Give us a government focused on making Holyrood a success

IF ever proof were needed that the Growth Commission report was toxic for the rank and file nationalists and a new “cause celebre” was urgently required to deflect attention away from its doom and gloom predictions look no further than the contrived stunt at Westminster (“SNP to use guerrilla tactics to thwart May government”, The Herald June 14). The spectacle of the faux rage by the SNP MPS at Westminster with the staged walkout along with the smiling selfies must strike a new low for the nationalist cause.

Rather than grab the opportunity of the 134 new powers coming to Holyrood (with 24 temporary retained to protect the internal market where we conduct 65 per cent of our trade) the SNP shows little interest – after all Nicola Sturgeon did say independence “transcends” Brexit, oil and the economy. The sooner we have a government in power at Holyrood that is focused on jobs, growth and making a success of existing and the new devolved powers coming to Holyrood the better.

Ian Lakin,

Pinelands,

Murtle Den Road, Milltimber, Aberdeen.

THE SNP has long justified its taxpayer-funded jaunts to Westminster – a parliament it wishes to disown – as being necessary in order to “stand up for Scotland” and to give “Scotland a voice”. However, its petty and futile departure from Prime Minister’s Questions and subsequent missed question opportunities demonstrate that stirring up constitutional bedlam far overshadows and swamps the wishes and hopes of its constituents. Unless the SNP starts focusing more on the ever-deteriorating state of Scotland’s public services then frankly “standing up for Scotland” is nothing more than a vacuous soundbite.

Grant Mackin,

189 Merry Street, Motherwell.

AM I missing something? The SNP government is demanding all EU powers be returned immediately, yet asked for a three year delay in implementing their current powers over welfare payments. On the one hand, Westminster is accused of a power grab and, on the other, asked to retain powers for a bit longer because it is all too difficult for them.

This makes no mention of the perpetually late payments to Scottish farmers who must be dreading the thought of more control of agriculture for the current incumbents in Holyrood.

Carole Ford,

132 Terregles Avenue, Glasgow.

THE Secretary of State for Scotland has stated that Tuesday’s contemptible behaviour towards Scotland by Her Majesty’s Government and the House of Commons were consistent the with the constitution that people voted for in 2014. I am not at all sure that he is correct.

In 2014 the electorate of Scotland voted within the context of continuing membership of the European Union. I voted as an elector having rights in Scots Law, UK Law, and European Law. The Bill before the Commons yesterday seeks to deprive me of my rights under European and Scots Law. That most certainly is not consistent with the constitution on which I voted in 2014 but is assuredly consistent with the English legal principle of absolute parliamentary sovereignty which still arrogates despite centuries of suffrage reform.

If David Mundell cannot understand this, what exactly is he for other than to be our Governor General?

KM Campbell,

Bank House, Doune.

WELL, well, who would have seen that coming? Theresa May and her gang of little Englanders, aided and abetted by the totally discredited shower masquerading as Her majesty’s Opposition, ride roughshod over the devolution settlement and the will of the Scottish Parliament, making crystal clear the contempt in which they hold the elected representatives and people of Scotland.

When will we learn that this mob are not to be trusted. and having an utterly supine Secretary of State for Scotland is just the icing on a very rancid cake?

You may detect a hint of frustration in my tone.

Forbes M Dunlop,

Dorchester Court, Glasgow.

I WAS appalled at the wanton disrespect shown by SNP MPS to the Mother of Parliaments in pursuit of their narrow nationalism and at the support shown for this by the so-called Scottish Parliament.

Nationalists must realise that Mother Knows Best and that Holyrood always was and always will be subservient to Westminster and the interests of England and the UK as a whole.

Despite recent building programmes, Edinburgh still has a dearth of student flats and tourist accommodation. Perhaps this might be a more suitable use for the Scottish Parliament building than as an adventure playground for revolting Scots?

John Eoin Douglas,

7 Spey Terrace, Edinburgh. THE position of the Tories has always been clear. They were opposed to devolution in 1979 and again in 1997.

As some of them warned, the devolved Parliament provided the Scottish people with experience and confidence in the art of selfgovernment and eventually became the launching pad for an independence referendum.

The only reason David Cameron ever allowed the Scottish Government to hold this referendum was that he misread the situation. He imagined No would sweep the board, thus weakening the independence movement for the foreseeable future.

After the alarmingly narrow No victory it was predictable that the Tories would start dismantling devolution with a view to abolishing Holyrood outright and restoring direct (most often Tory) rule from London. Brexit has given them an excuse to make a start on repossessing the powers; there’s no constitutional or electoral barrier to their removing the rest.

The position of Labour is less clear. In 1979 it was divided on devolution. In 1997 the No faction including Robin Cook (who according to the late Tam Dalyell was the real instigator of the “40 per cent rule”) were silenced.

Was this because after Margaret Thatcher Labour wanted to protect Scotland from the harm the Tories could inflict on people who had never voted for them and never would? Or was it because it envisaged the Scottish Parliament as a cosy powerbase for Labour for decades to come? And when it hasn’t turned out that way, maybe some (who were primarily interested in a seat in Westminster and ultimately in the House of Lords) have lost their enthusiasm for the Scottish Parliament. Labour’s abstention on the crucial matter of the Tory powergrab is revealing.

Mary Mccabe,

25 Circus Drive, Glasgow.