Sir, – I see the current Perth and Kinross administration is looking to close yet another school.
It was just over one month ago that comments by Pete Wishart MP on the unfolding schools debacle were branded “scaremongering” (Courier April 17) by the Tory-led administration.
But cut beyond the political war of words and think about this – a Conservative council is actively considering closing places of learning across a wide and mainly rural part of Scotland.
Yes, schools, the places where our children are taught and where communities come together in many different activities.
This disgrace will lead to ramifications long past the time the few thousands of pounds have been squandered by whatever madness the Tories think they can get away with.
Once again Conservatives show they know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.
Graeme Finnie.
Albert Street,
Blairgowrie.
Robbing Peter to pay Peter
Sir, – Those who oppose the proposal to charge Angus teachers for parking at schools are surely missing the point.
With the money raised Angus Council would be able to afford a pay rise for teachers.
Simple economics.
Gordon Cook.
Gowanlea,
Friockheim.
Temperance comes at a price
Sir, – It must be pleasing for M. Duncan (May 9) to be so sure that most of our woes stemming from alcohol misuse will soon be behind us.
Funnily enough, that’s exactly what the American Women’s Christian Temperance Movement thought in January 1919 when they forced their government into banning the making of alcohol as well as its sale.
One of the reasons given for the repeal of that disastrous Act in December 1933 was: “It has turned the majority of our citizens into law-breakers overnight”.
Yes, the minimum pricing of alcohol will have some benefits no doubt, but just as the Americans soon found out when Al Capone came into the picture, there are serious non-financial prices to pay for the benefits of national temperance.
Both petty and serious crime rocketed in the USA as it might well do in Scotland, for those who have been accustomed to drinking to excess will not stop their lifetime habit either suddenly or easily: shoplifting, bag-snatching and hold-ups will undoubtedly increase in number to fund a habit that is not easy to control.
The overstretched police force and us taxpayers may soon pay the price.
Would it not have been better to raise the cost of alcohol bit by bit over several years?
Archibald A Lawrie.
Church Wynd,
Kingskettle.
Scot or not? Tell us what’s what
Sir, – In Les Mackay’s letter (May 8) informing of his participation in an SNP march last weekend, he claimed that participants consisted of “Scots of all nationalities”.
Could he explain what this means – were the participants Scots or other nationalities?
GM Lindsay.
Whinfield Gardens,
Kinross.
Are we a burden or a blessing?
Sir, – Whilst constant bombardment by Britnats of the Scottish Government’s efforts to run a country with the pocket money allowance it receives from Westminster is to be expected, two contributions featured in the letters page on May 7 by Martin Redfern and Keith Howell respectively caught the eye.
The former because he continues to ignore the realities of running a successful economy without access to the full range of the fiscal levers required for the job. The latter for conceding, on the one hand, that any political party would find it difficult to overcome current issues, before reverting to type and hinting that 11 years of SNP Government had made the public services situation decidedly worse.
However, these gentlemen are not alone in their understanding of economic realities, as others regularly sing from the same song sheet, with many repeating the favourite misconception of poor Scotland being subsidised by its generous southern neighbour.
If this claim is to be believed it would make absolute sense for Westminster to get rid of the benefit burden around its neck. The fact that it continually refuses to do that would suggest that Scotland is not a burden on the UK economy or that Westminster is totally incompetent at running it.
Allan. A. MacDougall.
Forth Park,
Bridge of Allan.
Brexiteers in the lion’s den
Sir, – In response to your correspondent, Martin Redfern (Courier, May 7), I must correct some falsities. The only real gamble conducted in recent times was the EU referendum. I must remind him the Scottish people voted 62% to 38% to remain in the European Union. Secondly, instead of his claim that “Ms Sturgeon will persist in using Brexit as a justification for Indyref 2”, the First Minister is rightly honouring the manifesto the SNP were elected on – the mandate is there.
Of the new powers he claims will come to the Scottish Parliament, key controls over farming, fishing, food labelling and public procurement will be held by Westminster for up to seven years.
That is totally unacceptable and, coupled with the recent revelations about the UK Government’s harmful immigration policy, adds to the already extensive list of reasons for Scottish independence.
The jobs at stake from a Hard Brexit, according to the Fraser of Allander Institute, number around 80,000. If your correspondent wishes to tell those 80,000 people why their jobs being at risk is a good thing I would encourage him to do so. Wages would fall by as much as £2,000 per person, and Brexit would cost the economy as much as £12.7 billion a year by 2030. I will point out the obvious – that this is a bad thing.
And if the economic hit of Brexit wasn’t enough, we’re likely to be trapped under an increasingly authoritarian UK Government that is intent on pursuing the most damaging and despicable policies, such as the “rape clause” and the “hostile environment” immigration policy. No such policies will ever be voted in by the Scottish people.
Scotland currently is a caged lion. The circus troupe (May and her out-of-touch cabinet) are intent on reducing the cage size, the amount of food it gets, the activities the lion gets to do, and how loud it can roar. Do you blame the lion for wanting to roam free?
Lloyd Melville.
East Garden Cottage,
Duntrune.
Fracking ban is no joke
Sir, – No wonder the SNP’s QC was able to keep a straight face when telling the High Court that there was no fracking ban. He could cite many precedents.
There’s no plan for a Scottish Energy company, the National Investment bank isn’t even a brass plate at the door of St Andrews House, the economic bonanza from the renewables industry never happened and the plan to replace diesel and petrol cars with electric vehicles by 2032, and set up a network of charging points has disappeared into a pothole.
And he won’t be smiling when Ineos invoke the “material change in circumstances” precedent the “ban” caused. It almost scuppered its business plans, put many Grangemouth workers’ jobs at risk and, if they lose the case, will kill stone dead a potential new, high wage industry and supply chain for Scotland.
This “material change” also shows the Greens the SNP have taken them for a gigantic, virtue signalling ride for the past 11 years.
Allan Sutherland.
1 Willow Road,
Stonehaven.
