Sir, A few months ago, when George Galloway wrote an anti-independence blog during the Nigel Farage affair, I felt the referendum debate shouldn’t give much attention to baseless narrow-minded non-arguments, like the ones Mr Galloway presented.
In his article, he insinuated that in an independent Scotland, the Scots will see the English as Fifth Column traitors. He claimed that the Scots will turn against the Catholics and be hateful towards “the immigrants, brown as well as white who would be ‘taking our jobs’, ‘our houses’, ‘marrying our women’ and the rest”, in his own words.
This is the same man who wishes to go on a tour in November across Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen, for “Just Say Naw” talks (ticket price £12). He expects his audience to be people/fans who can afford to pay £12 to meet him. The referendum debate matters the most to Scotland’s destitute of whom there are many who will, therefore, be excluded from Mr Galloway’s supposedly educational tour.
George Galloway is a man who is not afraid to speak his mind, but is afraid to listen to what others have to say.
I wish that I, or any other person with a different opinion, could engage with him on matters like the referendum on Scottish independence; but unfortunately £12 entry fees to his talks and blogs that include baseless scaremongering rants do not help.
It is time to discredit dogmatist voices nourished by negativity and bigotry and push forward with the positive, lively debate this referendum actually deserves.
Jalal Abukhater. West End, Dundee.
Old idea with a new slant
Sir, Though I personally believe nuclear power to be a technological dead end, I nevertheless believe that the nuclear industry should be able to make its case, particularly in the light of the present energy crisis.
Unfortunately, the recent announcement by the Conservatives of plans to build a new large reactor at Hinkley Point falls short of making an honest case for nuclear power. This is because it does not mention the waste.
In addition to the cost of £92.5 per MwH for the electricity, at some point there will inevitably be another bill for the disposal of all the historical nuclear waste currently in reactors or stored at decommissioned nuclear power stations and also there will also be an additional bill for the waste from this new reactor and all the other 10 the nuclear industry would like to build.
Interestingly, the new European Pressurised Reactors (EPR) can run on mixed oxide fuels (MOX) which are produced from reprocessing nuclear waste, it is therefore reasonable to expect an announcement on nuclear waste reprocessing in the future (after the Scottish referendum) probably involving Chinese finance. The Chinese are building 29 such reactors and will obviously need somewhere out of the way to do the reprocessing and waste storage.
How do I know this? It is simply Margaret Thatcher’s nuclear energy plan, with a Chinese slant.
Philip Roberts. Ascurry Mill, By Letham, Angus.
The battle has just begun
Sir, My grateful thanks to the 161 constituents of Dunfermline who voted for me in the recent by-election. You examined the issues and showed “true faith” in the words of Ralph Erskine.
While other candidates were talking, I have been walking the walk and will continue to work on the things that matter to the people of Dunfermline. The skirmish is over, but the battle has just begun.
John Black. Independent Candidate. Woodhollow House, Helensburgh.
Why did they miss this?
Sir, In our vastly over-governed Scotland, it is incredible how the Grangemouth problem suddenly appeared from nowhere. The real question is why did the MP and MSP for Grangemouth not see this coming? The same goes for the four elected councillors and seven list MSPs for the area.
Why were 13 elected people not sufficiently in touch to have foreseen this potential economic calamity.
All we now hear, are their public sighs of relief that the crisis is over, using the usual jargon-generated politico-speak. What do our elected representatives actually do except react to situations, then grandstand while providing comments for the media?
Why don’t they prevent these problems from happening in the first place?
That is what they are paid to do and there are certainly enough of them.
Malcolm Parkin. 15 Gamekeepers Road, Kinnesswood, Kinross.
Surprised by editorial
Sir, I was surprised by your editorial “Good win up to a point” on Saturday referring to the Dunfermline by-election which reads like a rallying cry to Labour Party supporters.
Is The Courier saying that it supports the Labour Party?
As a regular reader and Scottish Green Party member I would find that very disturbing.
Andrew Collins. Skinners Steps, Cupar.