Sir, – While I was pleased that Theresa May mentioned in her Christmas speech the fact that we should take pride in our Christian heritage, I feel this is nothing more than a token gesture to the reality of everyday discrimination facing many Christians in this country when declaring their faith.
In an increasingly secular and politically correct society our nation, which was once a strong Christian nation is seeing Christians in the minority and tolerated less in favour of other faiths.
We have seen this so often from Christians facing disciplinary action at work for sharing their faith and wearing crosses to businesses being sued and forced to close for refusing to serve openly gay people, to nativity plays being banned in schools for fear of offending other religions.
Often when we speak out on matters such as the sanctity of life and the redefining of marriage we are vilified and can even face police questioning for possible hate crime.
Her speech and her words are very nice but I do not believe it has any more substance and until we return to our heritage and start putting Christians first and stop appeasing other religions then that is all it will continue to be.
Gordon Kennedy, 117 Simpson Square, Perth.
Remainers are not ‘smug’
Sir, – I was born in Montrose, Angus, in 1949 and I am now retired in Malta, not only for the climate but also the lower cost of living over here – especially rents.
I am a passionate remainer and very upset at the Brexit referendum, which gave me no vote and with no safeguards was very undemocratic, especially given the huge population of England over the three other members who together form the union that is the United Kingdom.
Take the total leave vote from just England –for example 15.18 million. That is greater than the combined populations of Wales, Northern Ireland and the whole of Scotland added together.
As the United Kingdom is only 0.25% England, provisions should have given other member states, provinces and countries a veto in the Brexit process if leaving the EU was not in their own best interests.
This was clearly the case in Scotland with a 62% national remain vote, and Northern Ireland with a 56% remain vote.
It made me very angry today to see the English Daily Mail leading its Boxing Day edition with this nonsense, and I quote, “Tory MPs say the attacks come from “smug” pro-Remainers who mock anyone “outside their privileged metropolitan comfort zone”.
It quotes Conservative former minister Andrew Percy as saying: “These people continue to look down their noses at ordinary people who dare to have a different view to them.
This so called “smug pro-Remainer” is a 68-year-old single pensioner, an ordinary person, struggling in Malta to live off a UK pension that is devalued every day the Pound gets weaker in relation to the Euro.
As a former engineering officer in the British Merchant Navy I am well aware of the very bleak trading outlook for the whole of the UK outside of the EU.
Any person familiar with shipping between Europe and the UK could have told Exiteers that before any vote was made.
Exiteers are voting for the wrong reasons, mostly immigration which will not be affected, in fact as the front line will move from France to Dover and the southern English coast it is about to get up close and personal and a lot worse after Exit day.
Exiteers say they wish to take back control? Good, a nice external hard EU border between Scotland and England should have them sleeping well at nights clutching their new devalued blue passport with no travel, residence or study rights across the whole of Europe.
If the UK leaves the EU then Northern Ireland will unify with the Republic and Scotland will kick out all English nationalist parties and just return SNP MPs to Westminster the first chance they get, force IndyRef2 and with this fresh lesson from England on how devolved Scottish Government is really just puppet English state, Scotland will break up the United Kingdom and re-join Europe.
Thomas Roy Waller, Flat 7 Ledmar, Andrew Cunningham Street, Qawra, St Paul’s Bay, Malta.
Saltire blue for UK passports
Sir, – Not only will the new UK passports be the wrong shape and size but, instead of a proper dark blue, they are to be produced in a shade akin to that of Scotland’s national flag (the Saltire).
I can only presume this is a doomed attempt by Mrs May’s government to appeal to Scottish National Party voters.
John Eoin Douglas, 7 Spey Terrace, Edinburgh.
FM’s time could be better spent
Sir, – Does Nicola Sturgeon have nothing better to do than tweet puerile comments about blue passports?
How about focusing on education as she promised, after 10 years of mismanagement by the SNP?
Or using the Christmas break to prepare delicious meals for the Syrian refugee family she assured us she’d welcome into her home?
Or even perhaps – just grow up?
Martin Redfern, Woodcroft Road, Edinburgh.
Wood burning not a solution
Sir, – The carbon neutral argument used by those who advocate wood burning for energy could never be proved.
Global CO2 output from that would have to be measured, and the corresponding re-planting of trees, and their growth timescale calculated and monitored, again on a global scale.
That is not happening, or we would surely have seen the bureaucracy and mechanisms necessary to implement such a massive task.
One doubts if enough, or indeed any trees are being planted.
Thankfully, as centuries have proved, the planet will compensate for our activities, leaving the concepts of global warming and climate change to occupy the chattering classes, and provide work for the pseudo-science industry.
Malcolm Parkin, Gamekeepers Road, Kinnesswood.
Levenmouth kept off the map
Sir, – We learned this week of an alarming threat to ongoing efforts to get Levenmouth reconnected to the railway line from transport authorities themselves.
We have a situation where the transport minister clearly approved, in a session in the Scottish Parliament, the next stage in the lengthy technical process involved and committed his government to leading and funding the expensive detailed survey required.
This was less than three months ago and proclaimed by all involved as a significant breakthrough, a vital step forward.
Yet it seems that the officials in both Transport Scotland and Fife Council have somehow tried to ignore this instruction and now merely agreed to revisit the earlier study.
How can such a blatant diversion occur in plain sight?
As the article points out, the rail link was already inexplicably dropped from the recent Edinburgh City Region Deal so it looks like the powers that be are determined to keep Levenmouth off the map.
It’s good to see MSP Jenny Gilruth making strong representations on this continuing travesty.
We need other local leaders to raise such a chorus of objection that they urgently revise their plan and actually move to implement the minister’s clear commitment, which is actually their duty in the first place.
James Robertson, 18 Casan, Leven.
School choirs were a delight
Sir, – Of all the TV offerings on Christmas Day, the highlight was “The Christmas Song Book” on STV 2.
Sung by primary school choirs from all over Scotland, it made for absolutely excellent viewing.
D & G Wright, Kinghorne Street, Arbroath.