Brexit? Nul points

I hope the people of Peeblesshire are paying attention and will remember recent events come the next general election. No one can claim the Brexit process has been anything but a shambles. The worst part is that Scotland has had no input at all despite having a seat at the cabinet table.

Our MP David Mundell, the supposed Secretary of State for Scotland, has a lot of nerve remaining in office. He promised he would bring amendments to the Brexit Bill but failed to submit a single one. He assured us there would be adequate debate In his letter of 26 November Mr James Stevenson is concerned that, after Brexit, sportsmen may no longer be able to participate in various European Championships.

Surely of more concern is the prospect that we will be prevented from taking part in the Eurovision Song Contest! DOUGLAS ROBERTSON

Fowler Place, Polmont, Stirlingshire

pensioners (including at The Scotsman) was raised in the Scottish Parliament at First Ministers Questions last week. Their pensions may not be fully protected as they will now become the responsibility of the UK’S Pension Protection Fund.

Of course, this couldn’t have happened if the Acquired Rights Directive (better known in the UK as TUPE ) of the EU had covered pensions, as the European Parliament originally wanted. I know because I was the MEP who took it through the Parliament and got a big majority for the directive.

Sadly, when it got to the Council of Ministers all references to pensions were removed at the initiative of the British Government, which was president of the EU at the time, and it was a Labour government led by Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Sadly, there was little Nicola Sturgeon could say to reassure pensioners, since pensions are a reserved Westminster issue. Of course, with the possibility of Brexit, all of the protections of EU directives are likely to be under threat from a Tory government.

So my conclusion is that only by taking charge of our own affairs in Scotland can we protect workers and pensioners rights.

Given the shambles that is Brexit, it is time that Ms Sturgeon called the referendum on independence agreed by the Scottish Parliament and give people a real choice on the kind of society we want to live in.

HUGH KERR (MEP 1994-99)

Wharton Square, Edinburgh