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READERS’ LETTERS: Honda Swindon closure is a wake-up call to British manufacturing

The Swindon Honda factory.
The Swindon Honda factory.

Madam, – The decision by Honda to move its manufacturing back to Japan, has been seized upon by Brexit “Remainers” as evidence of the economic damage to the United Kingdom as a consequence of leaving the EU.

However, there is another point of view, which is that for the past 50 years, Britain has been in thrall to multi-national business without taking sufficient account of the vagaries of policy decisions by such businesses that ignore any loyalty towards a country in which their manufacturing is based and their workforce there.

Such businesses will fly to whichever location is best for strategic profit creation.

The Honda decision begs the question of why the United Kingdom cannot once more start manufacturing its own vehicles instead of either importing them, or relying upon companies such as Honda and Nissan to fill the manufacturing void.

Surely this is something that is in need of urgent government attention to encourage our own engineers to once again begin producing British brands that incorporate the latest eco-technologies.

After all, we long ago gave up making anything that would be appealing to consumers, relying instead on a service-industry to ensure GDP growth.

We all saw the fallacy of this policy during the turmoil that ensued after the global economic crisis.

Maybe it is time to consider the Honda decision as a wake-up call to our politicians and business leaders to resurrect British manufacturing expertise through innovative product design supported by appropriate investment incentives.

Derek Farmer.

Knightsward Farm,

Anstruther.

 

Hardly ‘a few containers’

Madam, – Having read the article about the battery storage development proposed for Coupar Angus (“Claim issues over energy storage plan unanswered”, The Courier, February 16), I feel compelled to write to correct some of the statements made by Mr Mirchandani or Coronation Power.

Of the 60 residents who attended the consultation on January 31, only one was in favour of the project.

The development will cover an area the size of two football pitches.

It will consist of 15 container-size battery units built on concrete bases; 15 inverters and transformers also on concrete bases; a DNO sub-station; a client switchgear container; an electrical grid compound; a welfare and a parts storage container – all surrounded by a two-metre high perimeter security fence with four six-metre high poles with security lights and cameras .

This all to be built on the highest ground in the area, which is also prime agricultural land.

This is hardly “a few containers in a field” as Mr Mirchandani misleadingly stated.

Moira Galloway,

Tweedside Cottage,

Coupar Angus.

 

Angus budget is for accountants

Madam, – As a council tax payer in Angus I read with interest, if not amusement, the comments of the “finance supremo” Mr Macmillan Douglas at the recent budget briefing in Forfar. (“Council head promises a ‘real change’ to local lives”, The Courier, February 19).

His statements that this is “the best budget we could have put forward” and one that “will limit any possible negative impact on the services the people of Angus will rely on each day’’ will no doubt become his hostage to fortune.

With a substantial hike in council tax in the offing and a real terms reduction in services, which are pretty poor anyway, his air of self satisfaction in a job well done will not be shared by the already hard-hit Angus taxpayers.

The concluding mantra that the ruling Tory/Independent group have produced a budget that is looking forward is not supported by the intended “savings list”, nor the content of the article.

This is a budget based solely from the view point of the accountant.

Austerity, job cuts, reduced educational services, lack of regular access to refuse services and a draconian parking policy are only a few of the measures we council tax payers will have to suffer and manage.

Dan Wood,

Charles Melvin Gdns,

Kirriemuir.

 

Council savings: start at the top

Madam, – A good place for Angus Council to make savings would be to start with chief executive Margo Williamson’s annual salary, believed to be more than £125,000.

Brian Smith,

Glenogil Terrace,

Forfar.

 

Legal principle being sacrificed

Madam, – Equal protection before the law is a cornerstone of the legal system.

Even the worst scum bags have rights. It’s not up to the Government to bow to the mob, no matter what a person is accused of. The presumption of innocence is another inalienable right.

Populism should be shunned. The Tories have stripped a British citizen of her rights to appease a campaign of right-wing mob hysteria.

If it can be done to Shamima Begum it can be done to anyone.

Legal principle is more important than individual circumstance.

The Tories are ripping up the principles of habeas corpus as laid out in Magna Carta.

People will accuse me of “pandering” to an Islamic Jihadist. They should save their anger for the British Government which, for 200 years, has financed, trained and recruited Islamic extremists.

Alan Hinnrichs,

2 Gillespie Terrace,

Dundee.

 

Don’t allow battery unit

Madam, – Regarding the proposed battery storage unit at the Pleasance.

I have looked online at Companies House in England for the details of Coronation Power Ltd, the company wanting to install these batteries.Facts for the year ended September 30 2017:

Private company with a share capital of only £100, cash of £82, creditors £61,538, bank overdraft £2,457, a loss of £16,496 for the year and accumulated losses since company was set up £47,965.

They show intangible assets of £10,185 but give no indication of what these are. The accounts were prepared on a “Going concern” basis despite its liabilities exceeding its net assets by £47,865 and state “the company’s shareholders have indicated that they will provide financial support to ensure the company can trade in the foreseeable future and that they have the means to do so”.

Not quite the picture painted at the consultation. The planning application must be opposed.

Clark Cross,

138 Springfield Rd,

Linlithgow.

 

Forget TV, go to the web

Madam, – We need a dedicated YouTube politics channel discussing all things Scots from a Scottish perspective. People like Joe Rogan and Dave Rubin have viewing figures that easily outstrip US networks.

Instead of worrying about a Scottish broadcasting channel, we should be concentrating on the web.

Look to the future.

Mark Harper,

22 Fitzroy Street,

Dysart.