Annie Lennox flag controversy typifies Yes campaign’s intolerance
THE controversy over the decision of Annie Lennox to post a picture of the Union flag on Facebook, tells us all we need to know about the attitude of Nationalists towards those of us who do not agree with their views on life (“Uproar as Annie Lennox posts Union flag”, The Herald, May 27). In their dogmatic world, it is okay for ex-patriate “celebrities” such as Sir Sean Connery, Brian Cox, and Alan Cumming to link arms with local separatist stalwarts such as the Proclaimers, Elaine C Smith, Karine Polwart and Eddi Reader, to preach from on high about the benefits of breaking the Union. However, alternative opinions are shouted down in a storm of self-righteous indignation.
From the outset, such waspish tactics have typified the Yes campaign. They are right, everyone else is wrong, and woe betide anyone who puts their head above the parapet to say that Scotland may well be better off within the United Kingdom.
The irony on this occasion is that Ms Lennox actually said nothing about her preferred outcome in the referendum – she simply posted an image of the Union flag in a shop window. The Nationalists’ delusion that she intended to send subliminal messages of support to Unionists, coupled with intense levels of paranoia over this and similar issues, is more typical of the politics of Orwellian dictatorship than democracy.
Over the centuries, many attempts at nationalism across the world have been blighted with the same disregard for alternative opinion as is shown increasingly by the Yes Scotland campaign. Alex Salmond should stop playing to the gallery and start reining in the bullies. Derek Miller. Westbank, West Balgrochan Road, Torrance. I ALWAYS fly the Union flag on my flagpole as the independence supporters appear to have annexed the Saltire for their sole use, and am appalled at the vitriol that Annie Lennox has attracted for showing a photograph of one. Peter Jensen, Tigh an Abhainn, Skipness, Tarbert. I APPLAUD your leader article (“Putting a price on independence”, The Herald, May 26) for stating unequivocally that Scottish voters are entitled to know the Scottish Government’s best estimate of what the set-up costs for an independent Scotland would be and how that estimate has been calculated. Without this information any fiscal interpretation will be flawed.
The Treasury’s imminent paper, Union Dividend, will almost certainly be derided by the First Minister; just as all the other statements made about the EU, defence, pensions, currency union et al running counter to the assertions made in the Scotland’s Future White Paper are simply dismissed.
Contradictions are no substitute for clear policies. We deserve better from the Scottish Government with just over 16 weeks to go to the referendum. Ronald J Sandford, 1 Scott Garden, Kingsbarns.