Sir, – Imagine if, in the 2021 Holyrood campaign, the SNP could claim the deficit is now less than the UK’s, education performance is closing in on Singapore, Finland and China, NHS spend is down 10% due to major reforms, health education and legislation on food manufacture and advertising, our proactive Brexit approach has created tremendous growth, especially in food, drink and fishing, and our support of fracking has made Grangemouth the European capital of gas and petrochemical extraction, production and distribution.
People might either think that we could indeed be an independent country or they might conclude they don’t want independence but want this SNP/Conservative alliance to be in charge for another five years.
SNP/Conservative alliance? Well, how else are they going to get the necessary reforms through the Labour, Lib Dem and Green treacle?
In the last two weeks, the SNP nearly lost one major vote and lost another.
The SNP, just like in 2007-11, needs the Tories’ support.
So here’s my suggestion. If, in return for a lot of common sense input to policy and legislation, the Conservatives gave their 31-seat support, the SNP’s legislation would sail through.
And if the condition on further support was a moratorium on referendums until an agreed set of performance benchmarks was met, a proper all-party white paper on the options was produced, and not until 2026, all my constituency and regional votes would go to the SNP and the Scottish Conservatives.
If the SNP don’t get a move on, by the time of the 2021 elections we will have had 14 years of governmental paralysis.
Allan Sutherland.
1 Willow Row.
Stonehaven.
Policy risks jobs in Scotland
Sir, – It is excellent to see the Dalzell steel mill (above) reopening in Motherwell, with 120 jobs now and more hoped for later.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attended the event, welcoming the return of Scotland’s last steel mill, providing critical employment. She noted that jobs might double over the next year or two.
Yet because of the Scottish Government’s stubborn stance against fracking, none of its ministers were in evidence the day before at the event to welcome the arrival of the first shale gas shipment at Grangemouth.
This important source of energy will become increasingly critical to the 10,000 jobs dependent on the refinery and associated processing plant over coming years.
Who will replace these jobs if the SNP decides to give in to pressure from their hardline supporters and ban fracking whatever the balance of scientific evidence about this technology might show?
Keith Howell.
White Moss,
West Linton.
Climate change bandwagon
Sir, – The Paris Climate Change Conference may be over but the delegates are already looking forward to the next one in Marrakech.
The previous conferences starting in 1995 were: Berlin, Geneva, Kyoto, Buenos Aires, Bonn, The Hague, Bonn, Marrakech, New Delhi, Milan, Buenos Aires, Montreal, Nairobi, Bali, Poznan, Copenhagen, Cancun, Durban, Doha, Warsaw, Lima and Paris.
Thousands flock to these venues motivated by their green credentials, or could it be for other reasons?
Copenhagen in 2009 attracted more than 24,000 delegates and 3,221 media members plus other onlookers and observers. One must question not only the cost to taxpayers but the millions of polluting air miles, vehicle journeys, construction work, the limousines, the sightseeing visits and numerous other CO2 increasing activities.
One must wonder that if there had been no such meetings, the volume of CO2 saved might already have saved the planet.
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
Challenges ahead for Labour
Sir, – The commitment by the Labour Party to replace any regional funding shortfall caused by Brexit “into the 2020s and beyond” is a bold statement to make.
This is especially true given that we are not aware what the impact of Brexit on the economy will be.
According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) a vote to leave would see GDP fall by 2.1% to 3.5% in 2019/20, representing a £20 billion to £40bn hit to the public finances, using figures from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
While the UK could use its contribution to the EU, around £8bn a year, this would be more than outweighed by a 0.6% fall in national income.
In the short to medium-term, at least, there are few serious economists who do not argue that leaving the EU will have a negative impact on the economy,
With lower public finances, the ability to protect regional funding in full, which includes around £820 million for the period 2014-20 for Scotland, will clearly be extremely challenging to achieve.
Alex Orr.
77 Leamington Terrace,
Edinburgh.
Engineering right answer
Sir, – I have just received a leaflet from Nicola Sturgeon which asks me to complete a survey. She tells me that she wants to hear from as many people as possible, which is laudable.
She wants to know which way I voted in the last two referendums, and I can tell her that I voted against independence for Scotland and against leaving the EU.
I don’t mind who knows, but many people may not wish to divulge this and it’s not a requirement of the survey that you submit the answer to these questions.
She also wants to know my name, my address and my email address.
If I wish to record and submit my views in her survey it is mandatory that I supply the personal address information in the online survey.
I shan’t be doing that, for obvious reasons. I, therefore, won’t be participating in this survey.
So when we hear the results of this survey, let’s remember that it’s really only a survey of those who wish to give their personal information to the SNP as they try to work their way towards a second independence referendum on the false basis that Scotland has demanded it.
Stephen Wood.
Eden Cottage,
27 St Andrews Road,
Upper Largo.
Levenmouth is overlooked
Sir, – The latest deprivation map of Scotland reinforces a couple of aspects of our actual experience of living in one of the highest ranked areas, the Levenmouth conurbation. It has the highest concentration of most deprived zones in Fife.
Among the reasons are firstly, connectivity. This former mining community is the most populous in Scotland with no direct rail link, despite a mothballed track, so access to opportunities in Edinburgh and other cities is difficult.
By contrast, the former mining area of Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly has improved in the rankings, partly by their direct rail access to Edinburgh and related private house building.
We also don’t expect fast broadband here anytime soon.
Secondly, more affluent areas continue to capture discretionary resources since they wield more voice and influence reflecting strongly regressive but hidden mechanisms at play.
For example, Lottery funds are disproportionately contributed from people in poor communities.
The Scottish Government’s Climate Challenge Fund, for example, supports primarily universities, leafy communities and environmental fellow travellers.
Give us a more transparent and level playing field and disadvantaged communities can improve themselves. That does not exist at present.
(Dr) Allen Armstrong.
28 Viewforth,
Buckhaven.
