Family of nations is quickly forgotten

WHAT nonsense is written by Dr Roger Cartwright, Colin Hamilton and others (Letters, 31 October) in response to Nicola Sturgeon’s reasonable advocacy of a veto by Scotland in the case of a vote to leave the EU being fuelled by a majority in England.

They are obviously content to assume that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are regions of England.

The Republic of Ireland, a country of around 3.5 million people, has the right of veto on certain EU proposals despite the representatives of the other 300 million voting in favour.

The Prime Minister referred repeatedly to the UK being a “family of nations” during the Scottish referendum campaign (it is clear that in politics, campaign “cliches” are soon forgotten).

He has also declared on many occasions that he would canvas strenuously for an “In” vote.

Rather than a veto, perhaps one vote for each of the four nations following their own referendums would be the fairest way of dealing with the issue. percentages which also demonstrate that the margin of victory was greater at 10.6 per cent, not 10 per cent.

It also has the added advantage of preventing the use of the emotive words “We are the 45”. “We are the 44.7” is more accurate but does not of course have the same resonance!

Point of view

Friars Brae Linlithgow FOR sheer effrontery, Colin Hamilton takes the biscuit. Braid Farm Road

Edinburgh

Stan Grodynski (Letters, 31 October) suffers from that chronic SNP disease of selective amnesia when he describes Jim Murphy continuing to wear his egg-splattered shirt after being attacked during the referendum campaign. However, he forgot to mention that the same Jim Murphy was seen wearing a blood-splattered shirt after heroically helping to rescue badly injured people from the Clutha Bar in Glasgow.

The man who wrote endless letters to saying that a Yes vote would condemn Scotland to an extended period excluded from the EU is now perfectly relaxed with the prospect of Scotland being taken from it, potentially against the wishes of the majority of its citizens.

In the face of the utter contempt shown by the UK government and its Tory backbenchers for Scotland since the referendum I wonder what it would take for folk of this ilk to rediscover their pride.

Elsewhere in the letters column (same day) Roger Cartwright exhibits a selec- tive interpretation of the Edinburgh Agreement. I don’t remember any howls of protest from pro-Union supporters when the UK government threw its agreement to abide by the purdah period out of the window and made a major policy concession in the shape of the now infamous vow.

Dr Cartwright also claims that Nicola Sturgeon shows contempt for democracy by attempting to have the wishes of the minority imposed on the majority.

However, with the latest poll showing that 58 per cent of the electorate intend to vote for independence- supporting parties, that could become a moot point. people in Scotland have mental health problems that are so significant they impact on their daily lives. Timely access to healthcare is therefore vital.

However, figures indicate that the vast majority of health boards are failing to meet a 26week waiting time target for those looking for treatment from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), and are therefore clearly at risk of missing a Scottish Government target of an 18-week waiting time, which comes into force next month.

In addition, figures published by the Mental Welfare Commission indicate that the number of children being admitted to non-specialist units such as adult and paediatric wards has increased from 177 last year to 202, meaning they may not be getting the support required.

It is also worth noting that there is no secure/locked provision in Scotland for under-18s and no units for those with severe learning disabilities.

Those with forensic needs or challenging behaviour and learning disability are sometimes sent to units in England.

As the number of referrals increases, and the number of child and adolescent psychiatrists falls, the cost and impact of mental health conditions have not by and large been reflected by an increased investment in the Scottish mental health services.

We are at a crisis point and high level strategic management is required in order to get a grip on the situation and make these services fit for purpose.

The Scottish Government, local authorities and NHS Health Boards must act now before this situation gets any worse. Derby Street

Edinburgh NICOLA Sturgeon has called for unanimity from the constituent parts of the UK in any EU referendum. The idea has some appeal. If we have another referendum on independence, I suppose it could be argued that the “Sturgeon Principle” could be equally applied across the various regions of Scotland. But the referendum is over. It’s time for political games to stop. Belford Mews

Edinburgh