Scotland still has power to 
divide British

I NOTED two contrasting headlines (The Yorkshire Post, September 24) the first being “The Grand Depart effect still a big draw – huge leap in bookings on Yorkshire coast”. Well done to the Welcome to Yorkshire team. And second “North York Moors job losses as park copes with funding squeeze” – shame on the Government. Would this happen in the salmon fishing country of Scotland? No.

From: Brian Sheridan, Redmires Road, Sheffield.

WHAT an excellent letter from Carole Johnson in defence of Andy Murray after the cowardly attacks from that wretched institution known as the social media (The Yorkshire Post, September 23).

In the event of a “Yes” vote in the recent referendum he would have had no option but to represent Scotland in future Davis Cup ties and he has every right to express his political views in the totally inoffensive manner he did. Unlike many other sports stars he has not withdrawn to one of the attractive tax havens.

From: Frank W Pate, Hargill Court, Redmire, Leyburn.

SO 55 per cent of Scottish voters accepted hook, line and sinker the sop offered by Westminster to bribe them into voting No. However what they failed to realise is that none of the promises made by Brown, Darling and Cameron have any possibility of coming to fruition. Why? Because English, Welsh and Northern Ireland constituents are not going to accept huge favours given to Scotland at the expense of the remainder of the UK.

From: Kenneth E Nichols, Drury Close, Pannal, Harrogate.

I SINCERELY hope that your postbag is really heavy with correspondence with regard to the photograph which appeared above “the political minefield” article by Matthew Flinders (The Yorkshire Post, September 20).

My attention was first drawn to the fact that the Union Flag was being held upside down.

Words fail me. But then I had second thoughts. Perhaps the lone figure in the picture was waving the banner as a demonstration of two reasons for flying the Union Jack upside down. That is to say either as a warning of imminent danger or (nautical) a boarding by marauding pirates.

From: Bob Heys, Bar Lane, Sowerby Bridge.

I NOTE that Alex Salmond, erstwhile captain of the good ship ‘Scottish Independence’, has lost no time in leaving the bridge following his failure to convince the people of Scotland of the virtues of his cause (The Yorkshire Post, September 20). Clearly not the sort of man to go down heroically saluting the saltire then!

From: TW Coxon, West Auckland Road, Darlington.

NOW the hullaballoo is over regarding the Scottish elections, we can now stand back and review the damage that Alex Salmond and Co have wreaked in the United Kingdom.

There is no doubt that to stir up nationalistic feelings is a vote catcher, but one wonders where and when this nonsense will end!

To give 16 and 17-year-olds (after their indoctrination) a vote, will perpetuate the everlasting desire to be separate. Not always by the Scots, I may add.

From: David M. Loxley, Hartoft, Pickering.

THERE is an important principle which must hold sway in any democratic country, that is that each and every legal resident of that nation must be treated fairly and equitably. No special favours and no West Lothian Question agreements.

If the devolution of administrative powers is to be fair and equitable then the same over-arching rules must be applied to our four countries, England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

The only way that this can be achieved is by operating within a federal type of structure. 

From: David Collins, Scissett, West Yorkshire.

I HAVE given some thought to the regional representation issue and decided that size must have a bearing.

Population at 2011 Census: Scotland 5.3 million; Yorkshire 5.0 million; Wales 3.1 million; Northern Ireland 1.8 million.

When all the dust has settled over Scotland and its increased powers then we are next.

We need a regional assembly with exactly the same powers and resources as Scotland. To avoid duplication we should reduce the number of members of the Westminster Parliament by roughly half, same with civil servants in Westminster.

From: Robert Reynolds, Batley.

IT’S great we’re now looking at constitutional change, yet political power needs money to create real change, otherwise it becomes sterile. It is this sterility that’s the root cause of the contempt for politicians.

Forgotten
over funeral?

From: Mrs E Blagboro, Dunsley Crescent, Whitby.

WITH reference to your recent articles (The Yorkshire Post, September 8 and 17) about the burial of Richard III, have we in the North been ignored again? Has no one been asked to represent Richard III’s homeland at the ceremony of reburial?