Sir, – The prospect of seeing a film about Dundee’s most famous MP played by its most famous actor is very interesting.
So before I go to see Brian Cox star as Winston Churchill I am already thinking about what the film might cover that has not already been covered in endless documentaries and film epics so far.
If I could get into my time machine and go back 70 to 75 years, I’d like to think I’d have done two things.
The first was to try in 1940 to persuade friends and family that Winston Churchill was the right man to be wartime leader.
The second would be to try to persuade those same people that the great man and his party should not be given a majority in the election called immediately after the end of the Second World War.
Make no mistake, Winston Churchill was a controversial figure in mining communities throughout Fife and the east of Scotland.
He aroused a degree of emotion it is difficult to understand by the standards of modern politics.
His dismissal by the voters in Dundee in the general election of 1922 was for broadly the same reason as his party was dismissed in July 1945.
He had become a symbol of an attitude of mind against which the country had turned.
So I’ll keep an open mind about how the film will touch on this if at all.
There was a world of a difference between his domestic politics and his military insight.
We should all be grateful for his wartime leadership qualities without blinding ourselves to the more unpleasant aspects of his political character.
Bob Taylor.
24 Shiel Court,
Glenrothes.
Don’t tolerate radicalisation
Sir, – The atrocities of recent weeks have been horrifying.
Yet we need to remember that the intelligence services of the UK have been able to prevent dozens of terrorist plots from wreaking even more death and destruction
Even so, all the debate about numbers of police officers and the amount of money spent on policing neglects the two major problems posed by terrorists.
First, they live among us: they are not aliens whom we can readily identify as enemies.
Secondly, the IRA bombers of the late 20th century, whom many of us remember with disgust, had one advantage as far as we were concerned. They did not intend to die.
There were cases where IRA bombers blew themselves up by accident, an outcome that was not displeasing
Now we are faced with Islamist murderers for whom their own death is part of the agenda.
This makes it far more difficult for the authorities to thwart them.
We are told that those who plan or commit terrorist crimes in the UK often have a history of petty crime and that people become radicalised in prison. My question is: why is this tolerated?
Jill Stephenson.
Glenlockhart Valley,
Edinburgh.
Tighten up immigration
Sir, – When will politicians admit that we are fighting a war of survival in the United Kingdom and Europe against those perverting Islam, a religion of peace, for their own plans for world domination?
The countries of the West must immediately introduce appropriate measures.
These would include banning people entering Europe and the UK from countries which are hostile towards us.
President Donald Trump is pursuing this course of action against six countries.
Those planning terrorism, and MI5 say there are 23,000 suspects in the UK, should immediately be interned.
Those who commit or plan terrorist attacks and hold British passports are guilty of treason and I understand that this still carries the death penalty.
Foreign terrorists should be similarly treated.
Prisons only breed more terrorists.
I am certain that these actions would be welcomed by the millions of real Muslims in Europe and the UK who follow their religion of peace and are shocked that their religion has been tainted and disrespected by these monsters.
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
We need leaders with courage
Sir, – The consequences of Brexit are already apparent: slower growth, damaging uncertainty for industry, commerce and finance which will inevitably lead to a weaker, poorer Britain.
The benefits of Brexit are uncertain with the recovery of sovereignty largely illusory.
Most young Brits voted Remain but they will pay the price.
So where are the political leaders with the wisdom and courage to say we have made a dire mistake and sort it before it is too late?
Rev Dr John Cameron.
10 Howard Place,
St Andrews.
UK heading for isolation
Sir, – The US withdrawal from the Paris climate accord is clearly deeply disappointing, symptomatic of President Trump’s desire for US splendid isolationism as it pursues its narrow nationalist agenda.
Mr Trump’s decision to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement means the world’s second largest emitter of greenhouse gases will exit the international effort to address dangerous global warming.
It joins Syria and Nicaragua as the only countries not party to it. We all share the same responsibility to defend and make our planet great again but we have a small handful of nations who have taken the decision to reject the future.
What is even more disturbing is the failure of the UK to sign up to the joint statement with leaders of France, Germany and Italy, affirming a commitment to implement the Paris climate agreement and combat climate change.
This was a sad day for the global community, and with Brexit, the UK is heading in a worryingly similar isolationist direction.
Alex Orr.
77 Leamington Terrace,
Edinburgh.
