Sir, – Clive Luhrs (September 23) suggests an Elizabeth arch should be erected to commemorate the Queen’s reign and as an echo of Dundee’s former Royal Arch but concedes some “who are not royalist in outlook” might disagree.
That’s putting it mildly, but republican (and expenditure) objections apart, the evidence of previous council/planning decisions offerslittle hope that any such arch would be lesshideous than the original one.
The ruination of the waterfront started with a supermarket, then the railway station, thepost-modern Greenyards offices, the (mercifully now demolished) hotelat the bridge landfall,the cheap-lookingmock-mosque Discovery centre, (the ship itself is the finest piece ofarchitecture on the waterfront) a chain hotel and pub in inappropriate brick and so on.
Dundee’s claim to be a city of design is well deserved for a number of art forms but in recent decades rests on very dodgy foundations architecturally speaking.
We can only keep our fingers crossed that the V&A building is a success and has been detailed with some understanding of Scottish weather.
Where Mr Luhrs is on to something is his suggestion of a competition open to Tayside architects and students, for an arch indeed, but I would suggest it be something stylish and brightly lit at the city end of the road bridge (itself lacking an ounce of design quality, alas), drawing you towards the city from Fife.
Now that would say welcome to Dundee.
David Roche. Hill House, Coupar Angus.
Geothermal power hope
Sir, – With Longannet power station in its last throes of providing an energy supply to Scotland, we see the way UK is capable of forcing Scots to their knees by restricting their power supplies.
Unfair connection charges to the National Grid have been the cause of Longannet’s demise along with the carbon capture project that had to be scrapped due to Westminster’s uncooperative stance.
The closure is adevastating blow to Fife and the energy supply to Scotland.
With energy being under the sole remit of London, Scots can expect more of the same spite to be inflicted on them in the not-too-distant future. We also have the spectres of Messrs Ratcliffe and Cluff contemplating fracking and setting coal seams alightwhile at the same time lining their own pockets.
Scots will once again pay the price for giving in to greed.
Radical new energy resources must be looked at. It must be affordable, clean and be under the control of government.
The way forward could be to introduce geothermal energy but that is not attractive to market predators because once it is up and running there is not a lot of money to be made.
It is encouraging to see St Andrews University getting involved in such projects and it is to be hoped their findings will make some of our energy problems a thing of the past.
Bob Harper. 63a Pittenweem Road, Anstruther.
Get into new party spirit
Sir, – Based on Dundee voters’ enthusiasm for the SNP, Alex Salmond once stated that Dundee is the “cradle of independence”.
According to a poll published in your paper last week, Dundee came third in a league to find the least happy places in the entire UK.
Maybe Dundee voters would consider voting for another party at the next Holyrood elections to see if it would lift the spirits a bit. It is worth a try.
Andrew Duncan. South Feus, Upper Largo.
Labour’s farm policy folly
Sir, – Will Labour’s farming policy cause deprivation?
Labour’s new farming spokeswoman stated: “I really believe that meat should be treated in exactly the same way as tobacco, with public campaigns to stop people eating it. If I believed in God I would be asking him to deliver us from arrogance and ignorance such as this.”
I could not believe that the supposed party of the people could dismiss millions of years of human development and advance in such aderisory manner.
Modern mankind’s development from nomadic hunter-gatherers to the civilisation we have now, can be directly linked to the development of arable and meat farming and without the efficient modern meat industry, millions ofpeople would starve.
George O’Brien. Guerdon Cottage, School Green, Anstruther.
Clear case of age discrimination
Sir, – As a one-time member of the Scottish National Party from back in the days when the party had principled leadership, I have to say I never thought I would see the day when the party would be guilty of discrimination. But that day seems to have arrived.
The SNP’s dismissive attitude to Frank’s Law is a blatant piece of ageism.
Surely in a caring society if someone needs care then they should get it regardless of how old they are.
It is not charity to be doled out only to those perceived to be most needy.
It is a piece of social security which people have paid for when they were in work and paying taxes. To limit that care only to people of a certain age group is discriminatory.
Discrimination is against the law in many other situations of modern life and rightly so.
Ageism is discrimination and should likewise be against the law in a civilised democracy.
I applaud the move to put up a candidate for Shona Robison’s seat. Perhaps we should have another one in Nicola Sturgeon’s constituency.
(Captain) Ian F. McRae. 17 Broomwell Gardens, Monikie.
UK bill of rights makes sense
Sir, – I cannot understand Nicola Sturgeon’s stance against the Government’s intentions to amend the Human Rights Act.
Surely a UK bill of rights is prudent and sensible in that jurisdiction would be returned to our own courts instead of a European court.
Currently, the judicial bias is against the victim, be it by person, or national interests and this has been endorsed by many of the actions of the latter court.
We all remember the many costly attempts made by Theresa May to extradite two preachers propagating hate and subversion as prime examples.
We live in a dangerous age and need common sense to be returned to the system to prevent the abuse of fundamental human rights.
Does Nicola Sturgeon not understand that the prime prerequisite of any government is the protection of its people?
Such a replacement in any event would be subject to consultation and scrutiny before any implementation.
Dare I suggest this is merely a political ployby the First Minister against the UK Government and who seems bent on jumping on the bandwagon at every possible occasion.
David L Thomson. 24 Laurence Park, Kinglassie.
Labour QE threat to UK
Sir, – Jeremy Corbyn’s quantitative easing, which would have the Bank of England printing money to fund pet projects, is the economics of the kindergarten.
As with all such leftist nonsense, people’s QE would strip the central bank of independence, drive up inflation and hurt the poor and elderly.
Bank governor Mark Carney warned that any change in the bank’s mandate to keep prices stable by controlling inflation through interest rates would be simply catastrophic.
QE must be left for an emergency and we now have a soundly-based economy and a solid long-term recovery, so printing money andborrowing from the money markets is idiotic.
Interest rates will rise as the recovery continues and higher wages drive up inflation. The last thing the bank needs is interference from the loony left.
Dr John Cameron. 10 Howard Place, St Andrews.
New tone set by Jeremy Corbyn
Sir, – It is no secret that the SNP is trying to replace the concept of Britain with the idea of separate Scottish and English realities as if universal issues of class and humanity and can be pigeon-holed according to national identity.
Jeremy Corbyn’s comment that poverty ispoverty, regardless of where you are in the British Isles and that flags don’t build houses will be welcomed by many because these words reset the tone in which such matters should be discussed.
They remind us that being human comes before being Scottish or English or any other nationality; a simple truth often ignored or forgotten by nationalists.
Regina Erich. 1 Willow Row, Stonehaven.
A disincentiveto find work
Sir, – It appears Jeremy Corbyn does not see any reason to curb benefits and believes that a limit of £22,000 is rather unfair.
Does he not realise that employees who are paid the new living standard wage can only earn just over £16,500 if they work for 35 hours a week all year round?
My knowledge of the way in which benefits are calculated is minimal, but I guess if I had a choice I would do my best to get benefits in these circumstances.
A A Bullions. 6 Glencairn Crescent, Leven.
UK can be free of nuclear bombs
Sir, – For the first time since the Second World War it looks possible that Scotland can become free of nuclear weapons.
Jeremy Corbyn is committed to not replacing Trident.
Detractors claimed the shine would soon wear off his leadership but this week’s conference confirms him as a radical Prime Minister in waiting with the power to stand up and deliver change for the disenfranchised.
Charles Walker. King’s Road, Rosyth.