DAVID Torrance (“A different referendum but the arguments are familiar”, The Herald, October 12) is right to draw attention to the confusion in the SNP's arguments anent Scotland's membership of the UK and the EU.
The SNP quite happily participated in the conspiracy of silence on the UK's membership of the EU, which was the main feature of the EU policies of all UK parties for more than 30 years. Now, it is quite hypocritical for the SNP to use the same ludicrous arguments about "loss of jobs", "isolation", "loss of markets" and so on in order to persuade Scots of the joys of EU membership, while rejecting the self-same arguments when used by Better Together to persuade Scots of the joys of UK membership. It is little wonder Fiona Hyslop could not remember whether the party line was that Scotland had to stay in the UK or the EU, in order to "maintain international influence".
Given the abuse the SNP hurled at the Labour Party for standing with the Tories in Better Together, it was surely ironic that Ms Hyslop found herself on the same side as Alistair Darling, ex-Labour MP and leader of Better Together, as she spoke in favour of the UK remaining part of the EU.
It was inevitable that trade would be high on Ms Hyslop's list of "advantages of EU membership" as the economic arguments seem to be all that matters, while the politics of membership and the loss of sovereignty are largely ignored. Instead of simply stating that Scotland does more trade with Denmark (population 5.5 million) than Australia, Canada and South Africa combined (total population 115 million) as an argument in favour of EU membership, Ms Hyslop should have been asking why this was the case, particularly in light of the ties of Commonwealth and history that Scotland shares with those countries.
Now that debate has started, the SNP will be under increasing pressure to address the inherent contradictions in its policy on the EU. I just hope it makes a better job than it did during the referendum campaign.
Jim Fairlie,
1 St Ninians, Heathcote Road, Crieff.
DAVID Cameron is wasting his time negotiating with the EU. What is the point of a better seat on a sinking ship?
Malcolm Parkin,
Gamekeepers Road, Kinnesswood, Kinross.
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