A chara, – When it was feared that the people of Scotland were on the verge of voting for independence from the union, the panic-stricken establishment rallied and we heard the unionist “Better Together” campaign telling us how the Scots were a valued and integral part of the British community.
Seven months later, and Scotland looks as if it is going to elect a large cohort of SNP members that will undoubtedly have a say in the next government of the UK. Yet despite the fact that these MPs are being sent to represent the interests of those same Scots that are supposedly such valued members of the UK, the ruling class and sections of the media are fulminating at the thought that these democratically elected MPs would dare to think they have a right to play a role in the formation of the next British government. Better together, indeed! – Is mise,
RODDY KEENAN,
Stamford,
Lincolnshire.
Sir, – You would think after the Scottish independence referendum was rejected last year, support for the SNP would plummet. We have seen much the opposite. Support for the Scottish nationalists has soared. With the polls so close, it is looking like the party may end up holding the balance of power in May. Events may lead to a constitutional crisis in the UK and could also destabilise our own recovery.
We all thought last September that the question of independence was off the table for at least our generation but it is slowly creeping back into the forefront of UK politics as each day goes by. – Yours, etc,
CIAN BYRNE,
Dublin 14.