Madam, – I was interested in Keith Howell’s comments (“Carrying on regardless”, Letters, The Courier, August 27), referring to the Scottish Government’s new Citizens’ Assembly plans.
He suggests that if “its recommendations…do not forward the case for independence…the SNP Government will carry on regardless”.
Not only do I not accept his proposition at all, but I would suggest that this is exactly the situation we in Scotland have always been in, most obviously with the 2016 Brexit referendum: Scotland voted 65:35 to remain, not a single electoral area of Scotland voted to leave, yet the Westminster Government ‘carried on regardless’, and here we are, on the verge of a no-deal Brexit which the people of Scotland would now, almost unanimously, oppose.
And now, as I write, the Westminster Government have given up on democracy altogether, and intend to ‘carry on regardless’ with its planned hard Brexit by closing down parliament to prevent any opposition.
I wonder if arch-unionist Mr Howell would like to comment on that?
Les Mackay,
5 Carmichael Gardens,
Dundee.
Johnson as a modern Sulla?
Madam, – In 81BC the Roman Senate appointed Sulla; dictator legibus faciendis et reipublicae constituendae causa (“dictator for the making of laws and for the settling of the constitution”).
Sulla was given absolute power with no limit placed on his supremacy.
No single person in Rome had ever been given such authority.
It set the scene for Caesar becoming dictator and for the end of the Roman republic.
Boris Johnson’s proroguing parliament in order to foist a hard Brexit catastrophe shows that he considers himself to be a 21st Century Sulla.
His actions would not be out of place in Mugabe’s Zimbabwe or the Old Soviet Union.
Boris Johnson is an unrepentant liar. A blustering contemptuous ignoramus.
Usually parliaments are recalled in times of crisis. This is the first time in history Parliament has been suspended in order to create a crisis.
No amount of Tory spin can disguise the repulsive repellant stench from Johnson’s thoroughly anti-democratic putsch.
It’s a testament to the advanced state of rot at the heart Westminster. This is a coup, plain and simple.
One silver lining is the departure of politician-of-no-consequence Ruth Davidson.
A shrill, insincere waffling popinjay.
Ruth Davidson’s career can best be summed up by what General Lucian Truscott said about Lloyd Fredendall:
“Small in stature, loud and rough in speech, he was outspoken in his opinions and critical of superiors and subordinates alike.
“He was inclined to jump to conclusions which were not always well founded.
“Fredendall rarely left his command post for personal visits and reconnaissance, yet he was impatient with the recommendations of subordinates more familiar with the terrain and other conditions than he.”
Alan Hinnrichs.
2 Gillespie Terrace,
Dundee.
Stop crowding on our trains
Madam, – If rail companies were paid only by seats being sold and not by fares from standing passengers, those companies would be forced to put on more trains and carriages.
The number of passengers forced to stand has to be limited, and Parliament has the responsibility to make that compulsory for Health and Safety reasons, if not for comfort.
Passengers standing crushed together like sweating sardines –especially during the winter flu-season – must surely be generating some sort of community health hazard.
Legislation must be introduced to show on each carriage the maxium number of passengers allowed, as well as the financial penalty the railway company must pay for any infringement.
Let’s see if the “5,000 extra seats daily” promised by the ScotRail boss ever appear on the Edinburgh to Fife line – but don’t hold your breath.
Archibald A. Lawrie.
5 Church Wynd,
Kingskettle.
Anti-frackers should take note
Madam, – Fracking at the Cuadrilla site near Blackpool was halted when a “micro seismic event” registered 1.55 magnitude.
This magnitude was described by a Cuadrilla spokesman as similar to dropping a large bag of shopping.
Keen to make political capital out of an insignificant tremor, shadow business secretary Rebecca Long Bailey called for fracking to be banned since it causes air and water pollution and contributes to climate change.
Cuadrilla should take her to court, since Friends of the Earth (FoE) made allegations in a poster campaign that chemicals used in fracking contained a toxic cocktail of chemicals which could end up in drinking water, and that fracking chemicals could cause cancer and affect skin, eyes, respiratory systems, nervous, immune and cardiovascular systems.
On being asked by the Advertising Standard Authority (ASA), FoE were unable to substantiate any of these claims. ASA warned FoE not to repeat such claims or they would face court proceedings.
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
Enid Blyton was just an author
Madam, – We are reaching the point where everything is being analysed to the nth. degree with a view to believing evil is hiding in every nook and cranny.
The latest is the snub against Enid Blyton by our Royal Mint, and denying her the honour of being featured on a commemorative coin.
Instead she has been branded as exploiting “racist remarks, homophobia and sexism”.
Apparently this refers to her children’s books, revered and enjoyed throughout the world.
This is purely an indictment on elements of our society who have little else to do but criticise and condemn.
For goodness sake Enid Blyton was not radical or revolutionary.
She was just an authoress who wrote fictitious tales about children who had a social conscience and saw themselves as agents of good prevailing over evil and wrongdoing.
One might expect the Royal Mint to be adult enough to grasp this fact.
This brings to mind the old adage that “seeing is in the eye of the beholder”.
With all the wrongs in the world is this worthy of prominence and censure?
David L Thomson.
24 Laurence Park,
Kinglassie.
Yes, the Thais have pork pies
Madam, – Our prime minister is being castigated for stating Melton Mowbray pork pies are being sold in Thailand and Iceland and whilst, I cannot speak with authority on Iceland, I can categorically state they are available in Thailand.
They are made by Dickinson and Morris of Melton Mowbray and are available in Central Food Halls, certainly in Bangkok and Phuket.
I hope this information helps any holidaymaker looking for a change from Thai cuisine but I must caution they cost approximately four times more than they do in this country.
Ian Stewart.
Boyack Crescent,
Monifieth.
