Readers' letters: Tories govern with Labour support

Ian Murray (opinion, July 21) misses out his own record and does not put forward Labour policies as any alternative to the Conservative government’s.

Mr Murray, the Remainer, voted with the Tories for hard Brexit, which is particularly damaging for Scotland.

Undemocratically he does not support a Scottish referendum on independence. Mr Murray has supported legislation like the Internal Market Act, which rides over the devolution settlement and Holyrood.

He has voted billions of pounds of cuts and tax rises with the Tories or not opposed cuts. These cuts slash from the Scottish budget and don’t help his constituents. He did not vote against the Bedroom Tax on 13 November 2013. He did not oppose George Osborne’s Climate Change Levy cuts to the renewables sector which badly hit Scottish businesses.

Mr Murray says Labour policies are costed and deliverable but not what they are or whether anything helps Scotland. Letters to him asking for Labour policy go unanswered.

He needs to address Labour policy on the cost of living crisis, on the urgent issue of climate change and on the Human Rights Act and ECHR for a start

Also the Labour response to the Northern Irish Protocol Bill with Henry VIII powers which enables the executive to by-pass parliament and which denies parliament scrutiny of international agreements; to sending torture victims to Rwanda detention centres and to the National Security Bill which seriously attacks press freedom in the UK.

It is business as usual with the Conservative government. The leadership election is a smokescreen as damaging Bills still pass with Labour apparently supporting the Tories.

Scotland needs to be independent with its own constitution, close to the EU to retain its human rights and to protect its economy and democracy.

Pol Yates, Edinburgh.

Foulkes’ mission

As he is a supporter of Edinburgh’s second team, it is rarely I agree with Lord Foulkes on matters of football. But his view that the SNP should be curtailed in illegally using taxpayer money towards their dream of breaking up the UK I agree with entirely.

The thought of even the possibility of civil servants being used to peddle SNP party political propaganda is horrifying but sadly will surprise no one who follows Scottish politics in 2022.

I wish George Foulkes every success in trying to put a stop to this latest affront to democracy.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh.

Lengthy inquiries

It was interesting to read that the SNP government has set up more than 400 boards, commissions, taskforces, forums, reviews, panels etc to look into various aspects of life in Scotland.

Five of the nine public enquiries set up since 2007 are still ongoing and the review into education reform has been running for 20 years, not to mention the 2007 pledge to replace council tax – it's only 15 years late!

This tells me two things: first, this SNP government is incapable of making meaningful decisions and second, the two ferries, comparatively speaking, are doing not too badly!

Jim Houston, Edinburgh.

Greens sidetracked

How interesting that the Scottish Greens are to debate cutting links with Greens south of the Border, over transphobia fears.

This will be a big help over climate, and the cost of living crisis. They really have their finger on the pulse of the nation!

William Ballantine, Bo’ness.

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