Letters: Labour no longer stands up for Scotland

No member of the SNP requires lessons on internationalism from the Labour Party in Scotland, which was founded on the back of a claim for Scottish independence and which has betrayed its claim to internationalism by Tony Blair's wars and its insular protectionism over Europe and now its failure to unequivocally seek to claw down Boris Johnson's dangerous Government with his obvious desire to enrich tax haven friends (and members) at the expense of the British economy.

There was a time when I would have been proud to be British but that has long gone, buried in the current English xenophobia and the failure of too many English politicians to realise that "English" and "British" are not synonyms.

There was a time when Labour politicians stood up for the people of Scotland. Now they support Tory Unionism. I can understand the Tory Party in Scotland. Wallace, Bruce and our Thrie Estaitis found out that guile and gold can always buy its portion of the vote. There is, however, no excuse for the Scottish Labour Party, except to assume that its leaders have succumbed to the same venal ambitions as their Tory pals.

KM Campbell, Doune.

I HAVE just watched a TV clip of the wretched Richard Leonard, leader of the Labour Party in Scotland, relating how he explained to John McDonnell that the people of Scotland do not want a second independence referendum and how the SNP had promised that the first independence referendum would be a "once in a generation" event. This is two days after Lord Ashworth's poll had indicated that a majority of Scottish voters now favoured independence and this is the same Richard Leonard who, when asked how he would vote in the event of a second EU referendum, replied that he would vote Remain but that he would not campaign for a second EU referendum as he had no right to seek to overturn "the will of the people". That from a member of the Scottish Parliament, elected to represent the people of Scotland who had voted overwhelmingly to remain.

Nobody should be pigeon-holed on account of their accent or birthplace but his reference to "the will of the people" suggests that Mr Leonard, unlike myself and countless others, feels no sense of Scottish nationality. As for the "once in a generation" quote – that was one remark plucked from thousands of discussions during the referendum campaign by opponents of independence and was never presented as a policy statement by anyone on behalf of the SNP or any other organisation. I don't remember seeing any reference on the ballot paper to a "once in a generation" referendum.

Willie Maclean, Milngavie.

WE live in a political age of deliberate ambiguity or more bluntly politicians lying, obfuscating or changing their principles on a Groucho Marx basis – "If my principles don't support my arguments I have others".

We have Scottish Labour working for a second Brexit referendum but opposing a second independence referendum. In a quiet news period John McDonnell stating the obvious about a democratic majority leading to a second referendum makes headlines (McDonnell says Corbyn agrees with him on Indyref2", The Herald, August 8). The squirming of Ian Murray MP (Labour) trying to justify this Janus approach in interviews would make it to comedy on the Fringe.

Ruth Davidson has already conceded this mandate for a second independence referendum when she said in June: "If she [Nicola Sturgeon] puts it in a manifesto that she's going to hold another referendum and she wins a majority outright, then she can negotiate with the UK Government in the same way as happened last time." Ms Davidson's response to Wednesday's news about Labour supporting her position was that she "will always stand up for the United Kingdom". That may play well with ultra-Unionists but less so with the majority of Scottish Conservatives who put Scotland's best interests first but also conclude Scotland benefits most by progressive devolution within the UK.

What is apparent is that Scottish branches of both Labour and Conservatives are on a different page to their federal organisations and on a path to their own independence. That can only be good for Scotland.

James Robb, Helensburgh.

IS there room, one must wonder, for another spineless politician or two in Nicola Sturgeon’s back pocket? She has already the hapless and obedient Patrick Harvie resident there, but I am sure John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn could be squeezed in if she tried.

I am thankful my staunchly Labour and long-dead father did not live to see this day.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh EH6.

COUNCILLOR Alasdair Rankin’s letter (August 8) helps to highlight the plight of the less well-off in society, who as Cllr Rankin highlighted, pay taxes in various ways including 20 per cent VAT. For low earners this VAT represents a much greater burden on their lower incomes than those with much more disposable wealth. The Scottish Government in introducing "progressive taxation" is clearly aiming to tackle the disproportionate burden on the lowest earners by asking higher earners to pay a little more. Progressive taxation is the only way forward for any society aiming to become a socially just society.

Catriona C Clark, Falkirk.

SCANNING the anti-independence correspondence in these Brexit days and months I’m a wee bitty confused.

Now my late, very late, history teacher made us consider then categorise the reigns of past kings and queens as “Good or Bad Things”. So, when in 2014 we were told that if we voted Yes to independence then we would be thrown out of Europe that would be a “Bad Thing”. Now that we are being dragged out of Europe despite having voted 62 per cent Remain we are told independence and being a member of the EU is a “Bad Thing”.

So here’s my problem: Scotland out of the EU, "Bad Thing”, Scotland in Europe “Bad Thing”. According to my late history teacher both can’t be right. By the way, if no hard border with Northern Ireland why argue problems for Scotland (not England mind you) with a hard border?

Christine Grahame, SNP MSP, the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.