Readers' letters: Brexit at one brings unhappy birthday

This Saturday, Brexit will be one year old. So happy birthday to the gift that Scotland didn’t want but was delivered to us nevertheless via our willing membership of the UK.

And brace yourselves folks for the banquet of devastating consequences to Scotland’s economy, social/cultural life and international soft power that are headed our way and becoming more clearly visible to us each day.

Naturally the architects of this insanity are either long gone (Cameron, Corbyn, Farage etc.), or are in the process of sloping off elsewhere (Frost and – shortly – Johnson), or are comfortably protected by their largely offshore / EU - based wealth (Rees-Mogg etc).

No evidence of the ‘union-benefit’ (much favoured by north Britons like Gordy Broon) to see here for us ordinary Scots or of the ‘pooling and sharing’ and UK’s ‘broad shoulders’.

Leaving aside Australia, the UK currently has ‘nae mates’ internationally. The US has more important matters to deal with than a trade deal with tedious isolated little Britain and trade/relations with our important european neighbours and friends are unsurprisingly at a historic low.

In Ireland the economic benefits of NI remaining the EU single market are clear to most and reunification of the island is now a real prospect in a few short years.

Fortunately for the majority of Scots who wish to live in a progressive, prosperous and connected Scotland, Brexit is not irreversible and the UK is not permanent.

There is a positive alternative on offer for us and our families in a confident and independent Scotland.

The direction of travel is clear; looking forward to 2022 already.

Mr D Jamieson, Dunbar.

Scotland missing out on financial support

Concern from our hospitality sector regarding the loss of business due to folk cancelling group parties that would otherwise have generated much-needed income are understandable.

Given complaints of a lack of financial support from the Scottish Government, might I remind folk that additional money in the form of Quantitative Easing from the Bank of England only seems to be available when the Chancellor deems it prudent to support businesses in London and South East England?

The Bank of England - the central bank for all four 'home nations' and therefore, currently, Scotland's Central Bank - will not generate QE to help the Scottish Government to support Scotland's businesses without instructions from Westminster, regardless of need.

Noted that Scotland's Tory MPs seem to be doing nothing to demand the required support for their country (Scotland), nor their constituents, in this matter, choosing, instead, to support their party.

Similarly in Holyrood, MPs from parties based in London, rather than provide constructive support are quicker to try to find fault with and criticise all and every attempt by the Scottish Government to help our country through Covid-19 and on to a better future.

Ian Waugh, Dumfries.

Green jobs loss

GMB union leader Gary Smith spoke of the SNP’s failure to produce Scottish green jobs, with most outsourced overseas. He also asks "where is Aberdeen's centre for renewables?" After the SNP predicted there would be 130,000 geen manufacturing jobs there are currently less than 1000. With the next round of offshore wind farm leasing coming up, will they make the same mistakes?

D Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen.