Letters to readers: government must not hide from criticism

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Angiolina Foster, New President of Public Health Scotland, Has Chance to ‘Clean Up the House’, Says Reader

Unfortunately, any criticism (internal or external) is actively avoided by the current government of Holyrood. So much so, it now appears that a supposedly independent public body is covering the backs of SNP ministers (“Health watchdog shielding SNP Ministers now hidden from public after controverse”, September 14).

In response to this revelation, I sincerely hope that the new President of Public Health Scotland, Angiolina Foster, will put the house back in order after taking on the role it deserves to have the chance to do. As for those in Holyrood who seem to hide from the review at every opportunity, perhaps they should remember that throughout his tenure, US President Harry S Truman kept a plaque on his desk stating: “L ‘money stops here’. Sadly, I have a feeling that if the current Scottish ministers had a similar plaque on their desks it could only read, Buck, what dollar?

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Michael J Laggan, Newton from Balcanquhal, Perthshire

Choosing not to wear a mask is a selfish act and there is nothing to be proud of (Andy May, Letters 14 September), as it is about protecting yourself and others from the transmission of Covid , especially in crowded areas.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, the head of the BMA, told his annual meeting that Boris Johnson’s so-called Freedom Day was a gamble that has since contributed to nearly 40,000 hospitalizations and more than 4,000 deaths. .

Mr Johnson’s failure to close UK borders or take Covid seriously in the spring of 2020 has resulted in thousands of unnecessary deaths and ruined thousands of businesses. Although he has no control over cross-border travel, Nicola Sturgeon has handled the Covid pandemic better than Mr Johnson, who authorized travel from India after the current Delta variant was identified.

Jane Lax (Letters, September 14) is somewhat charitable to Nicola Sturgeon. She only mentions the Prime Minister’s failure to deliver on his promise in 2017 to create a public energy company. No mention is made of its replacement by a “public national energy agency”. Ms Lax should consider this development in the mind of poet Tom Leonard commenting on a government contribution to a multiple deprivation zone “he sent a liaison coordinator”. Just think of the impact that an energy advisory body will have on reducing energy poverty!

There is also no mention of the other rewarding ad. The feasibility study of the abandoned policy only cost the Scottish taxpayer 493,000! Compared to the hundreds of millions spent on Prestwick Airport, BiFab, Ferguson Marine, etc., this is an object lesson in how to manage public finances.

Take off the blinders, Mrs. Lax, and look on the bright side. Every day you will receive world class advice on your energy needs. You might even get advice on how to change companies, but not to a public, not-for-profit Scottish company.

Colin Hamilton, Edinburgh

In her address to the faithful at the SNP conference, Nicola Sturgeon accused the British government of impoverishing Scotland in order to demoralize it and bind it more closely to the Union. She wanted a spirit of cooperation between the Scottish government and Westminster.

These are the ramblings of a tired, paranoid and defeated politician. Nothing new to say, no political news, just blame, blame, blame. It has been the same story for years, kicking independence can down the road, flattering the faithful who are very easily satisfied and encouraged. These supporters are manipulated and subjugated by emotionally motivated politicians who try to keep their money making money for as long as possible.

Douglas Cowe, Newmachar, Aberdeenshire

In his September 14 letter, Les Mackays denounces the SNP’s usual drivel that the UK government is the bad guy and treats the Scottish government like lackeys, and says imposed Brexit is wreaking havoc.

This is where the problem with the nationalists lies. The so-called forced Brexit was, if I remember correctly, imposed on us after a referendum held on the whole of the UK, a UK that exists due to another decision imposed by the Scottish people to stay in the United Kingdom and not shoot ourselves in both feet by leaving the Union and facing total economic destruction and the guaranteed social consequences of such a decision.

Hearing the Nats’ continuous moans and their unwavering ability to decide what was a fair referendum and what is not sets their policy based on what is right for the cause and what is not. With the Spin Masters now looking at the new White Paper for Freedom, I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks the skills of JK Rowling and other fantasy geniuses will be needed to bring us to consider voting Yes in a possible future referendum. .

I also note that in his letter Mr Mackay states that Boris and his gang are undermining our elected Scottish government and removing the powers of our decentralized parliament.

To use his own words that a lot of slag !.

Nothing like this has happened, what has happened is that part of the money from public spending goes directly to the purpose for which it is intended, rather than leaving the fingers sticky and SNP / Greens’ dirty do with money as they see fit were still waiting to find out where those 600,000 went, not to mention the missing $ 4 billion of the $ 13 billion the UK government gave Scotland for the recovery and l help to businesses.

The list of failures and false promises is endless, but none of the SNP apologists have ever attempted to defend the SNP when they are high, they just ignore it and start over with the next false promise or sound clip.

We are taken for lackeys by our own government, not by Boris and his gang. As Napoleon once said, lions led by donkeys is really good.

David Millar, Lauder, Scottish Borders

Does Nicola Sturgeon really want Indyref2? She knew Boris Johnson wouldn’t cooperate because he didn’t need to. (Sturgeon’s call to work together rejected, Sept. 14).

Ms Sturgeon’s insistence that a “legal referendum will take place in 2023” falls at the very first hurdle. Not only does she not have the power to call it, but she also does not have a democratic right. On the basis of one person, one vote, which is the real test of intent in a referendum, the main pro-Unionist parties won 38,462 more votes than pro-independence in the 2021 elections in Holyrood. Ms Sturgeon has simply made herself a hostage of fortune because she cannot continue to make grandiose statements about impending referendums without delivering. She skates on very thin ice.

The Scotsman editorial claims we will become a major exporter of electricity primarily through renewables (climate change is Scotland’s business opportunity of the century, Scotsman commentary of September 13). – electricity production fell so low that coal production had to be restored. It was probably the same in Scotland, although we no longer have coal-fired power stations. All renewable energy production is spasmodic and largely unpredictable. In addition, the increased substitution of electricity for heating and transport will result in high demand on the electricity grid. Once the two Scottish nuclear power plants are closed, we will probably have to depend on imports from England and we will not have any surplus to export.

Steuart Campbell, Edinburgh

The Scotsman has been prepared for many years to publish different views on any subject and this approach has led to loyal readers and writers. However, I was surprised to see your editorial use moving words like “Luddits” and “climate change deniers” (“The opportunity of the century is here, September 13). It is a shame the editorial did not rebuke China, the biggest polluter, responsible for 27% of global emissions and poised to worsen. China is building 60 new coal-fired power plants and planning more. China is already increasing its emissions at an annual rate higher than the economies of the rest of the China says it will work towards a “peak of emissions” by 2030 and “Net Zero” by 2060, but refuses to give details. China and many other countries have refused to provide their emission reduction targets for discussion at COP26.

The Greens and the Luddits must both find this shocking.

Clark’s Cross, Linlithgow, West Lothian

Your article on the opportunities presented by climate change fails to mention the inability of our governments to take advantage of it. Scottish windmills were made overseas and the thousands of jobs promised were only in the hundreds. With nearly 11,000 wind turbines on land, 76 percent of the UK’s total has been felt.

An independent Scotland also has to pay millions in duress payments, currently paid for by Westminster, and when the wind turbines need to be replaced, that cost will flow to Scotland as well.

Scotland has actually managed to get worse because of climate change.

Malcolm Parkin, Kinnesswood, Kinross

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