Sir, –If you were the owner or managing director of a company and one of your sales reps constantly underperformed, was always being subsidised by the company and was a bit of a pain in the neck what would you do?
Simple, you would sack the rep and get them off your books.
If you were a duplicitous, corrupt, mercenary Westminster Government and you peddled the propaganda that you are constantly subsidising Scotland, what would you do?
You would surely not ignore about 30 consecutive democratic polls and fight tooth and nail to keep Scotland in the union would you?
Unfortunately, the inconvenient truth is that Scotland has been subsidising the UK for many years.
The population of Scotland and Norway only varies by about 2% and the Norwegian sovereign oil fund is currently valued at 1.214 Trillion U.S. dollars – or the equivalent of £150,000 for every man, woman and child in Norway (or Scotland).
Stewart Falconer.
Glenisla View, Alyth.
How would Scotland defend itself?
Sir, – The constant cry of the SNP has been for the independence of Scotland.
Now we have the Alba Party throwing their push for independence into the ring – but has every pro-independent thought it through?
How would an independent Scotland fair in education, childcare, healthcare, poverty to name a few areas. Has anyone considered defence?
The UK Government is currently responsible for defence and has strategic defence posts in Scotland.
We can’t expect Westminster to support an independent Scotland when we turn our backs on them. How would an independent Scotland defend itself against Russia?
Scotland is a small fish in a big ocean. We need to start thinking seriously about our future and the future of our children.
Robert Paterson.
Leslie Mains, Glenrothes.
Could UK benefits claimants pick fruit?
Sir, – This country will let in thousands of foreign workers to pick fruit who will have to take Covid tests within the first eight days ((New test rules for overseas farm workers, Courier, April 23.)
Surely under the circumstances should people on benefits living in this country not be considered?
We have almost got this virus under control; I think letting these people into this country will be like lighting its own funeral pyre.
I know there were problems with universal credit and people with new claims having to wait weeks before receiving their benefit money, but surely people coming off benefits and picking fruit is only going to last about two months.
Could the system not just freeze their benefits and just restart them when they are finished picking the fruit? Then they would only have few days to wait on getting their benefit money instead of having to wait weeks.
After all, jobcentres have computer systems that are supposed to make thing simple.
David Dewar.
Prior Road, Forfar.
A new level of local governance for all
Sir, – The desire to create a national park in the East Neuk (Courier, April 24) is actually a symbol of a much wider discussion of where power, resources and accountability lie within our communities.
Such a discussion has already started as part of a national local governance review, albeit stalled because of Covid, and the SNP Scottish Government and COSLA issued a statement in March 2021 reaffirming a commitment to engage with communities on this issue after the forthcoming elections.
The positive impact of this could mean all communities across Scotland finding their own level of local governance, not just the very very few who might be eligible for national park status.
I quite like the idea of an East Neuk and Landward Council, with local responsibilities, funding streams and democratic accountability.
Iain Anderson.
West End, St Monans.
