession with breaking up the UK to damage the reputation of Scotland.

PAULINE EGGERMONT Drummond Place, Inverness

Set a date

With vaccines now available, the Government should set a definite date for the end of all Covid-19 rules and restrictions.

Businesses need to know where they stand and we all need to be able to plan for the future. Once vaccines have been made available to all who desire them, which should be a few months from now, complete normality should return.

Those choosing not to be vaccinated can take their chances. If the Scottish Government has been as reluctant as it claim store strict our freedoms so dramatically, it should be champing at the bit now, eager to put it all behind us. Set a date.

RICHARD LUCAS Leader of The Scottish Family Party, Glasgow

Green costs

It is incredible that, with less than a year to COP26, Grant Frazer (Letters, December 2) can raise the topic of Indyref2 without a single reference to the costs of a Green Revolution in S cotland. Can he explain how the Economic Secretary can agree to implement all the findings of the repor t by the Climate Emergency Response Group without a single mention of how the £150 billion debt will be repaid?

IAN MOIR Castle Douglas

Letter of the law

I wish Brian Bannatyne Scott every success in his efforts to learn Gaelic through the medium of Duolingo (Letters, December 3). However, he is incorrect in his assertion that Gaelic was “prohibited after the '45”. The Proscription Act and Dress Act, passed in 1746, outlawed private armies and the bearing of arms, and the wearing of Highland dress by adult males, but the Gaelic language was not prohibited, and indeed, was not mentioned in the legislation.

ROBERT CAIRNS Harrietfield, Perth

Where’s the cash?

As 2021 approaches, the media are indicating to us that the SNP is becoming more popular than at any time since the 2014 Referendum. The corona virus outbreak has put enormous strain on the economies of most countries worldwide, including that of the UK. The Chancellor of the Exchequer and his team have done a truly marvellous job in containing the risk to the UK Economy at the present time, and for future years.

From whence, therefore, we ought to enquire of the SNP administration in Scotland, would an independent Scotland have found the financial resources to combat the threat to its economy from the scourge of Covid-19? Just for once, is it possible that we might get an admission from Nicola Sturgeon that it was very fortunate that we had the strength of the UK economy behind us? There is certainly no record of Sturgeon or the SNP refusing the hand- outs from the Exchequer.

Most emphatically the answer to the current political standoff is quite simple – the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland must remain as an entity.

ROBERT I G SCOTT Northfield, Ceres, Fife

Ts & Cs

The SNP has blamed everyone other than themselves for the demise of the Bifab yard in Fife( your report, December 2).

However, Sean Power and Jason Fudge of the Canadian company DF Barnes and owners of Bifab, bluntly told MSPS on Holyrood's Economy committee that energy giants must be forced to guarantee work to firms in Scotland for turbines located in Scotland.

As Mur do Fraser pointed out, SNP Economy Secretary Fiona Hislop sought to deflect the criticism, claiming that EU State Aid rules prevented this.

It is patently obvious that EU members have been circumnavigating the State Aid rules with impunity. France did so 51 times by providing unlawful tax breaks and other EU countries used smoke and mirrors to secure jobs for their country. The Scottish Government must ensure that planning applications for wind turbines in Scotland have a legally binding condition that Scottish companies manufacture the components and that they are erected with a Scottish or UK workforce.

CLARK CROSS Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Note of caution

The news on the vaccine front is encouraging, but when our Government grants legal immunity to the first US drugs company producing one, some patience over timing to ensure it is the best would seem wise.

With the American Pfizer/biontech vaccine having to be transported and stored at -70 C and involving two doses, surely the Astra Zeneca Oxford’ s vaccine’ s need for only standard ref rig erat ion and it being not-forprofit aspects are factors in its favour? When it comes to competent Government those embarrassments over PP E equipment with its costs and profits should send a cautionary message.

JIM CRAIGEN Downie Grove, Edinburgh

Trade troubles

We were told by Brexiteers that a US trade deal would be one of the early benefits of leaving the EU and its customs union, although the economic value of such a deal and the likelihood that agriculture could be left off the table were both questioned. Over the past four years we were constantly assured the UK was closing in on a trade deal with Donald Trump but a deathly silence descended over what might happen if the Joe Bid en administration made it to the White House. Any special relationship we may like to think we had with the USA is long gone and never included trade.

(DR) JOHN CAMERON Howard Place, St Andrews

Divorce bill

Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t seem to understand how divorces work. When asked by Rob - ert Peston if the UK being the first to administer a vaccine showed the benefits of being part of the Union, she said that “we would probably still choose to work together on things like drugs and vaccine approval, because it makes sense to do that given our geography”.

There is an assumption that the other side would wish to work with Scotland after separation; geography and demographics are what makes the Union work now. Scotland receives £1,633 more per capita than the UK average, which is possible due to the high GDP per capita in London and the south east of England. We are stronger and richer due to the Union. When the SNP talk of leaving the United Kingdom while still expecting the benefits thereof, it reminds me of the young lad who decides he wants to be independent by leaving home but still needs mum and dad to help pay his rent and comes home to use the washing machine. That’s not how it works in the grownup world, Ms Sturgeon.

JANE LAX Aberlour

Interrogate data

The higher Scottish death rates revealed on the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday were alarming, particularly when Scotland has a lower case rate than England.

A greater proportion of Covid deaths occur in care homes than in England and this may partly explain the higher deaths. Is everything possible being done top revent these outbreaks? Are all care home staff being regularly and routinely tested? Given the great damage restrictions cause to the economy and society, it would seem imperative to learn all possible from the emerging data to help improve management of the epidemic, allowing the draconian lockdown measures to be reserved for use as a last resort.

HELEN BROWN Alnwickhill Road, Edinburgh