ANDY Maciver gives us a wee history lesson about the Tories' fairly recent past ("For Scotland's Tories, the challenge is to stay alive", The Herald, July 26). Let me go a bit further back: my mother (born 1919) was a fairly typical (working-class) Scottish Tory voter of her generation. She shared a widespread belief that Scottish Tories fought for what used to be called "the “Scottish interest”, but she and many others of her generation slowly stopped voting for them when they became perceived as no longer doing so.

There was a long lead time to this, but certainly by the end of the 1960s the Tories were being widely regarded in Scotland as an “English” party, this largely pre-dating the rise of the SNP (most significantly in the Tories' Scottish heartlands of the north-east and south-west).

If Sir Keir Starmer can refer to Labour as “England’s patriotic party”, should it not be an aspiration for the Scottish Tories to be “Scotland’s patriotic party”? Of course that would require a whole sea change of attitude and perspective, and it’s hard to discern any present Tory leadership aspirant who could convincingly do this, or even want to do this. Until then they will be on life-support.

GR Weir, Ochiltree.

A five-year challenge

KEIR Starmer has got five years to persuade this supporter of independence to change his mind. My fundamental belief is that it's not for Scotland to show why and how it can become independent, but for Westminster to show why the Union is the route to a prosperous Scotland. All the evidence of my lifetime is that the UK has reached the end of its usefulness as far as Scotland is concerned. It is now a ball and chain on our prosperity.

So far the signs aren't good: looking at the front bench at last Wednesday's PMQs was disturbingly reminiscent of the Tory front bench of a few weeks ago. The same smug self-satisfied faces; the same hard line on the two-child cap; the same sneers and smug quips, but with the added brutality of Stalinist suppression of dissent from the back benches.

If, in five years' time, Scotland is back inside the single market, freedom of travel to our nearest friends and neighbours has been restored, my grandchildren can join the Erasmus scheme, and maybe even the NHS is functioning to the extent that I can walk without pain, then I will seriously consider changing my mind. We're only three weeks into the next chapter of the UK's political evolution, but already the Tories are regrouping, and Keir Starmer will soon be minding his Ps and Qs so as not to upset the City and Shires. And five years isn't a long time in politics.

John Jamieson, Ayr.

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Relying on fantasies

MARK McGeoghegan’s analysis of the SNP’s future independence strategy is absolutely correct ("“SNP must choose between governing or campaigning”, The Herald, July 26). Following the humiliation of the SNP at the General Election, the barriers to independence appear to be currently insurmountable.

The abysmal performance of the SNP Government over the last 17 years has not helped the secessionist cause. Failures in education, NHS, business, transport, police and social care compounded by sleaze and nepotism indicate governance of incompetence and ineptitude. The ability and quality of the individuals responsible for this situation has to be questioned.

The independence argument is further compromised by the overwhelming absence of any coherent economic plan. What is the strategy to overcome Scotlands crippling fiscal and trade deficits? How would a central bank be funded to support a Scottish currency?

Until these problems are solved any revival of the independence cult will have to rely on the fantasies of Braveheart and Brigadoon.

James Quinn, Lanark.

Visiting Scotland? Are you sure?

IAN McConnell’s recent article ("Scotland's Tartan Army Germany Euro 2024 help for tourism", heraldscotland, July 10) reported that the conduct of the Tartan Army at the recent Euros in Germany “has translated into huge opportunities to promote Scotland as a top tourist destination”.

Whilst delighted to welcome visitors to these shores I feel it is only fair to give them some pre-travel advice on what they should expect on their visit to Scotland.

First, entry to Scotland either by plane or train will be a time-consuming process as their European passports no longer allow automatic entry. Passports will have to be inspected and border control is woefully undermanned, so they will have to be patient.

Arriving by train or trying to travel by train when here adds further stress as there is no guarantee that the trains will be running.Visitors will also notice a difference in the ride quality when they emerge from the Channel Tunnel.

Having arrived in Glasgow or Edinburgh they will find many pubs and restaurants closed on a Monday and Tuesday.

A decision to go shopping on the famous thoroughfares will not live up to expectations as a vast number of the well-known shops and arcades have now closed down being no longer financially viable. Many shop doorways will be filled with homeless street sleepers.

Similarly, a decision to explore attractions on foot needs caution as rats infest the litter-strewn streets. This may be the visitors' first glimpse of Scottish wildlife…rewilding or what?

If the next stage is to get to and explore the Scottish Highlands by car do not expect to get there by free-flowing autobahn. The two main roads north are essentially two-lane highways and treacherous.

Leaving the main roads visitors will have to take care as minor roads are riddled with potholes or frequently closed due to subsidence.

Having got to the scenic bits visitors will want to stop at picnic areas or viewing points. They should tread carefully as we Scots don’t really go in for clearing up our litter and mess so the unwary visitor may encounter all nature of items and toxic substances as they take in the scenery.

If an unfortunate visitor is robbed and goes looking for a police officer they are unlikely to find one walking the streets and even if successful the police officer will not be able to assist without video or other evidence.

Scotland to a large extent is a beautiful country with spectacular scenery and architecture and a great cultural history which has fallen in to decline as a result of government negligence and mismanagement and so at the end of their trip visitors may wonder how the Tartan Army can be so cheerful and generally biddable when abroad.

Maybe they are just enjoying a two-week break from the deprivations of their normal life at home?

Keith Swinley, Ayr.

Can Labour convert independence supporters in the next five years?Can Labour convert independence supporters in the next five years? (Image: PA)

Too many solo dwellers

SINCE my letter to The Herald of July 11, suggesting that it might be time to abolish the 25% reduction in council tax for single-occupant households, there have been numerous responses in print and online. However, not one of these addressed the main issue I raised, which was that the increase in single occupancy, now 37% and still growing, is the main reason for the current housing emergency in Scotland.

Most of the negative responses (presumably from single occupants) were concerned with various aspects of the unfairness of the present, or my proposed, council tax system, and there were suggestions that it should be changed to a local income tax, or that all adults in a household should pay the same levy. Such suggestions, if implemented, would almost certainly increase the number of single occupancies even further. If you were property-rich but income-poor you would pay less local income tax, so why move out of your large property? Or, if every adult occupant were to pay the same, then there would be no benefit in sharing a house. While both suggestions may have a little logic and perhaps be fairer to some of those concerned, where is the fairness for the ever-growing number of families who can't find somewhere to live because too many houses, sometimes perfect family homes, are being monopolised by solo dwellers?

Although the number of houses in Scotland has increased (15% higher today than in 2002) the average household size continues to decrease (now down to 2.12 people), so how can new house building ever keep up with this trend? In addition, annual housing completions are at least 25% below generally-agreed national requirements. There are simply not enough houses, there are unlikely to ever be enough, and of those that exist too many are under-occupied.

Something must be done to encourage a reduction in the number of 885,000 homes which are single-occupancy and not designed specifically for solos, and also the countless other houses which are under-occupied, in order to free-up homes for families in need. If ending the 25% reduction of council tax paid by solos, which would at least help to discourage single occupancy as a lifestyle choice, is not the answer, then what is? I challenge readers to come up with a local tax solution which also helps to tackle the vastly important issue of the housing shortage.

Roddy MacLeod, Edinburgh.