Scotland wants the EU, the EU wants us. What's stopping us?

The Herald Scotland

2 days ago

Ruth Marr, Stirling.
If only Zelenskyy were Scottish
I read Ian Lakin's support for Reform (Letters, July 16) with great sadness. Whilst I accept that Scotland, like the rest of the UK, is in a mess I cannot accept that a new right-wing party with the same background as the Tory/ Eton mess is the solution. Especially as it is led by some of the very rich southerners who led us into Brexit with many unfulfilled promises.
The UK is small but made up of four nations, the largest of which has regions, all with varying problems and needs. Only one region is suffering least and it just happens to be the seat of government, financial control, privilege and prestige – no matter which of the major parties is in control. Both these major parties and the present system of government have got us into this mess. Limited devolution, mayors in some cities and supposed levelling-out policies were just sops to every area outwith London and its neighbours. A change of governance is long overdue.
Our demise started nationwide with our big businesses not developing and modernising. Loss of trade did not affect the London investment services which dealt with worldwide business. Privatisation of public services – ultimately often acquired by foreign companies – completed our losses.
Blame ultimately must be accepted by the so-called Establishment, including our leaders of business and investment, and the parties they put into power.
The SNP and the Scottish branches of the major parties have their hands tied behind their backs by the limited fiscal and legal powers allowed to Holyrood. Further, they do not have the support of major companies and investment which Labour and, in particular, the Tories have. A wish for independence is fuelled by these facts.
Both in Westminster and Holyrood there have been many mistakes. Some are due to a desire for improvement, some caused by political bias – particularly the need to get voters' support. It is too easy for a shallow new party to promise great things – without any detail – in the present situation. Equally it is easy to be attracted to a more charismatic party leader when his opponents are rather weak, bland or wavering. Adolf Hitler and Volodymyr Zelenskyy rose to power under such conditions but only President Zelenskyy has shown honest fortitude. Oh, if only he were Scottish.
JB Drummond, Kilmarnock.
Read more letters
Patrick Harvie v Donald Trump
Patrick Harvie, somewhat repetitively and sadly predictably, urges opposition to the pending trip to Scotland of the President of the USA ("Patrick Harvie slams Swinney over plans to meet with Trump", heraldscotland, July 16), despite him visiting his successful Scottish businesses which provide much-needed employment and essential tourism income to the country.
Mr Trump has won two elections in the USA, receiving the support of 77.3 million voters in 2024. By contrast Mr Harvie has stood five times in Scottish elections – won none, finished sixth or seventh each time at the foot of the list MSPs for Glasgow, and at his highest polling received 9,077 votes in 2021. By my reckoning, that makes one Trump equal to approximately 8,500 Harvies.
In the Nationalists' search for a solution to Scottish currency, I can therefore offer them a solution. Instead of pounds and pence, the currency shall be the "Scottish Trump", subdivided into loose change in the form of low-value "Harvies" – akin to the old farthing and to be known colloquially as "Little Patricks" – and will generally lie forgotten in a jar until such times as they may amount to anything worthwhile.
Steph Johnson, Glasgow.
A lesson for Swinney
We read that Donald Trump will meet up with John Swinney during the President's tour of golf courses later this year ("First Minister to meet with President Trump during Scottish holiday", The Herald, July 16). I wonder how well that meeting is likely to go.
Mr Trump tends to have a long memory for insults and slights. He will no doubt readily recall that Mr Swinney supported his opponent during the last presidential election. Mr Trump is quick to hand out derogatory remarks but is not too keen on them when he is the recipient.
There is a lesson for "Honest John". If you are going to advise people in other countries how to vote at election time, you had better have picked the candidate who turns out to be the winner.
Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.
Will heads roll this time?
There have been repeated calls for 'heads to roll' at the BBC in recent weeks. No such calls have been made over the Afghan data breach ("Thousands relocated to UK after leak of Afghans' personal data", The Herald, July 16).
This is normal, as data breaches, secret/classified documents left (in trains, taxis or bars) by civil servants, politicians and senior military figures never lead to consequential action: indeed those involved are appalled and indignant at the very thought. Why is that?
GR Weir, Ochiltree.
Do we lack a strong leader with honest fortitude like Volodymyr Zelenskyy? (Image: PA)
Skewed priorities
May I join your correspondents (Letters, July 16) in congratulating Kevin McKenna for his splendid article ('Sandie Peggie's case against NHS Fife is more important than Supreme Court judgment', July 15), and add my thanks to Andrew Learmonth for his piece – particularly his confirmation that NHS Fife pays Isla Bumba, a twentysomething-year-old with no legal training as its 'equalities and human rights lead officer' no less than £50-59,000 per annum (no doubt with matching pension entitlement) to advise staff on gender issues ("The story so far: A brief recap of events as Sandie Peggie tribunal reopens", The Herald, July 16).
If the BMA were to campaign against nonsenses like that, they would surely gain more public support overnight for some of their other demands. How many similar positions are there throughout the UK's NHS – instead of training and employing sufficient front-line medical staff at all levels and specialities? What skewed priorities.
But it is a pity Mr Learmonth uses the inelegant and ungrammatical 'they' and its derivatives (which in some contexts are misleading or ambiguous) in relation to Dr Beth Upton, to avoid writing either he or she or 'he or she' or even 's/he'. Could our journalists as linguistic experts not by now have created an acceptable new word rather than always employing the plural form in a singular context?
John Birkett, St Andrews.
• Is it any wonder that the NHS in Scotland is in a challenging financial situation when bodies like NHS Fife can pay a twentysomething with no legal training £50k-plus per year as a 'support aid' for staff addressing concerns such as the correct pronouns to use?
I would suggest users of NHS Fife would prefer all available funds be used to support the delivery of frontline health services. How many other NHS bodies are funding roles like this across Scotland and what value are they adding?
Linda McPherson, Edinburgh.
This was hate speech
I generally don't bother reading Kevin McKenna's articles these days as I find them boring and repetitive; does he use AI to produce them? However, there were two letters today (July 16) mentioning his Tuesday article, so I went back and read it .
And, yes, more of the same from Mr McKenna: "working people" (copyright: Sir Keir Starmer) are marvellous and salt of the earth, at least as long as they share his opinions, while managers and politicians are all ignorant, incompetent grifters.
Mr McKenna writes: 'Scotland's governing class are like cockroaches.' That was the word used by Hutu politicians and commentators to describe the Tutsi minority in Rwanda, so it can safely be described as hate speech. I'm surprised to see it in The Herald.
Doug Maughan, Dunblane.