Sir, I read with disbelief the piece in Monday’s letters page (No real basis for change), in which the writer contends that the SNP’s share of the vote, which brought that party into government, is too low to give them the right to advocate a change from the UK status quo.
If David Cameron (who, but for his party’s link with the Liberal Democrats, would be in a minority government), thinks it appropriate to ask the UK voters whether they wish to remain part of the European Union, it is surely more appropriate for a government with a right to govern in its own right to ask the people of Scotland whether they would be content to stay within the UK.
I should like to take this opportunity to point out to A A Bullions of Leven that, since the end of the Second World War, the Scottish vote has not resulted in the government it wanted unless the vote south of the border happened to coincide.
To put it bluntly, the Scottish people during that period have never voted for a Conservative Government only to have had years of it put upon them by virtue of the massive vote of a neighbour.
To put the picture into graphic detail, the pandas at Edinburgh Zoo will soon outnumber the elected Tory MPs in Scotland by 3 to 1. I take it A A Bullions regards that as acceptable in democratic terms?
In conclusion, the SNP are only going to ask the question and it will be up to the Scottish people, ie those who are entitled to vote and nobody else, who will decide whether they wish to take responsibility for their own destiny or continue to eke out a living on the pocket money provided by Westminster.
Allan A MacDougall. 37 Forth Park, Bridge of Allan.
Interesting responses
Sir, I congratulate you for giving prominent coverage to the results of the recent Panelbase poll on the referendum.
So often the mainstream media has been ignoring anything positive from those in favour of independence.
The Panelbase poll for Wings over Scotland is a case in point.This poll which was financed by readers of the website, with money raised in 17 minutes, included some fascinating results.
These included the fact that only 18% of those polled would vote to rejoin the union if Scotland were already an independent country. OK, a hypothetical question, but an interesting response.
Other responses indicated disquiet and lack of trust in prominent leaders of the debate, with Alex Salmond and Nicola Surgeon getting the least negative responses.
The responses to mainstream media were equally negative. The results of this poll were almost totally ignored by the mainstream media throughout the UK.
It should be said that Panelbase is a well regarded polling organisation which conducts polls for, amongst others, The Times and The Sunday Times.
Ian Gilman. 33 Flass Road, Wormit.
Great service at Fife hospital
Sir, From time to time the Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, gets some bad publicity, but I would like to tell others of my own experience.
On Thursday evening (August 29) one of my hearing aids broke in two. I tried to super-glue it but it was only partly successful.
I phoned the audiology department at Victoria Hospital at 9am the next day and to my amazement got an appointment for 11am that morning!
When I arrived both hearing aids were checked by two very courteous and efficient members of staff and the broken one replaced with a more up-to-date one.
Since my aids are over three years old, I had two ear moulds taken and will be recalled in two to three months to be checked again and possibly be fitted with two new ones.
A superb service. Thank you all very much.
Philip Hughes. 23 Station Road, St Monans.
Cheque makes it all worthwhile
Sir, I took part in the recent Perth “Run 4 It”.
I should like to express my sincere thanks to all those who encouraged me to keep going and for the wonderful support from friends, strangers and, of course, my family.
I was the last to finish and I gather I was also the eldest participant. I didn’t run I walked the whole way!
However, I hope to have a cheque for £3,500 to send to UKPIPS in memory of our beloved son and that has made it all worthwhile.
Beth Sherrard. Rhianon, North Corston, Nr Kettins, Perthshire.
Restore the lost rail services
Sir, Alistair Darling should be congratulated for his attack on the proposed high-speed railway between London and Birmingham.
The money would be better spent restoring services destroyed by Beeching, as it would benefit areas without trains, rather than those that already have a reasonable service.
At the same time this would mean an increased amount of jobs; advantages which would continue for years to come, long after the project was completed.
Malby Goodman. Anvil House, 70 High Street, Aberdour.
Others need to step up
Sir, I am pleased that our Members of Parliament have put a block on military action by our troops in Syria. I do sympathise with the people of that country, but I have to ask: why is it always us who acts as world policeman, ever doing the bidding of the United States?
This civil war is, frankly, none of our business, and while I agree that something should be done to end the situation the Syrian people are in, I feel that nothing should be done by anyone unless it is sanctioned, backed and organised by the United Nations. To do otherwise would be utter folly and only make us even more enemies in the Middle East than we already have.
If and when the UN decides that some action needs to be taken, I also feel that it is time for others to take their turn. We have done our bit recently for world peace, with doubtful outcomes and the making of many enemies, in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. It is now time for others to shoulder some responsibility.
The front runner for this should, of course, be the Arab League in whose backyard all this is happening, but after them, how about the Germans taking a turn, or the Poles, Swiss, Italians, South Africans, Indians, Nigerians, or any other nation except the United Kingdom? Perhaps they have more sense than to get involved, or to jump every time the USA says to.
(Captain) Ian F McRae. 17 Broomwell Gardens, Monikie.
Simply fuelling the fires
Sir, Charles Bird’s view (History repeating itself, The Courier, August 30), that we should stay out of the Syrian conflict is much more rational than his implication of moral equivalence between the actions of Israel towards the Palestinians and the actions of Mugabe in Zimbabwe and the slaughter and slavery perpetrated by the Janjaweed in Darfur.
He also alleges the Israeli use of “phosphorous shells” against Gaza seemingly unaware that, as reported by Associated Press (AP), the Red Cross explicitly denied such use. There are, however, reports and photographs of phosphorous bombs that landed in Israel, fired from Gaza.
It does nothing for peace in the Middle East to take such a one-sided approach. Mr Bird should look at the fundamental differences.
Israel is a democracy. Jews, Christians, Muslims and others enjoy as much democratic freedom as democrats anywhere, and much more than they get in any Arab state. Mr Bird should compare the number of Muslims in the Israeli Knesset to the number of Jews helping to govern any Arab state . . . or even to the numbers of Jews he can find in any Arab state.
Israelis and Palestinians will have to find a way to a compromise peace. The views of Mr Bird and those who think like him merely fuel the fires of resentment and hate.
Andrew Lawson. 9 MacLaren Gardens, Dundee.
Just another city dormitory
Sir, Re your article, Consultants reveal vision for future of Carnoustie (August 30), it appears that Mr Noble who made the presentation to Carnoustie Community Council neglected to say that he had previously made a similar presentation to the Carnoustie Development Group.
After consideration of the major responses to the MIR by three developers, the Carnoustie Development Group wrote to the Muir group outlining our objections to their proposal.
The two key issues are firstly that the proposed development is totally outwith and separate from the existing town of Carnoustie, as it is alongside the main A92, and we dubbed it “Carnoustie 2” as a result. As the proposal includes a supermarket outwith the town this will lead to a drain on the facilities on the High Street which various civic group are doing their best to enhance, and thus lead to a situation similar to Arbroath High Street, with only a few, rather sad, shops.
Secondly the proposed development will be alongside and highly visible from the A92 giving the impression of yet more urban sprawl and removing any opportunity for any form of green belt. As a result this development will no doubt become yet another arid dormitory suburb of Dundee.
Because of these issues, and others, the CDG has concluded that we cannot support their proposal as it stands.
Peter Burke. Chair, Carnoustie Development Group. 14 Collier Street, Carnoustie.
Economy boost?
Sir, Interesting to learn that a security gate, costing £6.5 m has been installed at the Scottish Parliament. Security is mandatory at such an establishment and I assume the contract was given to a British or Scottish-based company, so boosting the economy?
John McDonald. 14 Rosebery Court, Kirkcaldy.