Sir, Anyone who was under any illusions about the depths to which the London propaganda machine would stoop in order to misguide the Scottish people into voting “no” at the referendum, should consider the new 15-page, expensive looking, glossy, A5 pamphlet, produced by HM Government, at great cost to the taxpayer, to inundate Scottish households with their Better Together misinformation.
I was utterly appalled when I received this one-sided booklet from a so-called democratic institution, depriving us of information essential to sound judgement.
Do they have no crisis of conscience? It is a false use and malicious abuse of public money, which the Scottish Government ought to challenge in a court of law.
The bipartisanship of the Tory and Labour leaders defending imperial interests in Scotland should be carefully considered by Scottish socialists. Any socialist party that is against political freedom for Scotland is a joke.
The SNP, for instance, does not ask Scots to vote for an SNP government in perpetuity; it wants them to vote “yes” in September to give them the power to choose whatever government they wish.
If the “no” hopers succeed, we will be left to entertain the same old problems, with no written constitution, after the Better Together circus has gone.
William Burns. 41/8 Pennywell Road, Edinburgh.
How an old soldier feels
Sir, In response to the letter, How will old soldiers feel? (June 26), as a parade member at the Balhousie Castle Annual Black Watch Reunion, this is how one old soldier of my generation (born 1936) feels.
My wife and I are Scottish born and educated, as is our only daughter. With a paternal Black Watch grandfather declared missing at the Battle of Loos (September 25, 1915) and his son, my father, declared presumed dead after a Gulf of Patras RNVR (Dundee) BYMS mining, I served in a regular capacity both in The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) and afterwards with the Royal Regiment of Artillery.Post 22 years Army service, we obtained a job in England (food on the table and clothes on our backs).
In disenfranchising myself, my wife and daughter considering the service to our land of birth by our family (menfolk and widows) I consider the Scottish National Party to have acted dishonourably.
John Mackie. 6 Franklinn Close, Hartburn, Stockton on Tees.
It was wrong to dump this fruit
Sir, I could hardly believe what I was reading in Thursday’s Courier 70 tonnes of soft fruit dumped!
No one can predict the weather and this surplus may well have arisen due to an overlap of the English and Scottish crops, but that is no reason for not at least offering some, if not all of it to anyone (either for a nominal fee, or free) who could put it to good use, frozen it, made jam, etc.
The practice of dumping “discards” in the fishing industry is coming to an end, and a similar ban should be brought in to prevent the dumping, or ploughing-in, of perfectly good fruit and vegetables on the grounds that there is a surplus due to there being a glut of produce.
At a time when many people are turning to food banks to feed their families, and everyone is badgered to eat their “five a day”, to waste this amount of fruit is little short of criminal.
Marion Smith. 9 Ladywell Sawmill, Kirriemuir.
Max the cat is doing well
Sir, Some days ago you printed our plea for the gentleman whose car bumped into our cat to contact us, as we would like to thank him for telling us about the accident, rather than just driving on.
Because of his action I managed to get Max to the vets in time for them to save his life.
The gentleman concerned has not yet been in touch, but so many other Courier readers have contacted us to ask how our cat is, that I now have the pleasant duty to report to you that Max is now at home and recovering well albeit without his tail, which had to be removed due to his injuries.
We would also like to thank Parkside Veterinary Group for the amazing care they gave our wee chum, both in the initial A & E at Barnhill and later in intensive care at Dundee.
Captain Ian F. McRae. 17 Broomwell Gardens, Monikie.
Lane closures a nightmare
Sir, I cannot believe Dundee City Council are giving the go ahead to narrow Riverside Drive between the Rail Bridge and Tesco. Haven’t commuters suffered enough with the ongoing work at the waterfront?
Have any officials had to sit in either of the present two lanes heading east at 5pm? Imagine the tailback when it is reduced to one lane. At the moment you can arrive at the start of the queue, usually just under the rail bridge and sit and move, and sit and move, for about 20 minutes before reaching the railway station.
Reducing it to one lane may see me joining the queue at Technology Park, where I work. Bad move City Council.
Anne H F Lowe. 13 Nelson Street, Tayport.