Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – Having been dismayed by the seeming lack of vision of independence in the Yes Scotland campaign so far, I have been cheered by the gaffes of the Better Together launch.
We are told by Alistair Darling, in all seriousness I gather, that a vote for independence was to ”buy a one-way ticket to send our children to a deeply uncertain destination”.
Is Mr Darling unaware that ever since the Union Scotland has been exporting her children on one-way tickets to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the US and, above all, England through emigration?
Their leaflet admits to 800,000 Scots living and working in England and Wales a monstrous share of Scotland’s five million people.
Far from being 800,000 reasons for the Union, these are 800,000 reasons why the London-dominated Union should be dissolved to enable Scotland with its vast natural resources to devise economic policies to keep our young people at home if that is what they wish.
At the time of the Union, Scotland had around a quarter of the total of the combined population of England and Scotland. Now it is just over 10% and still sinking.
Over the centuries, Scotland has been bled white through emigration, with our education system training children for export at the expense of the Scottish community.
So, if the Union has been so good for Scotland, why has England’s share of the combined population grown and ours declined?
Is it surprising that parts of southern England, so near London, the centre of Government in the UK, are now denser in population than Holland? In short the impact of Anglo-Scottish Union can be summed up in three words: emigration, emigration and emigration.
Alistair Darling’s slogan Better Together begs the question for whom?
On the evidence, it is better for England. Indeed a truer slogan would be: For England, Better Together. For Scotland, Better with Independence.
Gordon Wilson.48 Monifieth Road,Broughty Ferry, Dundee.
Can’t be held to ransom now
Sir, – There was a time when planners and councils could demand all sorts from companies wishing to build in their area but, like the housing market, these times have disappeared.
Maureen Closs may describe the decision by Fife councillors as deplorable, but reality has kicked in and firms will no longer be held to ransom by planners. They will simply walk away and build elsewhere.
In today’s marketplace £110,000 is not peanuts to any company it may be the difference between profit or loss on a project.
It seems councillors have switched on to this and arrived at the correct decision by waiving the playpark and cycle path stipulation.
John Strachan.23 Beechwood Avenue,Glenrothes.
Better way to make savings
Sir, – Well, here we have it again, another Tory and Co attack on the British public. Now this time it’s to be the young with threat of removal of housing benefits to save, they say, billions from the benefits budget.
I would strongly suggest their time and effort would be better spent in removing illegal immigrants and asylum seekers from this country unless they can clearly prove they face a definite and definitive threat to life.
The European treaty allows a person to seek asylum in the nearest adjoining EU country; countries some of them bypass to seek benefits in the UK.
Additional action needs to be taken against employers who seek out cheap labour who then require to top-up their finances at our cost by claiming benefits. A person who has worked all their days in the UK until retirement, having paid all their taxes, receives about £6,500 per year pension and benefits. An immigrant who has paid nothing receives payments in excess of £29,000.
By removing those who are not UK citizens the jobs market would be opened up again to UK citizens, giving our youth a more positive outlook and most of all saving billions on benefits payments.
We could further benefit by stopping handouts to other countries through aid payments that amount to billions every year.
This money is our taxes and should be used here first to support our own.
Charity begins at home.
Alastair McLean.Ar Tigh Ciether,4 Fletcher Place,Crieff.
We could have worked that out
Sir, – Re the topic of disposable plastic bags; seldom have I heard such drivel coming from a politician’s mouth as the quote from Conservative environment spokesman Jamie McGrigor (June 25). He said that because of the wet weather in Scotland ””using other types of carrier bag just isn’t practical”” Does he think that all Scots are cretins?
There are reusable plastic bags and other bags which will not disintegrate when exposed to a little rain. I am pretty sure that the vast majority of Scots can work this out for themselves.
Most adult Scots can also tie their own shoelaces.
David Saunders.235 Muirfield Drive,Glenrothes.
Another two years of this
Sir, – A paragraph caught my eye recently. It stated ”Over the next two years…” referring to the referendum on Scotland’s future which is due in 2014.
I would say the Rangers saga and the Leveson inquiry have been boringly dull over the past few months yet they’ll look like having been exciting when the referendum battle steadily increases in volume.
I don’t suppose the Scottish Parliament would pull the vote forward to next month? Most people in Scotland know already exactly where they are going to put their cross, tick or whatever. Anything to avoid two years of spouting by politicians.
Ian Wheeler.Springfield, Fife.
Can I have my money back?
Sir, – The arrogance and/or the insensitivity of senior bankers never ceases to amaze Stephen Hester’s comments on the latest RBS/Nat West fiasco I believe to be a prime example: ”We are a big bank with broad shoulders and will be able to bear the cost.”
Keeping that statement in mind, can the taxpayers expect their billions will be repaid in the near future?
David Moffat.17 Goshen,Scone.
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.