Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Back in 1997, Tony Blair thought it would be a good idea to give Scotland a parliament, to satisfy the minority seeking independence, knowing that those in that parliament would be so divided as to render it ineffective.
In 2011, the Scottish National Party won 69 of the 129 Scottish Parliament places, which gave them an overall majority. This result was not about Scottish independence, but a demonstration of Alex Salmond’s perceived superiority over the leaders of other parties.
Blair had underestimated the SNP leader with the Braveheart face, now even appealing on emotional grounds to voters of school age.
Maybe before 2014 this man will have put some flesh on the Scottish skeleton by giving plans for oil, defence, debt, benefits, banking, and currency, but so far no thinking has gone into these, just an endless ”it will be all right on the night” rhetoric to maintain support without facts and now alarmingly driven by what looks like personal ambition.
Rather than waste time with a referendum on splitting the UK, it would be more constructive for David Cameron to offer the British people their much promised referendum on leaving the EU, which might also solve the Scottish question.
Malcolm Parkin.15 Gamekeepers Road,Kinnesswood,Kinross.
Time to open up this debate
Sir – Further to the V&A at Dundee, I question the legality of the selling of the Kengo Kuma design to the public then offering an inferior location.
If an estate agent presented to me a well-designed detached house and I decided to purchase, only to be given the keys to a semi-detached house of the same design with an adjoining wall and in another location, would I be expected to accept it?
Design Dundee Ltd chair Lesley Knox seems to think so. She states: ” The new proposal offers an exciting alternative.”
Who, exactly, is defending the public of Dundee, Tayside and the whole of Scotland against a massive U-turn and a public deception?
So sad that it has come to this when those in charge of the project turn to the public and try to sell them a second-rate cheaper alternative.
It is worth noting that those who have offered investment in the Kengo Kuma design have had little to say on this matter. It’s time to open up this debate, I think.
Arthur Gall.14D Pitalpin Court,Dundee.
Conveying the message
Sir, – Despite our efforts over the years, we clearly haven’t managed to convey to your correspondent, Harry Lawrie, what Friends of the Earth is all about (October 27).
We are an organisation largely funded by our membership members of the public who recognise that the planet, its natural resources and rich biodiversity are being squandered and destroyed by our current economic systems and wasteful patterns of consumption.
We all depend on the quality of our natural environment for our own quality of life indeed, for our survival. In particular, we care about the impact on people who suffer the effects of land grabbing, pollution and other environmental damage, whether in Scotland or in other countries.
Friends of the Earth Scotland is part of a global movement standing alongside communities whose environments are exploited by big businesses and misguided governments for financial gain and ”economic progress”.
That includes communities in Scotland which would suffer any negative consequences of fracking and other forms of unconventional gas production.
Andrew Llanwarne.Co-ordinator, Friends of the Earth Tayside,8 Glasclune Way,Broughty Ferry.
It all smacks of deja vu
Sir, – Scots are so disturbed by the image of old Etonians running Britain that they would rather vote for independence than endure another Conservative administration (Jenny Hjul, October 24).
Well, what do they suggest? We have endured 13 years of the previous government being run by three Scots, namely Blair/Brown and Brown/Darling and look at the shambles they left.
The way Salmond and co are promising free everything smacks of deja vu.
B Ogilvie.6 Ballantrae Gardens,Dundee.
Sadly, too late
Sir, ““ I refer to the two letters in Monday”s Courier in relation to the “violent criminal” on the loose and agree entirely with the content.
However, in this world of pussy-footing decision makers, rest assured there will be the usual statement that “lessons have been learned”.
Such a pity they were too late for the victims!
John McDonald.14 Rosebery Court,Kirkcaldy.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.