However, her statement that Scotland could have done likewise if only independence had been won in the 1970s has to be challenged, even by a political agnostic like me.
Given the Scottish Government’s track record on a range of issues – the ill-thought-out replacement of regional police forces by a unitary force; the inability to tackle in any meaningful way the drugs crisis in our cities, towns and villages; the ever-worsening performance of our NHS (despite the efforts of those who work in it); ditto for education; the failure to protect the rights of women and, indeed, to allow the prosecution of women who act in accordance with the law – then we can at least question whether the situation would have been any better had a Scottish government been in power. Other matters such as the ferry fiasco, the state of our roads, the failure to dual the A9, the ongoing investigation into the alleged misuse of funds by the ruling party in Scotland should at least make us think.
The fact is that we have been let down by “leaders” across the political spectrum in the UK for a very long time. We need people of vision, people who can find solutions to the problems that we face, people who don’t pursue personal agendas or bend with the particular wind that blows at any given time. In reality, we’ll likely get more of the same.
The More In Common Holyrood 2026 voting intention poll published last Thursday put the SNP at 37% in the constituency vote with Labour in second place on 17%. The SNP was also well ahead in the regional list vote with its projected 32% equalling Labour and Reform combined. This runaway lead must surely be interpreted as a ringing endorsement of the Scottish Government’s policies and an acknowledgement by prospective voters of how effectively and efficiently the SNP has performed against a backdrop of chronic public service underfunding by successive Westminster administrations.
The Scottish Child Payment is a clear example of how people’s lives can be improved by bold and progressive legislation and John Swinney and his ministers deserve credit for Scotland having consistently lower levels of poverty than England and Wales during the last 20 years.
I remain saddened that Kate Forbes is leaving the political arena, ostensibly due to family commitments, along with my frustration at the SNP. With her knowledge, experience and hard work servicing a huge constituency and prominent ministerial posts, she has been a successful, honest and articulate communicator who will be sorely missed.
In a troubled SNP, where independence has been sidelined, necessary but endless discussions on gender issues took place. The party is now in disarray, held together by the well-meaning but ineffectual John Swinney.
I believe Kate’s honesty, beliefs and success may have come at a price. Although making clear those beliefs would never interfere with the majority will of parliament, her success was overlooked. I trust that an independent Scotland is for everyone who wish to live in a happy, fair and equal land, including trans people and people of all faiths and none.
If Scotland doesn’t wish to become North Britain again, a poor subsidised region of Great Britain, unity of purpose must be established between all who desire independence. This must be a passionate broad appeal, where strong personal leadership will galvanise and guide the people to independence – such a person was and is Kate Forbes.
I see that there are still many Saltires on lampposts and the like. Why do independence supporters not make use of this free advertising for Scottish inclusivity by adding to each a small poster with the words “Migrants Welcome Here”? Bet the Saltires would soon stop appearing.
No doubt Ian Murray is a great constituency MP and held the fort during Labour’s collapse but I’m struggling to see what he achieved as Secretary of State for Scotland. He certainly failed to convince his colleagues to save the Grangemouth refinery, was mostly AWOL during the past calamitous year for the North Sea oil industry, the ludicrous wind farms, pylons and giant substations stampede and the rise and seeming disappearance of GB Energy; in short, incapable of calling out and countering the author of all this lunacy, the seemingly unsackable Ed Miliband.
Douglas Alexander’s return is a shrewd move and I hope he can turn around the above looming disasters and inject some energy and direction into Anas Sawar, whose lacklustre leadership, if polls are correct, may well hand the SNP an unbelievable fourth victory in next year’s Holyrood elections.
The Music Man was a musical about a slick musical instrument salesman who talked the parents of a small town into buying band instruments on the basis that a school band would keep them out of trouble.
Unfortunately he could not teach them to actually play their instruments so the result was a terrible noise – but not in the eyes/ears of the doting parents.
Nigel Farage does a good imitation of the instrument salesman, as he can articulate our potential problems but cannot explain how to cure them.
He was originally the launch pad for Brexit, based on the southern displeasure of EU rules, which has not helped to work with Europe to solve the immigrant problem. However, thanks to the mediocrity of our present parliamentarians, he is becoming popular with seemingly gullible people like Ian Lakin (Letters, September 8). This is no surprise as the same letter writer thought that Michael Gove had some merit despite him having been one of the UK’s most ineffectual cabinet ministers. (As with the Music Man the results of his abilities were off-key.)
Perhaps the playground prattle about Nigel Farage and his gullible followers has been demonstrated by witty sneers and some hysteria, but that is only because his overall reason d’etre is politically immature. A serious problem with Reform is its very rich leadership which does not share the hardships of most of us – a bit like the financial and supposedly superior status of Donald Trump.
JB Drummond, Kilmarnock.
* I rarely watch political programmes but thought I’d watch Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg on BBC1 (September 7) after last week’s events. I saw John Healey evade the questioning to the extent that I switched off for a couple of minutes for fear of throwing something at the screen.
I’m unlikely to vote for Nigel Farage but he answered the questions, and was feisty and relatively uncaring about his responses. You can listen to him. He communicates and is anything but bland.
Mr Farage is doing well, not just because of his populist views, but because he shows some character, he’s not anonymous.
John McLellan’s article on the need for good transport links when new houses are built (“SNP must learn that new houses also need good transport links”, The Herald, September 6) rings true across the whole of Scotland. My local authority, Moray Council, has recently approved the building of 263 new homes to the north of Elgin while work continues on the building of 2,500 houses to the south.
Anyone who has ever travelled through the centre of Elgin on the A96 knows it already suffers gridlock and not just at the usual rush hour times but throughout the day. The developers of this new project will be contributing £3 million to road improvements and healthcare, a drop in the ocean. As the council has no control over the A96 and the SNP will not dual it or build a bypass around Elgin, it will make the delays even worse.
It is utter insanity to build new homes without thinking about movement of people for work and leisure.
I disagree however with Mr McLellan’s idea that if Transport Scotland officials were set targets, the housing emergency might be tackled quicker. The SNP has a very fluid understanding of targets. Can’t meet them? Adjust them or call them “aspirations”.
