Sir, It is without question that Vladimir Putin, as an ex-KGB man, is both ruthless and power-fixed, reference his current involvement in Ukraine and especially Crimea and his obvious disdain for human suffering and democratic right.
Nevertheless his Russia, following both civil strife and military invasion, is extremely insecure and sensitive to any perceived interference and threat from outside its borders.
As such I feel the European Union, well-known meddlers in others’ affairs, has much to answer for in the current situation. The latter has shown itself to be unashamedly expansionist and conquistadorial, and as such was content to make overtures towards Ukraine, with its vital oil pipelines incidentally, to join the “European Dream.”
Notwithstanding that, the membership of NATO was also on the cards this at the very back door of Russia! It is perhaps little wonder there was a heavy and immediate reaction and the rest is history.
Britain, of course, in company with the gung-ho Americans and the European Union, immediately voiced its protest, took the moral high ground and introduced sanctions, followed by counter sanctions from the Russians.
These sanctions may well come back to haunt us and impact upon our fragile financial recovery. They will do nothing to change the situation. The only way forward is through discussion, diplomacy and negotiation.
I would reiterate that wars are initiated by a few people hell-bent on pursuing their own self-interests with scant regard towards plunging others into strife and misery.
David L Thomson. 24 Laurence Park, Kinglassie.
Reason why it was a success
Sir, The public plaza in front of the Concert Hall and City Art Gallery in Perth provided the ideal setting for the celebrations following the Saints’ triumphant city tour, because (a) there was plenty of room for the crowds, (b) no adjoining businesses were inconvenienced and (c) most important of all, it is directly accessible from streets in every direction.
Contrary, therefore, to the views of Peter Cargill (May 26), the event would have been a disaster if crammed into a “civic square” on the site of the City Halls, where city centre traffic and all the surrounding businesses would have been severely disrupted.
Indeed, such an occasion perfectly demonstrates the folly of wishing to demolish one of Perth’s two most important buildings whose regeneration will do so much to regenerate the whole city centre in order to create a useless back yard.
Vivian Linacre. 21 Marshall Place, Perth.
NHS requires a total shake-up
Sir, The doctors and nurses of the National Health Service are at breaking point and finding it more and more difficult to attend to their main task of treating patients because of constant interference from government ministers and a vast army of bureaucrats and managers, all of whom seem bent on making medical staff’s work impossible, piling on the paperwork, the constant reports and the conferences.
The NHS medical staff have not changed at all in their devotion and dedication, but the whole service needs a complete makeover, root and branch.
Successive governments have tried to tackle the deteriorating situation, mostly by throwing money at the problem, but have only succeeded in making it worse, by expanding the empires of the bureaucrats and restricting the freedom of doctors and nurses to attend to their first concern the patients.
A new broom is required to sweep away the entire shambolic structure and start from scratch with the minimum of managers and maximum of doctors and nurses.
Managers should be in administrative roles only, leaving vital decisions on medical provision to GPs in the community and to medical superintendents and matrons in the hospitals.
George K McMillan. 5 Mount Tabor Avenue, Perth.
“Honesty” won it for them
Sir, It was refreshing to see UKIP doing so well in the EU Parliament elections and it is hoped the other major parties will now realise that it was “honesty” that won it for them.
David Cameron stated: “The people were disillusioned with the EU.”
No. The people are disillusioned by the continual lies and turnabouts performed by today’s government, and he heads the list.
When David Cameron was in opposition he was going to sort out the problems relating to nuclear veterans and give them the blood analysis they have been seeking.
Now he is in power, he has done a complete U-turn.
This has occurred too often.
The electorate want to be able to believe in, and trust, their representatives.
Dave Whyte. 73 Blackcraigs, Kirkcaldy.
Arts only for the wealthy?
Sir, With Perth Festival of the Arts upon us I have to say that it would seem that the festival is only aimed at affluent members of society.
