Sir, – With reference to Nick Dekker’s letter, since the inception of Scottish Premier League football in 1975, Dundee United have generally had the better of head-to-head battles.
Dundee have over that period suffered from a series of controversial owners, chairmen and directors while United have on the whole had good dedicated people in charge.
However, recently that trend appears to have been reversed.
Undoubtedly, if only one club represented Dundee, and most fans eventually accepted this and all turned out each week, the average home attendance would be in the region of 12,000.
This would result in greater financial stability and a better chance of winning a few cups and gaining European placing, though I doubt if any club can seriously challenge the old firm.
The clubs could build a new 20,000-seat stadium funded by the sale of Dens and Tannadice, plus any available grants.
Club colours could be new or combinations of tangerine and dark blue. A new name, United Dundee, Dundee City, Dundee Discovery or Dundee Wanderers could be chosen
Some fans might prefer the assured bragging rights and feel-good factor resulting from short-term victory, but this could be weighed against the potential benefits resulting from a financially stronger club with a fan base only slightly less than Hearts, Aberdeen and Hibs.
I would be interested to gauge the current clubs owners’ opinions on this subject.
Bill Watson. 17 Seaview Avenue, Seaton Estate, Arbroath.
Anti-Catholic divisive view
Sir, – Shylock, wincing under the legal lash of fair Portia, gave utterance to the following sentiment: “Sufferance is the badge of all our tribe.”
The same sentiment might be shared by those of us who continue to read the sectarian views of Alistair McBay’s (April 1) divisive anti-Catholic society. Would it be easier, after being stripped of our schools, if we quietly marched ourselves into a ghetto?
Father Steven Mulholland. St Mary’s Rectory, 22 Powrie Place, Dundee.
Britain’s energy security at risk
Sir, – The former Icelandic Prime Minister may have been accused of denying his country tax revenue but a far greater hit will be taken by the British taxpayer if the Ice Link undersea cable goes ahead.
Just when the Climate Change Act, and carbon floor pricing are undermining UK steel, and huge iconic power stations such as Longannet and Ferrybridge are being closed, National Grid comes up with a madcap scheme to get a supposed 1Gw of electricity by a 625-mile undersea cable from the Icelandic state electricity company.
It turns out that the EU has a hidden agenda to make all member states take at least 10% of their electricity from other states. Another reason for Brexit.
The Dutch have complied with this directive already through NordNed, a 360-mile cable linking Norway with the Netherlands costing 600 million euros but only handling at best 700MW on a good day.
There is also a plan to link Norway with Scotland through Northlink a 350-mile undersea cable taking landfall at Peterhead and costing £1.75 billion, the cable being owned by the Norwegians, of course.
Green energy schemes like these undermine Britain’s energy security and are entirely dependent on foreign powers.
Moreover, as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported in February, green energy can only survive if prices are kept artificially high.
William Loneskie. Amulree, 9 Justice Park, Oxton, Lauder.
Put some pride back in Perth
Sir, – Although I’ve lived down south for many years, my husband and I come back to my home town of Perth on a very regular basis.
We have watched with great sadness the deterioration of the city, with the most recent and devastating blow being the loss of McEwens.
Perth was always popular for its excellent range of independent shops, that’s also what made it a destination.
So many of these shops have disappeared to be replaced by cheap chain stores that are never going to attract people in.
Perth and Kinross Council has not been getting it right for a long time, has not been taking positive action, and now needs to accept responsibility, admit its mistakes and start listening to and heeding feedback.
I could go on but I am sure your readers have read it all before, so a final comment, whoever thought the development proposed for Thimblerow was a good idea?
This will lead to less parking, more restaurants, bars and a cinema that will likely put the Playhouse out of business, shifting the problem of derelict buildings to another area of the city. Please start getting it right so we can feel proud of Perth again.
Fiona Scrimgeour. Meadow View, Westbrook, Newbury.
MSPs prospering from devolution
Sir, – Looking at various photographs of Scottish Parliament members as they go into recess, all I can remember is the down-at-the-heel intake of 1999.
But just look at them now. Prosperous, overfed, expensively dressed, and not a worry in the world.
So at least 129 people have gained from devolution.
Malcolm Parkin. Gamekeepers Road, Kinnesswood, Kinross.
Don’t scare off the English
Sir, – It has occurred to me after watching the aggressive attitude of some of our SNP MPs especially during Prime Minister’s Questions, that English nationals might not feel welcome to visit Scotland for holidays.
Add to this the SNP votes against Sunday extended shopping hours in England and the English fox hunting issue, which really had nothing whatsoever to do with Scotland, and you can see a possible source of friction.
I hope I am wrong, but I believe some of our Scottish elected MPs need to control their aggression and try to be just a little supportive towards England and the English in an effort to aid tourism in Scotland.
Mev Braid. Kinkell Avenue, Glenrothes.
Why is birth rate falling?
Sir, – Why are we shrinking? There are now fewer of us than before.
Since the year of our referendum, our birthrate in Scotland has fallen steeply and the number of deaths is rising.
In the first two months of this year, the number of births in our country fell by 764 or 15% from 2014.
Comparing the same months, the upward rise in the number of deaths is 462 or 5%.
Surely, I cannot be the only one who has noticed these diverging numbers of registrations?
Isn’t it curious that among the six contenders in the Scottish leaders’ debate they only have two children between them?
Might that imply that leadership has become too demanding for parents? In another part of the forest of facts, both the Nationwide and Halifax record a 2% fall in house prices.
This contrasts with rising prices agreed elsewhere on our island.
Perhaps that contrast reflects a fall in purchasing behaviours in Scotland compared with numbers of sale offers?
What does this say about the state of our nation?
Why should it be that our birthrate continues to fall?
Andrew Dundas. 34 Ross Avenue, Perth.
Time to stop silly stunts
Sir, – Each day we are subjected to photographs of politicians doing silly stunts.
On Monday Ruth Davidson was playing bar football and Nicola Sturgeon posed in silly sunglasses.
I want to hear how the politicians will get people back to work not see trivial stunts.
Robert Anderson. Kirkton, Arbroath.