Scottish independence and Westminster politics

Rafael Behr (A Scottish independence crisis is on its way – and English politics is in denial, 8 July) gives a shrewd overview of the constitutional tussle, noting the impact of Nicola Sturgeon’s qualities of humility and sincerity during the Covid-19 crisis, to which may be added competence and due caution. Boris Johnson displays their polar opposites – self-promotion, dishonesty, incompetence and gesture politics. How is it that in Westminster such a person rises effortlessly, while Scottish politics rewards someone so different?

England does not lack people of integrity and ability, but in Westminster these count for little. Fantasies of past grandeur encourage MPs to adopt the style and illusions of another age. In this unreal world, Johnson’s claims of a “world-beating” response to Covid-19 fall within the norms of Westminster speech. In Scotland, they sound risible.

This self-delusion is so soaked into the fabric of Westminster it seems normal. Labour rarely challenges its fundamental hypocrisy. Mhairi Black’s passionate maiden speech as an SNP MP in 2015 did so, and created immense respect across the UK (being viewed over 10 million times on social media in five days); in Westminster it was a mere ripple – not the sort of thing that impressed.

Johnson epitomises Westminster’s hollowness and self-regard. That’s why he has got where he is. Little wonder that support for Scottish independence continues to rise. Westminster, institutionally blind to its own fatuity, cannot understand this and, as Behr says, will find no constructive response. A crisis will arrive in due course.
Lyn Jones
Edinburgh

• Rafael Behr notices that a new crisis is building in Scotland, where opinion polls have shown clear support for independence. The competent handling of the pandemic has increased support for independence, along with the fact that the Vote Leave government clearly intends to drag us into a disastrous no-deal Brexit. Since Scotland diverged from the four-nations approach and imposed a stricter lockdown, Covid-19 figures are many times lower than in England, with only one death on Wednesday (compared with 154 in England) and seven new cases (compared with 623 in England).

But the rest of his article bears little relation to the situation in Scotland. “Hosing Scotland with public money”? That’s news here. We pay our taxes like everyone else, but receive only a portion of them back in the Barnett formula.

The 2014 referendum “faded in the historical record”? The referendum may have been lost, but it never faded except in England. In Scotland, it founded a vibrant grassroots yes movement, which has grown from strength to strength to build alternative media, thinktanks and institutional links. Support for the SNP has also never wavered and now stands at 55%.
Mairianna Clyde
Edinburgh

• Take heart, Rafael Behr. The arguments against separation have not “atrophied”. Scotland, England and Wales are neighbours on the small, once well-endowed, still beautiful island of Britain. We will always have to rub along together, as neighbours do. Relationships, treaties, acts of parliament, are human artefacts, subject to intervention and change.

Matters of geography and environment are of a different order. In the second half of 2019, Scottish representation at Westminster was beneficial for the UK and, in my view, for Scotland’s standing in Europe and beyond. It is amazing that any of those responsible seek to trade in continued representation at Westminster for a one-off agreement with any UK government.
Jan Dubé
Peebles, Scottish Borders