Sir, Within minutes of talking to Alex Salmond on September 18, David Cameron moved the goalposts. The famous “vow” (or was it “bribe”?) turned into a conditional theory. Then the Labour leader stated he would honour the pledge to Scotland’s people; he just wouldn’t be drawn on the century in which that would occur.
The unionists have been going on for two years about the oil not lasting, and even had “experts” saying this. Well, surprise, surprise, we now find there’s enough oil to last at least 120 years. Then we heard of a veritable plethora of goodies: there would be spending cuts in Scotland and the Barnett formula would be scrapped. The good old Labour Party said they would freeze child benefit and stop benefit for all under-25s.
Gordon Brown was ranting about Alex Salmond allegedly lying about NHS privatisation. Then the Labour Party spent a week in Manchester talking about campaigning to save the NHS from, you’ve guessed it, privatisation.
Now polls suggest us old-timers swung the vote towards No.
Well, perhaps deservedly, we got the biggest kick in the teeth. Not only is our pension in the UK the second worst in the whole world anyway, we’ll need to work to 70 just to get it. Pensioners are to lose the heating allowance and we may even need to do charity work for our pensions.
Fracking has been given the green light in Scotland to go ahead anytime and anywhere, including areas of natural beauty and under your house if they want, and to top it all off they’re taking us to war again. The Yes
Campaign did warn about some of that, but all this isn’t from Yes, this is from the mainstream media.
Now, the No Campaign won, that’s democracy, but when people ignored the Yes info and voted “no” did they think they were voting for this?
Perhaps some “no” voters could let us know now why we are better together?
Brian Macfarlane 10 Beck Crescent Dunfermline.
Invigorating not damaging
Sir, Jenny Hjul (Courier, September 24) seems to have been living in a different country from most of the rest of us. Apparently the “damaging referendum”, after “months of bitter feuding” has left us needing “reconciliation”.
I disagree. The past six months have been invigorating as the people of Scotland rediscovered an interest in politics and democracy actually had some meaning for ordinary people.
In general, the debate was good-natured. No-one died, no-one went to jail, one egg was thrown and a few unionist football hooligans went on the rampage in Glasgow. We should not allow bitter attacks from the likes of Ms Hjul (who just can’t seem to let go) on Alex Salmond, to take away from our pride in Scotland and what we have done these past months.
The fight for a more just and equal society goes on.
David Robertson. 14 Shamrock Street, Dundee.
An unjustified generalisation
Sir, In her column in The Courier (September 25),Jennifer Dempsie makes a quite disgraceful and unjustified generalisation about the older generation.
She says: “The main issue in Yes getting over the halfway mark and the SNP not succeeding in its heartlands, is failing to win over older and more affluent voters for whom social justice and equality were not high on their agenda.”
How does Ms Dempsie know this? Is she not aware that very many of these “older” people probably suffered considerable hardship growing up during and immediately after the Second World War?
Some of them may be “affluent” but that is almost certainly the result of their own hard work, in many cases following years of study. As a member of the older generation I can speak for myself and many friends and acquaintances.
We are very conscious of the importance of justice and equality. To suggest that these concepts are not high on our agenda is grossly insulting.
I am afraid that Ms Dempsie’s girn is only too typical of the reaction of many “yes” voters who are unable to accept that they lost because the No Campaign had much the better case.
Alastair Stewart. 86 Albany Road, Broughty Ferry, Dundee.
High profile on two fronts
Sir, Should a Westminster MP become deputy leader of the Scottish National Party? It is a difficult choice for its members.
In Keith Brown and Stewart Hosie they have a choice of two people with talent, judgment and vigour (Courier, September 26). Who is elected very much depends on whether the SNP still gives a very high priority to representation in the House of Commons.
It needs to gain the balance of power at Westminster if it is to continue to put pressure on the government there for more powers for Holyrood. Treasury spokesman and Dundee East MP Mr Hosie may well be the person who can help achieve this.
In Keith Brown the party has a more consensual figure.
His achievements in the Scottish Government transport brief have been considerable. He took over after the winter debacle of December 2010; perhaps the Queensferry Crossing will be seen as a lasting part of his legacy.
He remains, however, a Holyrood man.
In the aftermath of the referendum result the SNP must be mature enough to recognise how vital an extremely high profile in both legislatures will be. It must learn to campaign on two fronts and its leadership team must reflect that.
Bob Taylor. 24 Shiel Court, Glenrothes.
Not Highland Perthshire
Sir, In his article about the Ryder Cup (September 26), Steve Scott writes that the PGA Centenary Course, Gleneagles is in “Highland Perthshire”. It astonishes me that anyone writing for The Courier can think that it is in the Highlands.
Incidentally the Ochils are Lowland hills. Furthermore, Comrie is situated on the Highland boundary fault.
Thomas Murray. 127 Cairns Crescent, Perth.
A carrier bag commitment
Sir, In your article on the forthcoming Scottish carrier bag charge (Courier, September 26) which comes into force on October 20, you state that the proceeds “will be given to good causes”.
I’d like to point out that it’s not mandatory for retailers to do so. However, Zero Waste Scotland, which is supporting retailers to understand how the new charge will work, is encouraging businesses to signup to our carrier bag commitment, under which signatories commit to give revenues to good causes voluntarily.
Iain Gulland. Director, Zero Waste Scotland, Moray House, Stirling.
Make bridge a priority plea
Sir, Amazing! A footbridge was erected overnight over the motorway at Gleneagles for the safety of the golf spectators crossing at this point.
We in Tulloch have waited 20 years for a similar bridge at one of the most dangerous crossings over the motorway in Perth into Inveralamond.
I am aware that this footbridge is included in the forthcoming road plans and I plead with Perth and Kinross Council to make this their main priority before there is another fatality. Many people cross at this point to go to work.
Harry Pearson. Pimrose Terrace, Hillyland, Perth.
Make peace with who?
Sir, I was interested to read Pete Wishart’s reasons to vote against the Government’s motion to bomb Iraq to weaken IS control.
I am surprised he thinks that we, the UK, should have a plan for peace and reconciliation. “Who with?” I ask. “The new caliph?”
I can only thank the Lord that people like him had little influence in the 20th Century!
David Paterson. 31 Albert Street, Tayport.