Reinforcing the case for Independence

Reinforcing the case for independence
Your Letters (Herald)
November 08 2006

THE latest ramblings from Tony Blair on why Scotland should not be independent reveal more arguments for independence. He declares that because we share a currency we shouldn't be independent – does that mean Germany and France are one country since they both share the euro?

He then goes on about sharing armed forces – yes, we've noticed how all the Scottish regiments were amalgamated and seem to serve more time fighting Blair's illegal wars than any other troops. Is he not aware that most people in Scotland are against wasting £25bn on a replacement for Trident?

And as for sharing a social security system – how is this a benefit when one in four pensioners are living in poverty yet the gap between the rich and the poor has increased since Blair and Brown took over?

So thanks, Tony, for reinforcing the argument for independence.

Kenny MacLaren, 2 Avondale Drive, Paisley.

It seems that sinister strings are already being pulled from above in the battle for Holyrood next year. After his mild remarks along the lines that independence might not mean the end of civilisation, Cardinal O'Brien pops up again after "briefings" with leading Labourites, to question the cost of taking our country back.

Then the supposedly neutral US Consul, Lucy Vickers, claims that an independence referendum would be held in 100 days of the SNP taking power. The only other figure claiming this is Tony Blair, so it is obvious where this nonsense comes from.

SNP policy is to publish a bill for a referendum within 100 days and to let people choose independence or not in a referendum after a national debate. Aren't the UK and US supposedly in Iraq and Afghanistan to establish exactly this type of freedom of choice?

What are they afraid of?

Gavin Fleming, 517 Webster's Land, Edinburgh.

[Good letters - JOE]