Sir, – I wish to comment on Alex Bell’s rather timid forecast ( “General election disaffection”, The Courier, October 24 ) of what a post-general election scenario is going to look like in the UK, although he gives little reference to Scotland.
My analysis is far less tentative and is clear to anyone looking at the politics of Scotland and the UK at this time.
Let me move on to the future. In the general election 2019 battleground the only issue will be Leavers versus Remainers.
All Leavers, regardless of Party allegiance, will return a Conservative and Brexit majority.
This will ensure the two-year EU transition negotiations will be very hardline.
The SNP will achieve 50 plus seats, this will mean little or nothing to the Johnson/Farage government.
The Brexit debacle will leave front stage and the UK will enter the most destabilised political and economic environment since the 1930s.
We will have the biggest alliance of right wingers and reactionaries this country has ever seen.
Once they get their way with Europe they will then set about firstly, the Scots, who will lose their devolution status and be “put back in its box”.
Northern Ireland, once they see the direction right-wing England is going, will clamour for unification (it’s in the Good Friday Agreement!).
This right-wing alliance will carry out the biggest assault on the Public Sector ever seen in this country.
We will be open to unbridled free market economics never seen before. The big investors, the speculators the monied classes will have a field day.
The effects on Scotland and its growing social democracy will be catastrophic.
In this cauldron of chaos I see a shining light in Scotland and – a united SNP independence party, with a clear vision for our country and a proven record of social democracy, with its citizens at the centre of its vision and mission for the future.
The imperative is for the independence Yes movement to harness its resources before the post-apocalyptic Brexit takes hold in our country.
Dan Wood.
Charles Melvin Gdns,
Kirriemuir.
Our own climate efforts are futile
Sir, – The world’s climate was ever changeable, but the notion of a “climate emergency,” lacking any definition so imaginary, is a tendentious notion designed as a part of a climate Project Fear.
Its intention is more to support increased expenditures than to inform a warning.
The main climatic uncertainty concerns the importance of the roles of greenhouse gases in influencing climate change, with risks of severely damaging our planet and its life.
Scientific controversy still rages over that, despite the presently received opinion that CO2 is the main mover.
No one yet fully understands the multitude of influences, and computer programs are still unreliable.
Influences like the sun, volcanic dusts, and also natural variation have, like other unknowns, yet to be quantified.
There is no evidence that decarbonisation would protect us, despite its ruinous costs.
Nevertheless, world authorities are embarking on vast efforts to achieve it, except for China, USA, India and many other non- compliers, responsible for the great bulk of CO2 emissions.
The global situation is a confused mess, but, with a man-made CO2 output a mere one third of 1% of the global total, we in UK cannot really help.
Therefore, our own efforts are futile and those in charge could safely stop trying.
That would free vast sums of money for really useful purposes like health and welfare, education, the infrastructure and defence.
Charles Wardrop.
111 Viewlands Rd West, Perth.
Proper pensions are no illusion
Sir, – While addressing pension provision, one of Scotland in Union’s main contributors, Allan Sutherland (“SNP pensions just an illusion”, Letters, October 28) complains of SNP, “smoke and mirrors”.
As a supporter of a Westminster ruling class guilty of suppressing the 1974 McCrone Report, an act of criminal intent facilitating financial fraud on an international scale, he unwisely compounds this by complaining darkly of John Swinney’s involvement in a “Secret Document”, again in relation to pension provision.
Blowing away Mr Sutherland’s own smoke and mirrors, perhaps he will reflect, and hopefully explain why, the state pension in the Republic of Ireland is £214.34 a week, while across the Irish border in the UK, it is £125.95 a week?
Scottish pensioners deserve better than the tightfisted union Mr Sutherland keenly promotes.
The Republic of Ireland isn’t alone in demonstrating that achieving a more equitable society is not an illusion.
It does however, lie in our own hands, not London’s.
Ken Clark.
15 Thorter Way, Dundee.
Sad end to café after funding cut
Sir, – So sad to see the Shore Café closing down on Friday October 25.
Sturrock and Moira Ritchie and all of the staff have done a wonderful job for the last 12 years, supporting and training young people in the café environment.
It was a lovely, friendly facility enjoyed by the customers and staff alike.
The facility was supported by Dundee City Council but sadly DCC decided to withdraw funding and the facility was forced to close.
I have been a regular customer of the Shore for nearly 12 years and friendships have been formed with many of the other customers.
We shall all find another place to have our lunches but my heart goes out to the young people who will no longer benefit from the training and encouragement that they enjoyed.
One wonders if DCC realise the investment in our young people is priceless and to lose this facility for reasons of cost-cutting is demeaning to the people who worked so hard for the past 12 years.
Shame on the decision makers.
Peter Davidson.
29 Scotston Gardens,
Dundee.
HGVs use routes to dodge works
Sir, – I noticed a report in The Courier regarding an accident between an HGV and a tractor-trailer at Kinclaven (“Passers-by chip in to help driver,” October 25).
Last week, on Friday October 18, I was driving from Kellas to Blair Atholl.
Knowing the delays on the A9, I chose to use the back roads, from Glamis to Coupar Angus then the A984 to Dunkeld.
This is a route where you can expect to find agricultural vehicles and there are certain parts that have passing places.
However, several times we had to squeeze past HGVs going in the opposite direction, and I knew they were not on that road for any other reason but to avoid the road works between Dunkeld and Stanley.
On arriving in Dunkeld there were another three HGVs turning on to the A984, and they were all heading for Dundee and points further up the A90.
I spoke to an HGV driver and he confirmed they had been instructed to use this route to avoid the road works.
Surely this is an accident waiting to happen, as last week’s incident proved.
Can something be done to prevent this folly?
Duncan Stewart.
Burnside House,
Burnside of Duntrune.
