Sir, – William Beveridge produced a report in 1942 which recommended the Welfare State, including the NHS.
This was opposed by the Tories.
Churchill duly lost the election in 1946 so in 1948 a political decision was made by the Labour Party to form the NHS, led by the first Health secretary Nye Bevin, whose wife Jenny Lee was a Labour politician from Fife.
The NHS is not and never will be a business.
It is there for the health and care of the people.
However, through the years the Conservative Party has run a furtive campaign to break up the NHS by stealth.
Under Thatcher, a secret paper was produced to radically reform the NHS.
Labour subsequently won the election and under Tony Blair a policy of funding £11 billion of new hospitals through PFI began.
Fine, some would say, until the people realised the cost to pay them off.
Consultants were also brought in, costing a fortune.
Years passed, then David Cameron won the election for the Tories and formed a coalition with the Lib Dems.
Austerity began and NHS funds were cut by 3% year on year.
In 2012 the Tories produced the Health and Social Care Act which did away with the duty of the health secretary to have to provide health care for the people.
This pernicious act at a stroke changed the NHS and provided the flood gates to open for the privatisation of services.
The biggest lie is that private is good as it clearly is there for profit, not for care of the sick.
Charging patients here for a bed stay is about to commence.
A new IT system brought in by the private sector was a disaster.
People need to stand up and protect the NHS.
It should be properly funded for health care and not to service PFI debt or management consultants.
We must trust the medics to get on with their work.
I am in my 68th year and alive thanks to the wonderful NHS, as is my grandson who was born in October and whose life was saved by the Royal Sick Children Hospital in Edinburgh whose staff are, in my view, angels from heaven.
Ian Wallace.
Chapman Drive,
Carnoustie.
Cox entitled to his view
Sir, – Jill Stephenson (Cox’s act is wearing thin, Courier, January 8) now wishes to deny Scots a voice on the politics of their country if they don’t stay here.
She says she is at a loss to know why some newspapers give the views of Brian Cox, one of Scotland’s best actors, on an independent Scotland, as they are of no interest to us.
By us I presume she means her Scotland in Union friends.
Brian Cox was born in Dundee and was a Labour supporter, but has since joined the SNP and is now fully committed to an independent Scotland.
I’m sure his views are more welcome to many Scots, than other so called celebrities like Eddie Izzard, Ross Kemp, Piers Morgan, Jo Brand etc, who all loved us at the time and wanted us to stay together, but none of whom live permanently in Scotland.
Double standards from Jill Stephenson again.
Ronnie Hughes.
1 Pickford Crescent,
Cellardyke.
Unacceptable toll on NHS staff
Sir, – I am sure the majority of people will be saddened to hear of the increase in NHS staff being assaulted while undertaking their duties.
This is unacceptable and is to be condemned.
There is no easy answer to resolve this problem.
I have four relatives in the medical profession who are in it because they are dedicated to undertake the care of their patients to the best of their ability.
I am sure this applies to all NHS staff.
We are fortunate to have a service which looks after us when we suffer illness.
Thomas Michie.
93 Main Street,
Kinglassie.
More support for royal balcony
Sir, – Why all the fuss about losing two royals?
There is more than enough of them draining public money.
If there is any more of them they will have to build more supports under the balcony at Buckingham Palace!
Alister Rankin.
93 Whyterose Terrace,
Methil.
Indy demand is crystal clear
Sir, – On Saturday past, despite dreadful weather, wet, cold and windy, leading to bridge closures, ferry cancellations, traffic chaos, and uncertainty about whether the event had been cancelled, 80,000 people, women, men, children, dogs, and a cycle powered unicorn, came from every corner of Scotland, and marched joyously through Glasgow to demonstrate their desire for an independent Scotland.
Yet still they tell us that there is no demand.
Les Mackay.
5 Carmichael Gardens,
Dundee.
Definition of democracy
Sir, – It is astonishing that Nicola Sturgeon feels she’s in a position to lecture the UK Government on democracy.
The UK Government has for the last 13 years not only accepted in government the SNP, whose raison d’être is breaking up the UK, but has funded it.
It has paid the salaries and expenses of every elected separatist SNP MP and MSP – plus their extensive team of spin doctors.
And of course, in 2014 Westminster allowed the SNP to host a UK break-up referendum – which Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond repeatedly insisted was a once in a generation or even a lifetime vote.
Surely the UK Government’s behaviour defines democracy?
For a governing political party – the SNP – to abuse its position of power by ignoring the democratic wishes of the majority of us, as expressed in 2014, is an assault on democracy.
Instead of lecturing the UK Government, Ms Sturgeon should hang her head in shame.
Martin Redfern.
Woodcroft Road,
Edinburgh.
Never betray a confidence
Sir, – I was appalled to read that service padres from the Catholic Church and the Church of England were compelled to disclose professional conversations they had with gay servicemen and women until the end of the 20th Century.
I was a Church of Scotland Royal Navy Reserve padre at the time and, though not one of the three commanding officers I had would ever have asked me to do such a thing, I had a word with Admiral Sir David Williams who was then the Second Sea Lord and who I knew privately.
I said I’d resign before betraying everything I stood for as a pastor.
After using salty language to describe his witch-hunting colleagues he said it was a disgrace we had been placed in such a position and to follow my conscience in all matters.
Rev Dr John Cameron,.
10 Howard Place,
St Andrews.
Short shrift for Labour leaders
Sir, – Some senior Scottish Labour figures are promoting the need for Indyref2 and possible independence as a desperate move to retain some credibility.
They have as little grasp of the economics and finances of an independent Scotland as the SNP so hopefully patriotic Scots who normally support Labour and know the UK is better together will give their leaders short-shift.
Douglas Cowe.
68 Alexander Avenue,
Kingseat,
Newmachar.
