Humiliating blow for Nicola’s hopes
IT IS no surprise that the Supreme Court has ruled the Scottish parliament cannot hold an advisory referendum on independence without permission. The window of opportunity for the prospect of Indyref 2 has now been blown to pieces as it is perfectly legal and democratic for the UK government to block this. Scottish nationalists may make all sorts of statements about the UK being undemocratic – but this is obviously untrue. Even though Scotland is a country, it is not a sovereign nation state and cannot suppose that it has the rights of one. The fact that the parts of the UK are called countries is quite immaterial. The de facto referendum joins closing the educational attainment gap and dealing with drug deaths on the list of attention-grabbing pronouncements not fully thought through. The worst part of the independence obsession has been the wasted millions of taxpayers’ cash Nicola Sturgeon has spent to establish in law what we all knew already: the Scottish parliament cannot rule on reserved issues. This result could well see Nicola Sturgeon’s political career near its end after her complete humiliation.
Andrew hogg, Burntisland, fife. THE next Scottish election will be the general election and I will use my vote for the person who I think will make a good MP for my constituency. No one has the right to use my vote for some hidden independence agenda and I will make that clear on the voting paper.
DENNIS FORBES GRATTAN, ABERDEEN. UNIONISTS should not be overly concerned about the First Minister trying to save her skin by announcing a de facto referendum passed off as a UK general election. why? The politician in charge of arrangements is none other than Angus Robertson, who was responsible for the census farce. Perhaps Unionists should play the SNP at its own game by asking the Supreme Court to rule on the legality of the creation of a new type of UK election? Isn’t such a change a constitutional matter and therefore reserved to westminster? doesn’t it disenfranchise those who abstain in fear of their vote being seen as backing the SNP?
GRAHAM WYLLIE, greengairs, lanarkshire.