With the cost of tickets for performances being rather extortionate many people on benefits, or who are unemployed, are priced out of affordable range.
Should it not be the case that the arts should be for everyone and not just for the wealthy? It would seem not so in Perth.
Gordon Kennedy. 117 Simpson Square, Perth.
It won’t be more complex
Sir, In his letter of May 23, Alastair Stewart appears to believe that, after independence has been achieved, Scottish citizenship will be more complex than is currently the case under the Union.
I would like to reassure him that the mechanism for deciding Scottish citizenship is almost exactly the same as that currently used for determining UK citizenship.
The only initial difference being that anyone whose main residence is in Scotland on independence day will be able to claim Scottish citizenship no matter what their ethnic background is. Under these rules, his grandchildren would be eligible to claim Scottish citizenship without any problem thereby ensuring they have the same citizenship as himself if they desire it.
It should be noted that his grandchild born in Switzerland would have needed evidence provided to substantiate her claim to UK citizenship. Under UK citizenship rules it would not have been automatic.
Stuart Allan. 8 Nelson Street, Dundee.
Undone by his own arithmetical gymnastics
Sir, Now we have two foxes in the Bute House henhouse. George Galloway, who brilliantly dismembered the SNP’s own “Project Fear” and “Project Feartie” (accusing us of being scared to vote “yes”) last Monday night in Aberdeen Music Hall, and now Nigel Farage and Ukip.
I read Alex Salmond’s comments on the SNP website where he indulged in some arithmetical gymnastics to diminish Ukip’s performance, saying : “Only around 3% of Scotland’s electorate is backing them despite the wall-to-wall media coverage of Ukip that has been beamed into Scotland.”
With a 33.5% turnout that means the SNP’s 28.9% means just under 10% of the electorate supported them. Or, put it another way, 90% of the Scottish electorate did not support the SNP last week.
Hardly a ringing endorsement of their independence campaign or, indeed , their flagship Curriculum for Excellence “Principles of Numeracy” document which, on page four, says: “Raising the bar in numeracy is important for each individual and the prosperity of the nation.”
It certainly is, First Minister!
Allan Sutherland. 1 Willow Row, Stonehaven.
Going beyond the pale . . .
Sir, We Scots realise by now that the Scottish Parliament is a left wing socialist organisation which describes reduction of benefit as a tax and will encourage public spending to the detriment of hard-working taxpayers.
Along with this comes their ambitions for power and central control of all things legislative and administrative, to the detriment of democracy. However, the proposed land-grabbing policy is beyond the pale. The policy is similar to that adopted in South Africa and would, I assume, allow nationalist councils and members of the party to enter estates and farms to make a compulsory purchase.
Independence under the nationalist flag is appearing more fearful the closer we get to any vote and I for one do not wish to live in a soviet socialist type state where authority rules over democracy and policy is contrary to the will of the people.
Alan Bell. Roods, Kirriemuir.
A boost for the “yes” vote?
Sir, In response to Mr McMillan’s letter (May 20), can I first of all thank him for increasing the “yes” vote by claiming: “We do not regard ourselves as a separate nation, but simply a region.” Now we know why he dislikes Flower of Scotland so much,(the part that says “we can be a nation again”?)
I am sure the people of Wales and Northern Ireland are similarly incensed by this all-to-common patronising attitude, usually from the “region” of England, but occasionally from one of “our own”.
As far as his “ being ruled for eternity by a Labour or Communist government”, an independent Scotland will have a free voting choice of all the existing parties and the government will be the choice of the people of Scotland and not decided by a majority vote in another “region”.
The fact the Scots majority vote is unlikely to be to his liking is unfortunate, but it’s the “penalty” for living in a democracy. Yes, Mr McMillan, as you might find out, it’s not easy living as part of a small minority, but the rest of us have been doing it for more than 300 years!
G Adamson. 8 Morlich Gardens, Dundee.