Sir, The SNP no longer refer to the “Arc of Prosperity” which they invited us all to join in an independent Scotland but do offer assertions such as: we would keep the pound and join Europe.
Actually, the power to make the first a reality rests with the Bank of England and would surely be a decision taken by the remainder of the UK, whereas the second will require a newly independent Scotland to make an application as a new state to join the EU and it requires new accession states to adopt not the pound but the euro.
Our current, and greatly increasing, pensioner population is paid in sterling from the combined strength of the UK state or pension funds, which are largely based upon sterling contributions and payments.
Few seriously credit that taking an uncertain currency “punt” will enhance, let alone secure, Scottish pensions in the increasingly unlikely event of a vote of Yes to breaking up the UK very worrying, since latest census figures reveal rises of 14% of Scots aged 75-plus and 16% in the 60-74 age range. Pensions are crucial and cannot be the playthings of independence-obsessedpoliticians who recklessly wish to experiment with other people’s futures.
Pensioners and the rest of us deserve facts, not contradictory assertions.
Craig Duncan. Gardyne Place, Dundee.
Hope that new school means some changes
Sir, I am writing with reference to the celebrations surrounding the opening of the new Auchmuty High School.
I did not attend the open day in June. This is because, for me, as with so many others I know, our school career at Auchmuty was not “the best years of our lives” but a continuous struggle against the tidal wave of bullying and peer pressure, by fellow students and staff alike.
Many of our memories are not of fun and companionship, but of ostracism by the ‘social elite’, favouritism from teachers towards the popular students and suffering a general disadvantage for being quiet and well behaved.
Teachers regularly and obviously played favourites, some of them perhaps innocently, but others to the detriment of the education of certain people.
It was, therefore, with a tinge of sadness that I looked through photographs of former pupils and staff who joined together at the open day to share their anecdotes of times gone by with little awareness or regard of how their friends, and perhaps even their behaviour, affected others.
As I am now at university, I strive to leave behind the negative memories of the past and move towards a positive future pursuing a career I am extremely passionate about. I hope that with the passing of the old school, others can do the same and that the new school offers opportunities for a change in the ethos of the school.
R. Carstairs. Glenrothes.
Why lawmakers should take a drive on A9
Sir, I am in total agreement with Bob Thomson when he states (Wednesday’s Courier) that it is not always the speeders at fault but, a lot of the time, it is the “happy” motorist who likes to drive along the road between 30 and 40mph to enjoy the scenery.
I find this problem on many occasions when I have to drive into St Andrews for appointments. They seem to forget local people know and enjoy the scenery but have, at times, to get to their destination at a much quicker pace.
The lorries on the A9, if they stick to the rules, can only drive at 40mph, which means they have to come down to low gears, which then uses more fuel and puts out a lot more pollution and also increases the cost of consumer items.
Unfortunately, the people who think up the new rules sit at their desks and don’t actually venture out on to the problem roads to see who is at fault.
Ina Cameron. Lucklaw Road, Balmullo.
Hot air behind our turbines
Sir, The UK is in an economic crisis yet has spent billions of pounds on wind turbines, which do not do what was promised.
On Thursday the grid-metered wind capacity (on and offshore) of 7,136MW was only producing 60MW.
Countries in Europe and abroad are turning off the renewables subsidies tap because they cannot afford them.
Politicians were stupid enough to listen to the renewables industry, with its vested interests. Turbines will reduce CO2, they cried, research proved that they do not. Jobs for British workers using British products and a new “industrial revolution”, they cried.
The £1 billion offshore windfarm off Lincolnshire was built with turbines from Denmark, a French company manufactured the cables in Germany and Norway, the foundations were made in Holland and foreign labour employed.
Well-paid teams of experts from Sweden and Germany are flying in to Humberside Airport to carry out regular maintenance.
Turbines have not created the 30,000 British jobs promised but instead devour subsidies.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.