De facto indyref is the best hope for true socialists

Should a majority of voters in Scotland support these parties then the UK Government will be obliged, at the very least, to grant an immediate referendum if it is still not prepared to follow democratic principles and enter into independence negotiations (which would undoubtedly deliver progressive governance in Scotland and probably an early return to the European Union). Should the Labour Party not win a single seat in Scotland but together with the SNP represent a majority of seats within the Westminster Parliament then the Labour Party would be bound to pursue its socialist policies and replace the House of Lords with an elected second chamber of government enabling more democratic governance (hopefully including proportional representation for England and Wales after Scotland again becomes an independent country).
Stan Grodynski, Longniddry

• THERE have been two entirely predictable responses to Gordon Brown’s commission’s proposals presented by Sir Keir Starmer. L McGregor (Letters, December 6) reminds us that “the Vow devised by Gordon Brown” in 2014 was not implemented. I am confident that your readers will be aware that Mr Brown was not in power at that time and therefore cannot be held accountable for that failure.

The other suggestion from SNP and Conservative sources is that the Labour Party must “put some flesh on these bones”, the implication being there is not enough substance in them. Of course it must, following the entirely exemplary consultation it intends to carry out on these proposals prior to them being included in Labour’s manifesto.
John Milne, Uddingston

Brown will always be tainted

I FIND it unfathomable that the Labour Party should think that Gordon Brown is a selling point. Mr Brown will always be tainted with the odour of signing the cheques that paid for the illegal Iraq war, who failed to win a General Election as Prime Minister and who made a Vow at the last independence referendum which he was in no position to keep. But he gets wheeled out again as a relic from a past that you would think Sir Keir Starmer would want to forget.

As for the grand plan to abolish the House of Lords, until that actually happens, it appears that in the meantime Sir Keir will continue to nominate peers to the Lords as he has declared that "everyone wants a functioning House of Lords until it is abolished and replaced by a second chamber". However, as a token of goodwill, perhaps Sir Keir could instruct around 170 Labour peers currently occupying the red benches not to claim the hundreds of pounds of attendance allowance that can be claimed every day they turn up. That would be action, not just words, and as we all know, fine words butter no parsnips. And fine words won't abolish the House of Lords.
Ruth Marr, Stirling

Labour should follow the SNP

SIR Keir Starmer joined Gordon Brown this week in promoting plans for constitutional reform, including proposals for the abolition of the House of Lords. The current Labour leader is not the first to adopt such ideas and he will not be the last. Sir Keir’s namesake and predecessor, Keir Hardie, founder and the first parliamentary leader of the Labour Party, stated during his campaign in the 1910 General Election: "I would rather end than mend the House of Lords". The Labour Party over the last 100 years or so has managed to skirt around taking radical measures of reform with regard to this anomalous London institution.

The Labour Party will only gain credibility on this issue when it adopts a similar position to that of the SNP by declining to make any nominations.
Ian W Thomson, Lenzie

• I AM no great fan of the House of Lords, so when I heard Gordon Brown suggest that it might be replaced by a “democratically elected” second house I thought it sounded like a good idea.

Then I thought: wait a minute, we have a democratically elected UK Government and look where that has got us.
David Clark, Tarbolton

So just what is a mandate?

SIR Keir Starmer recently celebrated Kate Dixon’s win at the Chester by-election. Turnout was 41.2% and Ms Dixon secured 17,309 votes, so she received around 60% of the votes from those who voted. However almost 60% of the population didn’t actually vote. The electorate is around 74,000. So effectively more people did not vote or actually voted against Kate Dixon. I would assume however that Sir Keir believes Ms Dixon has a mandate to represent the City of Chester.

Boris Johnson won the 2019 election seeking a mandate to “Get Brexit Done”. In fact he secured an 80-seat majority. In terms of the popular vote however, this actually equated to only 43.6% of votes cast. With a turnout of 67% in the election, more people actually voted against the Conservatives in 2019 or didn’t vote at all. I cannot remember hearing the Labour Party arguing that Boris Johnson had no mandate. Sir Keir Starmer has said that the SNP winning a majority of votes in the next General Election wouldn’t provide a mandate for an independence referendum. Am I missing something?
Stuart Smith, Aberdeen

Trouble ahead for Sturgeon

THE election of Stephen Flynn ("Blow for FM as SNP MPs snub proxy in contest", The Herald, December 7) was a reasonably close-run affair. Unfortunately for Nicola Sturgeon her preferred candidate lost. At least it was not a rout, but therein lies the problem. Splits are now appearing in the previously impenetrable SNP armour and that suggests trouble ahead.

Ms Sturgeon no longer enjoys her taken-for-granted total support, hence her more contentious policies are now more vulnerable to internal party squabbles and leaks. And can she really rely on Green support when she needs it? This is inevitably when it all starts to go wrong. The sharks are sensing blood in the water.
Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

Flynn is a political novice

THE new SNP Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, became an MP in 2019 when he took Aberdeen South from the Conservatives.

He has three years' experience as an MP, is an alumnus of the University of Dundee, obtaining a MA(Hons) in the study of History & Politics and an MLitt in the study of International Politics & Security Studies.

So, no experience of real-life working in business at 34 years old. Pardon me for being old-fashioned, but he has yet to experience real life in holding down a career outside of a guaranteed income and lucrative severance package.

This is the superstar who has replaced the megastar Ian Blackford, who "voluntarily resigned". Mr Blackford must be so encouraged that such a megastar of politics shall carry on his mantle.

I look forward to Mr Flynn's debate in favour of the fight for independence that has recently been kicked into the long grass.
Peter Wright, West Kilbride

Make indy a separate issue

W MACINTYRE (Letters, December 7) asks how we can entrust the SNP with our country's future.

I think there is an immediate need to separate the independence debate from the SNP's attempts at governance. Organisations like the Common Weal have provided a more objective analysis of the issues, with possible solutions, which can be harnessed by citizens, and perhaps other political parties, to form alternative futures.
Allan McDougall, Neilston

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