YESTERDAY morning on Radio Scotland a woman taking part in the discussion regarding the Tory leadership contest (sorry, I didn’t get the name) made reference to “the nation” repeatedly. Ruth Davidson has described herself as a “one-nation Tory” and the would-be LibDem leader Jo Swinson has repeatedly said she could not work with those who want to break up the UK.

Scottish Unionist MSPs and all Unionist MPs, together with the BBC and the rest of the media circus, constantly bombard us with this propaganda, repeatedly using the words “the nation” or “the country” to describe either the United Kingdom or Great Britain. The aforesaid has got me thinking.

The UK came into being in 1603 when King James VI of Scotland ascended the throne of England to become James I of that country. Both Scotland and England remained independent, sovereign nations for the next 104 years until 1707. Surely then the United Kingdom, a monarchic not political institution, would not be broken up or dissolved if Scotland, or England come to that, became independent countries. The breaking up of the United Kingdom could only happen if either Scotland or England renounced the monarchy.

I will not go into all the skulduggery, blackmail and bribery involved, but, in 1707 The Act of Union was passed which created Great Britain and the setting up of a parliament for the said Great Britain; to help facilitate this, the Scottish Parliament was dissolved. However the English Parliament was not dissolved and became the de facto British Parliament at which Scottish members were allowed to sit. Given the fact that the English Parliament was not dissolved but only assumed the mantle of the British Parliament, it must be concluded that even now Westminster is nothing more than an English Parliament, totally dominated by English MPs paying lip service to, and dominating, the other constituent parts of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. All the above clearly shows that neither the United Kingdom nor Great Britain is a nation or a country.

The present debacle is further proof, if it were indeed needed, of the total English domination of these islands given the fact that only around 126,000 members, mostly rich and elderly, of a party that does not command a majority at Westminster and was roundly rejected by the electorate in the recent EU elections, will decide the next Prime Minister. Within that total are approximately 9,000 in Scotland, a country that rejects them every time.

Colonialism according to the Collins Dictionary is the practice by which a powerful country directly controls less powerful countries and uses their resources to increase its own power and wealth. Sounds very familiar.

Steve Brooker

via email

ANDREW Tickell is always worth a read (Here’s why the SNP should make Ruth Davidson the FM, June 16), but this seems very complex, confusing and counter-intuitive.

Perhaps Andrew was being sardonic here, but it’s really hard to follow the convoluted logic of this particular argument, ie we can get an early indyref and win independence by making Ruth Davidson First Minister. And it’s doubtful whether the electorate would understand it, or see it as anything other than cynical manoeuvring.

IF the Tories continue to refuse to accept the current mandate for a second indyref, surely the easiest and simplest thing to do would be to win a majority of pro-indy MSPs at the Holyrood 2021 elections, with an unconditional 2011-type mandate for which a clear legal and democratic precedent has been set?

If we can’t do that, fellow independenistas, then we are not yet ready to win indyref 2 ... sorry.

But I believe a 2021 mandate could be won quite easily, IF:

a) Whatever the status quo is at the time, in or out of the EU, Scots are promised their own referendum decision on EU membership in the first parliament of an independent Scotland (in, out, or Norway-style compromise), and

b) All indy parties, including the SNP, agree to adopt a “Max the YES” strategy, just as a one-off for that Holyrood election alone.

The “Max the YES” strategy is where the SNP stand unopposed by any other pro-indy party in all the constituencies and appeal for every YES vote, and the other indy parties and prominent non-aligned indy individuals stand unopposed by the SNP as a Team Scotland slate, on the list, again appealing for all YES second votes.

Independence would win big in 2021 on that basis, secure an unconditional and unquestionable mandate with the 2011 precedent behind it, and build massive momentum for an indyref 2 win in autumn 2021 or spring 2022 at the latest. Surely worth considering, no?

Steve Arnott

Inverness

I TOTALLY agree with Lesley Riddoch (June 13) in all she says about the pantomime that the establishment want us to take seriously. Thank goodness we have made the Tories irrelevant but still irritating bit players in Scotland.

I would rather be excused the desecration of The National’s pages by the pictures of Tory party leadership contestants for what Marina Hyde of The Guardian correctly termed the greatest shitshow on earth. Labour have always had the power to consign the Tory party to permanent irrelevance in opposition, just as we have in Scotland, by introducing a fair proportional representation electoral system to Westminster. Apart from the very many well documented social benefits this would bring, it would also guarantee Labour would be the major party in coalitions, sharing power forever with other progressive parties. We would never have had a referendum on EU membership and we would not have this tragic and ridiculous picture we are painting for all the world to see and scratch their heads over.

I continue to scratch my head as to why Labour refuses to seize the opportunity to send the chance of any future Tory rule to the dustbins of history. England is not a Tory country by voter numbers. In 14 of the last 15 elections the majority have voted for progressive parties, which I never fail to remind everyone would have meant no Thatcher, no Cameron, no austerity ... and this is only the short list. I plead with Labour to put the Tory party out of theirs and our miseries. Surely it is time for the dancing in the streets that this will bring on.

Tony Martin

Gullane