Sir, Tory proposals for English votes for English laws is not only entirely incoherent, but will lead to a constitutional shambles, riding roughshod as it does over the democratic rights of the Scottish people (July 3).
For good or ill, Scots rejected independence last September, the UK was retained, and as such Scottish MPs should be treated on an equal footing with their colleagues from the rest of the UK.
The creation of two types of MPs, with Scottish MPs treated as second class, is simply not tenable, and further demonstrates that Westminster is not fit for purpose.
Should Scottish MPs, as the SNP have previously done, not vote at Westminster on issues already devolved to Scotland and which only relate to England then that is their choice.
However, it should be noted that many of these issues will impact on Scotland.
In 2003, for example, SNP MPs voted against foundation hospitals in England on the basis that moves to privatise the NHS in England posed a threat to Scotland’s budget under the Barnett Formula.
And in 2004, SNP MPs voted against the introduction of university top-up fees in England, again because of the impact this would have on higher education institutions north of the border.
The creation of two tiers of MPs will put the Speaker in the invidious position of making a judgement on which legislation will have an impact on Scotland and which will not.
A simple solution to this for the Tories is the creation of an English parliament, rather than the delivery of a constitutional dogs breakfast as currently proposed.
Alex Orr Leamington Terrace Edinburgh
Sturgeon should deliver on Smith
Sir, Is Nicola Sturgeon’s threat to declare a second referendum over English votes for English laws (EVEL) the “significant change in circumstances” she refers to that would trigger a second vote?
Or is it just another of her weekly stunts, including threatening to take the UK Government to court over windfarm subsidies, demanding (but not actually wanting) full fiscal autonomy and supporting Greece’s demands for more bail-outs gestures more intended to keep her supporters in a constant state of inexplicable outrage than effectively run Scotland?
For many years SNP MP’s did not vote on English-only issues until, sniffing an opportunity to control a weak Labour coalition, they ditched this voluntary practice and actually scared England into electing an overall Conservative majority.
The SNP’s posturing is making the rest of us look like fools and holding back the country from any bold thinking and initiatives on what to do with our increased Smith powers.
Meanwhile, the Tories are using their overall majority election present from the SNP with alacrity to get sensible about wind and energy, announcing their regional powerhouse initiative in the budget this week, delivering the Smith powers, over-hauling the UK economy… and sidelining the SNP.
Allan Sutherland Willow Row Stonehaven
BP punished for Haliburton
Sir, I was dismayed to read the somewhat negative letter from Mr Hinnrichs in Monday’s Courier suggesting BP should be more heavily fined over the oil spill that took place in the Mexican Gulf five years ago.
Surely $18.7 billion is a lot of money in anyone’s terms.
While the event was undoubtedly an environmental disaster and while BP were the overall owners of the rig, it was the American company Haliburton who were operating and managing it at the moment of disaster and, sadly, it was Haliburton employees who lost their lives.
It is generally accepted that President George W Bush had strong links with the Haliburton company a fact that may or may not have a bearing upon the “foreign” firm, BP, having to accept the major part of the blame laid upon them.
Mr Hinnrichs’ claims that BP’s profitability is undamaged by the massive award made against it but that is wrong, for shareholders received no dividends whatever for several years after the event.
It was also widely reported that just about anyone who had a business located adjacent to the affected area in the Gulf of Mexico was making a claim against BP and using wildly inaccurate and exaggerated figures in the process.
No one wanted that very unfortunate accident to happen, but I for one remember that BP is a very British firm giving work and orders to Scottish companies and their employees.
To say that BP has merely been given a “slap on the wrist” is more than a little bit unkind and unpatriotic.
Archibald A Lawrie Church Wynd Kingskettle
Let the children touch nature
Sir, Walking through Rodney Gardens in Perth this morning I was more than a little taken aback by an instruction I overheard from a primary school teacher (or assistant ) with a class of six- or seven-year-olds.
As one of the girls went to touch a flower she was told “don’t touch, you may get a reaction!”
As the class were clearly on a “let’s learn about nature” morning, surely touching nature should be an integral part of the lesson.
Or am I sadly just failing to recognise today’s health and safety?
Heaven help the school should a child break out in spots a few days later.
Such a shame.
Michael Hogg Craigfoot Walk Kirkcaldy.
Stop blaming the victims
Sir, John Cameron again demonstrates that he has zero knowledge of child poverty as he once again seeks to blame the victims.
Child poverty remained at a high of 2.3 million in 2014, according to the latest figures released by the Institute of Fiscal Studies, reversing the fall in child poverty between the late 1990s and 2010.
It was under these conditions that the Conservative Government of Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to scrap the child poverty reduction and eradication targets in Britain, one of the richest countries in the world.
The number of children growing up in poverty has remained fairly constant since 2010, largely because the median income the threshold for defining poverty has fallen.
Since 2010, Britain has suffered the longest period of declining real wages in modern history, so while the recession and falling wages have masked relative poverty, the situation is worse than official statistics suggest.
A staggering two-thirds of children growing up in poor households have at least one family member in work.
This is no accident. Gordon Brown introduced means-tested Child Tax Credit, Disabled Person’s Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit in 2003 that saw a meagre rise in the income of the poorest families.
The purpose was threefold: to drive people off benefits, reduce the benefits bill and force workers to accept low-paying jobs thus paving the way for the low-wage economy that is the norm today.
The tax credits were nothing other than a subvention to the giant corporations and medium and small businesses that pay poverty level wages.
Reducing or removing tax credits will not induce employers to start raising wages.
John Cameron is reviving Victorian nostrums that blame poverty on the poor themselves.
In reality low wages and low income cause poverty.
In line with their mantra that poverty is a lifestyle choice, the Tories are set to redefine the notion of what constitutes child poverty, moving away from a definition based on median income and instead factoring in the supposed lifestyle choices of the poor.
Poverty is to be eradicated, not by increasing incomes, but by redefining it.
The aim is to demonise the poor, whip up divisions between workers and mask the devastating effects the cuts are having on living standards.
The UK is now the most unequal country in Europe, in terms of wages and income distribution.
Wage inequality in Britain is now greater than in the United States.
Last April, it was revealed that the number of millionaires in the UK had doubled since 2009, while the uptake of food banks, as reported by the Trussel Trust, grew by 19 percent last year alone.
Alan Hinnrichs Gillespie Terrace Dundee
Impressed with new school
Sir, I had the pleasure recently of touring the new Oakbank Primary School in Perth and was incredibly impressed.
The building, by BAM Construction, is bright and airy and makes good use of open plan classrooms and “break-out” spaces.
It seemed no avenue was left unexplored in seeking means to provide for the staff and pupils.
A sizeable donation by BAM to purchase raised seating should also be applauded as their generosity means funds can now be diverted elsewhere.
The school replaces a 1960s pre-fab construction that was functional at the time but was badly showing its age.
It is now being demolished to make way for new playing fields badly missed by the children while the new school was being built on their former pitches.
Other local authorities looking for a model of a new, modern school building, would do well to pay a visit.
If it turns out pupils as impressive as the school environs, Oakbank has a bright future indeed.
Alan Davidson, Ash Grove Perth
French are not up to the job
Sir, So a would-be asylum seeker has been killed in the Channel Tunnel.
This was always going to happen due to poor French security.
This is a job for the military not border control officials.
Asylum seekers don’t have the choice of which country they would like to live in, and as these people have passed through many safe sanctuaries to get to the Tunnel they are not asylum seekers but unruly invaders, and as such should be repelled by any means.
Having witnessed their totally unacceptable behaviour on television what country would welcome them?
T Gardner Nicoll Buildiing Main Street Bankfoot