Sir, I never thought even this Government would deliberately close down Leven Remploy, a successful business, and throw 26 disabled people out of work.
Not even Maggie Thatcher did this, which shows that this bunch are even worse.
David Cameron stated that he would concentrate on putting and keeping disabled people in work, which shows how much his promises are worth.
These people will now have to go on benefits which he is also cutting; unbelievable!
Instead he gives the royal family a £6,000,000 a year rise, MPs are to get an 11% rise and this will probably apply to the unelected members of the House of Lords, and he also gave a tax cut to the highestearners.
His claim that we are all in this together is just another empty statement.
I wonder what they will get up to next? Whatever it is I do not think it willbenefit working people.
He is like a broken record, repeatedly blaming the last Labour Government but the fault lies with the capitalist system even the US and Japan were affected. Gordon Brown our most successful Chancellor did not cause them to go into recession and lose their triple star rating.
Alister Rankin. 93 Whyterose Terrace, Methil, Leven.
Just tell us the real reason
Sir, I am writing in response to your article entitled Country folk win their bin lorry battle (July 13).
I read that the proposal to restrict bin collections was in order to reduce the risk of back injuries to council employees. Given the state of many council maintained roads, why should farm roads be singled out for such action?
Wouldn’t it be refreshing if our council actually told us this limitation on bin emptying was simply a cost-saving exercise, rather than one to protect the health and well-being of their employees?
William Fowler. 2 Kirkwood Crescent, Crossford, Dunfermline.
Visible policing is needed
Sir, I totally agree with Iain Cathro (Letters, July 13). Bad driving is not confined to motorways and dualcarriageways. I driveregularly from St Andrewsto Cupar via Pitscottie.
This is a B road, speed limit 60mph, and manydrivers seem to interpret this as meaning they must drive at 60mph or faster, despite the road being used by large farm vehicles, cyclists, runners and walkers.
Also, cyclists seem to have forgotten that single file is required to allow vehicles to overtake.
The sight of a police vehicle monitoring speed and behaviour would be very much appreciated.
J Gillespie. The Old School, St Andrews.
Link with past is appreciated
Sir, As a ladies-only golf club about to celebrate its 140th anniversary this August, Carnoustie Ladies wish to point out that Lundin Links is not the only golf club run and financed by ladies only in Scotland.
Mr Clark Cross is apparently unaware of our existence and attributes the same lack of knowledge to Alex Salmond.
The existence of men-only and ladies-only golf clubs in this day and age may well be seen by some as archaic and, indeed, against equal opportunities legislation, but surely we should take pride in our heritage and support such ventures for as long as we can.
Overseas golfing visitors to Carnoustie certainly appreciate our continuing link with the past.
Morag Stephen. Secretary. Carnoustie Ladies’ Golf Club, 12 Links Parade, Carnoustie.
Very caring workforce
Sir, Even with all the pressures that there are on the NHS it is good to know that there is still a very caring workforce there.
I had a cleaner asking how I was every day she worked there and she really did care.
There was a nurse who was worried about me and who started half an hour before she had to, to see how I was and the surgeon visited me every day, sometimes twice a day, even on his day off.
I just cannot praise highly enough everyone involved at Victoria Hospital, especially Ward 52.
John Cramb. 2 Dundee Place, Windygates.
Twinning thought
Sir, Now that Scottish towns are being urged to actively pursue international twinning arrangements and we have already seen Dull twinned with Boring might it not be time for Crook of Devon to revert to its probably apocryphal but surely now apposite twinning with the Thief of Baghdad?
Kenn McLeod. 70 Ralston Drive, Kirkcaldy.
Already annexed seabed
Sir, In A. Woodcock’s article (July 12) I noted that Alistair Darling stated: “It was a frankly ridiculous proposal to suggest we could possibly designate part of Scotland as different from the rest.”
This statement may allay the fears of the people of Scotland that Faslane will not be annexed into the rest of the UK, however, it is worth noting that in 1999 (at the same time as they were handing over the keys for the Scottish Parliament) Alistair Darling, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair were discreetly annexing 6,000 square miles of the Scottish North Sea bed to England, thus effectively moving the English Scottish border to Carnoustie.
This change, which allows Westminster to control 6,000 square miles of Scottish waters was accomplished by using a Statutory Instrument; a method used by governments to bypass parliament.
It is my opinion, therefore, that if Westminster is prepared to do this to 6,000 square miles of Scotland’s seabed I feel that annexing a few square miles at Faslane will not trouble their conscience.
Bob Brown. 20 Holyrood Street, Carnoustie.
Pond down to ‘bare bones’
Sir, It is good to see the two Arbroath councillors take such an interest in Keptie Pond (July 11) and I am sorry that I may dampen their optimism, but in the time this bore hole has been in operation, or more appropriately, non operation. I have seen the inflow working, just once.
It was certainly not flowing on Thursday, the day of the article. £45,000 well spent? It does not appear to be. In the meantime the pond is almost down to its bare bones. Soon the mud banks will be visible. The ducks and other waterfowl, the terrapins, the Koi carp and sundry other fish are having to plough through a blanket of weeds, slime and algae and the swans do not have enough depth of water in which to paddle properly.
If these so-called council officers would look into why this bore hole pump is not working, it would make a lot more sense than just monitoring the weed growth every day. Get the inflow flowing, and keep it flowing, and see if that helps.
John Milne. Addison Place, Arbroath.
Bad drivers are the problem
Sir, Another fatal accident on the A9 has brought more calls to hasten dualling of the entire length of the stretch from Perth to Inverness.
I drove that new road from Perth to the turn-off to Aberfeldy almost daily for two years not long after it opened. The switching from dual to single carriageway, then back to dual was no problem personally, except for the need to adjust the speed.
Other drivers could create a problem and frequently did by racing along in the outside lane as the dual carriageway approached the switch to single carriageway and cutting in front of drivers keeping to the speed limit, forcing them to brake.
For me, the worst-designed stretches were the singlecarriageways where the designers, aiming either to slow traffic down and prevent dangerous overtaking or simply to achieve artistic harmony with the snaking river and the curves of the hills, created so many long, slow, gentle curves.
With the best will in the world, it was almost impossible to pass slower moving vehicles safely as drivers could not see far enough ahead. As a result, many became frustrated and therefore reckless and took chances. I saw many a near thing.
Having said that, I found that the road presented no problems to the careful driver and I am still alive and kicking anddriving to this day.
George K McMillan. 5 Mount Tabor Avenue, Perth.
What about the Olympic flags?
Sir, I challenge the recent petty accusations made byRobert G I Scott and Clark Cross in the letters column that Alex Salmond’s waving of the saltire in celebration of Andy Murray’s triumph at Wimbledon was a political and “childish” act.
I am astonished that anyone would dismiss the mere appearance of the Scottish national flag at a sporting event where a proud Scot had triumphed so spectacularly as a political statement or an infantile outburst.
During the London Olympics, the flags of all the competing states were flown with gusto and few unionists, quite rightly, seemed to mind. So what is their problem with the saltire? It is Scotland’s flag and belongs to the whole nation.
We have as much right as any other citizen of the world and should be able to fly the saltire without being subjected tochildish attacks by those repulsed by any publicexpression of Scottishness.
David Kelly. 17 Highfields, Dunblane.