Sturgeon wrong to accuse May of shameful treatment of EU citizens living in UK
In her speech at the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yet again conjured up the image of a Westminster government driven by antieuropean Union xenophobia and treating EU citizens living in Britain in the “most shameful“way. She claimed that Scotland wants no part of this and stands against the far-right.
Is the self-proclaimed “Chief Mammy“wagging an admonishing finger at the 1,018,322 Scottish Leave voters, many of whom were actually SNP and independence supporters? Does she want to brand them all as racist, right-wing and betraying the nationalist narrative of the “good Scot“who supports independence and votes Remain?
As far as the treatment of EU citizens living in the UK is concerned, if this was a reference to the EU Settlement Scheme it should be noted that British citizens living in Germany are treated in a similar way: they will have to register at the Foreigner Registration Office in order to retain their rights if they wish to stay in Germany after Brexit – a process mirroring the one for EU nationals in the UK.
Would Nicola Sturgeon even contemplate accusing the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, of anti-british xenophobia and of creating a “despicable“hostile environment for British citizens living in Germany?
REGINA ERICH Willow Row, Stonehaven
Nicola Sturgeon again condemns “Theresa May’s despicable hostile environment” and again ignores the facts that Mrs May referred to “illegal”, not all, immigrants; and that the phrase “hostile environment” was first used in 2007 by Labour’s immigration minister Liam Byrne, and later reinforced by Labour’s shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in March 2013 when accusing David Cameron’s government of not taking strong enough action.
She also avers that our treatment of EU citizens since the Brexit referendum is “shameful” – a grotesque exaggeration. Again, the blame for EU immigrant harassment lies with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, who refused to implement the seven-year pause permitted by the EU on immigration from new member states in eastern Europe, thereby opening our borders to large numbers in only a few years. Likewise, blame for the Windrush debacle (more cock-up than conspiracy) lies with all governments onwards from Attlee’s in the 1940s.
But of course, we realise that Sturgeon hopes to become Labour’s new best friend at the next general election.
JOHN BIRKETT Horseleys Park, St Andrews