Union praised

The response to the coronavirus pandemic has shown the strength of the union is “undeniable”, says Steve Barclay, Chief Secretary to the Treasury.

“One of the most successful countries” – how do you measure that? Too poor to fix potholes, way behind on physical and technological infrastructure, £2 trillion national debt. Successful, you say!

Rod Frazer

A wee bit wide of the mark, Mr Barclay. Ridicule has descended upon the UK. Brought unjustly upon a Scotland which votes in the opposite direction to England. On Europe, on immigrants, on social policy.

Garrick Maguire

We are British and we were never considered European until we joined the EU. So glad we are out of it. Scotland is our country but we are part of the British Isles and although we are Scottish we are also British.

Margo Croal If the strength of the union is undeniable then why do the Tories insist on universal credit, austerity and why are we not in the EU? That was a good union.

David Noble

The EU may have been “a good union” when the UK was a part of it and was a major net contributor. I wonder if Greece feels like it has been “a good union”?

Cameron Mcleod

Imagine the austerity that independence would bring. What services would you cut first?

Susan Fremantle The Conservatives did not take us out of Europe... the UK population did.

Alan Mtk This is the biggest mistake that SNP and pro-indy campaigners make. People like myself and many others are not Tory-lovers and some of us don’t even vote for any party. For years the SNP have run an us-andthem campaign to stoke up support for their indy dream. I see no economic case for independence and it will take more than a hatred of the Tories and Westminster to convince people.

Charlie Duncan Scotland will thrive more as part of the EU.

Sianita Maritra So in the EU would just be Scotland with one vote along with all these other countries. They make decisions just like the UK and you would have to accept the euro, hand back fishing. Sounds like worse than we have at present.

Bernard Battles

What benefits... the benefits of a colony!

Billy Lamb

The rest of the UK is Scotland’s best customer and indeed I think the Grampian region alone supplies about two-thirds of its food needs.

Diarmuid Sweeney

There are many failings of the UK government but massively supporting Scotland through furlough etc is not one of them. Wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

Simon Jones If we had our independence we could have handled the pandemic in a much better way. With the fiscal levers open to us we could have really looked after our population, including all those good ole Blighty left out, the self-employed, the arts and many more.

Sandy Mclachlan

Spiders are the best, no bother and keep damaging pests under control. Leave a wee toilet paper ladder in your bath when not in use and you’ll never need to deal with one.

Chris Walls Cats are long-sighted so actually not particularly adept at spider-culling!

Colin Andrews

Brian Ross

Am so lucky down in Yorkshire that so far in my two years here the big-bodied spiders seem to keep themselves very hidden and we only seem to get the orangey-coloured tiny-bodied spiders with incredibly long legs that don’t chase you or jump at you like the big ones do!

Samerys Camshron

I hate these ugly little feckers. Anyone got any tips that they have tried that actually works? I honestly have the fear.

Shelly Allan Wilson Put the rent up!

Paul Johnston I like spiders. Think they’re fascinating.

Nicola Windsor I welcome them – they eat moths, beetles etc. Worth it for the odd moment when one scurries past.

Debbie Willis