Sir, – With reference to the letter by Joseph Miller, Create Fairer Tax System (May 23), the writer was clearly trying to establish some form of populist tax avoidance rhetoric.
He referred to bankers and chief executives receiving £500,000 bonuses and “putting it straight into a Swiss bank account”.
He contrasted this with a £10 increase in benefits which rather than that bonus “goes straight back into the economy”.
The reality, of course, is far from that fanciful scenario.
Large bonuses of £500,000 would benefit the public purse to the tune of circa £150,000 to £200,000 by PAYE taxation paid at source.
The balance is far more likely to be used by the recipient in local spending as well: maybe funding a nice holiday to reward the family for the significant hours put in to win that reward, or going back into the local economy via restaurants and hotels.
I do find the whole class warfare and politics of envy arguments very tedious and misleading.
These days, those earning very large remuneration packages and bonuses are frequently from working-class backgrounds where they have worked hard at improving their lot.
The writer attempts to smear the reputation of others to create an unfair system where hard work is not rewarded over the feckless and workshy.
The social security benefits system was meant to provide subsistence living when faced with hard times, not to provide a lifestyle choice.
Graeme Fox.
2 Elcho Drive,
Broughty Ferry.
Leave decision to councillors
Sir, – MSPs and MPs can’t have much to do these days if recent articles about the proposed housing in Scone is anything to go by.
The principle of housing and associated developments in Scone was established through the Perth and Kinross Local Development Plan (LDP)and was the subject of much public consultation and debate.
That was the time for Messrs Swinney, Wishart and Ruskell to have their say on the future shape of Perth and Kinross through the LDP process and I am certain that the views of any politician would be taken seriously by the officers and councillors in Perth and Kinross.
This matter should now be determined by the development management committee of Perth and Kinross Council without any interference from MSPs or MPs.
There may be new councillors on this committee but there are also experienced members who will be able to keep everyone focused on the main issues, none of which have anything to do with politics.
This application has already taken a considerable time to reach this stage and will take many years to complete while we continue to hear the clamour for all forms of housing to meet local demand.
The cynic in me wonders if the reactions of politicians would have been the same if the SNP were still in control of Perth and Kinross Council?
Colin Young.
Meadowland,
Newton of Pitcairns,
Dunning.
An effective performer?
Sir, – Campaigning in the Edinburgh South West constituency, Joanna Cherry tells us she’s an effective performer.
Really? Does her definition of effective expand to her claim that the unmarried nurse who challenged Nicola Sturgeon at the BBC leader’s debate on the SNP’s questionable management of the NHS, is married to a Tory councillor?
Ms Cherry is a QC. As such she must understand the importance of validating facts rather than apparently simply accepting rumour from her party’s supporters on social media.
Martin Redfern.
Merchiston Gardens,
Edinburgh.
Free medicine can save money
Sir, – In reply to RJ Soutar, there is evidence, considering 90% of the public got free prescriptions anyway, that these actually save money.
If someone catches an infection and cannot afford a prescription, the infection could get worse and they may end up in hospital costing us more.
Nowadays, a trip to the doctor gets them mild antibiotics and clears the infection up, saving the NHS money.
Rodric Selbie.
45 Silver Birch Drive,
Dundee.
Cure worse than symptoms
Sir, – Our obsession with mental illness is morbid and the decision of the late Diana’s boys to bear their souls makes one miss the Duke of Edinburgh’s uncomplaining fortitude.
The Princes’ solution is endless talk but both 9/11 and Lockerbie showed counselling can be counter-productive, breeding introspection and an inability to get past a traumatic event.
Celebrities of every stripe weep pitiably on the airwaves while a recent “survey” revealed that two-thirds of British adults claim to have experienced mental ill-health problems.
But far from being a sign that ours is a more “open and caring” society, there’s nothing compassionate about encouraging people to believe they are in the grip of a mental disorder.
Normal feelings such as sadness, anxiety, grief and fear, are now seen as symptoms of a “breakdown” requiring intervention through talking cures or psychotropic drugs. But in many cases these drugs either worsen the very anguish they are meant to alleviate or trap patients in pathological dependency.
Rev Dr John Cameron.
10 Howard Place,
St Andrews.
Disaster of Tory policies
Sir, – I am sure readers will have noticed that the Conservatives in Scotland do not talk about anything except independence.
I can understand why they do not want to talk about their record in office because it has been a long list of disasters for almost all of us.
Only the seriously rich have benefited from the Tories in office.
Andrew Collins.
Ladyburn House,
Skinners Steps,
Cupar.
Taxpayer picks up bill
Sir, – Why should people who are better off be given a variety of services for free? They are not free: the taxpayer pays.
Many of us do not need a winter fuel allowance.
I pay an equivalent amount to Shelter so that I do not benefit.
And why should children who are content to see their aged parents consigned to a care home expect their inheritance to be ring-fenced?
I regard my house as my care home fund.
The one that is more difficult is the free bus pass.
I would gladly pay an annual fee for mine and don’t want to have to fiddle about for cash.
Imagine the frustration caused to a bus driver and passengers by a queue of elderly people fiddling about in their pockets and purses trying to find the correct money for the fare?
Jill Stephenson.
Glenlockhart Valley,
Edinburgh.