Sir, – The election of Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader shows that the Blairite “centrists” are back in control.
Starmer will endorse all of the pro-business, pro-austerity, pro-war, anti-worker policies of the Tories.
All this to be “electable”
The reason the Blairites have been able to bide their time is the constant surrendering to them on every issue by Jeremy Corbyn.
Such was his cowardice Corbyn even refused to defend his supporters from the bogus accusations of anti-Semitism.
Starmer’s first act was to give an unconditional offer to “work” with Boris Johnson.
Starmer’s job will be to assuage the anger that will rightly be felt towards Johnson’s criminally incompetent handling of Covid-19.
He then went grovelling to the Board of Deputies promising to conduct a thorough witchhunt against pro-Palestinian activists within the Labour Party. All under the guise of rooting out anti-Semitism
Starmer has also signalled that Iraq war architect Alastair Campbell will be welcomed back into the Labour Party.
Before becoming an MP, Starmer was the Director of Public Prosecutions in England and Wales.
In that time he failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile in 2009.
He was responsible for the bogus frame-up and extradition to the US of Jullian Assange.
In 2013 Starmer boasted he was going to jail those on low incomes for longer if they commit benefit fraud.
All this while he refused to prosecute a single banker over the 2008 economic crisis.
The Labour Party is a dead parrot.
The illusions that it changed under Corbyn has been permanently discredited.
Alan Hinnrichs.
2 Gillespie Terrace,
Dundee.
Recognition for the Scots?
Sir, – For a small country, Scotland has produced many world changing things from ideas to science.
One of these successes is the Declaration of Arbroath, which influenced what makes a country and how its leaders should act.
I’m sad to say this document has had very little official recognition, which shouldn’t surprise anyone as celebrating Scottish success is frowned upon by some of our more bitter unionists.
The English Magna Carta, which had no real legality in Scotland as it was signed some 500 years prior to the union of equals, is an important document nonetheless.
It has been celebrated with coins from the Royal Mint, postage stamps and various other events.
The 700th anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath has had hardly any recognition, no stamps or coins, and has been left up to ordinary people to commemorate with the exception of some celebrities.
I have no idea if these omission are by design from the British state, and in many cases the Scottish Government, or simply that they have no knowledge of the influence Scots have had on the world. Either way it is quite shameful.
Some unionists were even bitter about the temporary hospital at the SEC in Glasgow being named after Louisa Jordan, a Scottish nursing sister who died while serving in Serbia in the First World War, rather than Florence Nightingale.
It’s saddens me that some people are so small-minded that they will try and erase 2,000 years of proud Scottish achievement simply to curry favour elsewhere.
Bryan Auchterlonie.
Bluebell Cottage,
Perth.
Much to gain from ingenuity
Sir, – While marvelling at the ability of our new 3D printers to produce face masks, rather slowly it has to be said, I do wonder just what protection Kinross-shire PHD student Gracie Wilson’s face shield creation will actually provide (“Kinross-shire volunteers ‘overwhelmed’ by demand as they 3D print PPE for key workers”, The Courier, April 6).
It seems to rely on the hope that air-borne particles will oblige by travelling in a linear trajectory which, as we all know, is not true.
Such shields do nothing to filter germs so what is their purpose?
It also occurs to me that, with a sheet of perspex, some elastic and sticky tape, anyone could quickly create something similar at home.
Aesthetically not so pleasing perhaps, but as effective and more cost effective.
It’s an unfortunate sign of the times when, whenever there is a need to make something, we rush to electronic technology rather than the wonderful technology we have at home – our hands and minds!
Ken Greenaway.
Culross House,
Cupar.
Bureaucracy is UK’s problem
Sir, – In Mr Alistair Ballantyne’s letter (“Private healthcare creeping in the back door”, April 4) he criticises private healthcare, yet praises the German system predominantly provided by the private sector.
Germany has a system of health insurance, but like the UK is free at the point of use.
Our NHS is free for all at the point of use, no matter your income. Who provides the service is irrelevant as long as that person is qualified .
Our health system is behind Germany’s because we are too bureaucratic.
I am not sure how Public Health England justifies having over 200 bureaucrats earning over £100k per annum?
Eric Gibbons.
112 Coldingham Place,
Dunfermline.
