Sir, – Nicola Sturgeon’s praise of Tony Blair’s condescending attitude on Brexit speaks volumes of her obsessive focus on Scotland becoming part of the EU regardless of the cost or claustrophobic consequences.
Mr Blair and Ms Sturgeon would happily see Scotland become a mere region of a political union under the control of a German hegemony, big politics, big business and unelected, unaccountable commissioners.
Mr Blair is the champagne socialist former PM and epitome of the liberal left political elite in which the EU bureaucracy is awash.
This supercilious, arrogant and vain class of international bureaucrats and former politicians like to jet around the world offering their opinions and contacts for obscene fees and have little time for democracy or ordinary people for whom they have contempt.
Multi-millionaire Mr Blair will miss the endless gravy train possibilities of the EU when, as likely, it fails and once Brexit becomes a reality.
Mr Blair was an unquestioning believer in the euro and would have had us in this disastrous currency union.
He was well known for his ambition to become the president of a politically united Europe. His current hysterical outburst reflects his frustration and anger at the 17.4 million “stupid” people who voted against his better judgment. This comes from a leader who led us into a war which the world is still reeling from the consequences of.
Scots voters will have to consider very carefully if they wish this Blair-Sturgeon vision for the future of our country.
Fortunately I don’t think Scots (except for Ms Sturgeon and her closest followers) are as gullible as Mr Blair believes.
Iain G Richmond.
Guildy House.
Monikie.
Leap in the dark already taken
Sir, – One has to marvel at recent unionist claims that a second independence referendum would be a “leap in the dark”.
Are they unaware that we have already had our leap in the dark? It is called Brexit.
Just to remind them.
It was when the electorate was sold a pig in a poke through a campaign won in England by xenophobia and false claims about the cost of EU membership.
In the aftermath, Labour threw in the towel and Scotland’s voice was ignored as usual.
Do these people really wish to remain under the perpetual control of a right-wing government in a system in which, in the words of Ken Loach: “the most vulnerable and poorest are treated with a callous brutality…that extends to keeping out refugee children we promised to help?”
Admittedly, our Prime Minister deserves high praise from her backbenchers for fulfilling their dearest wish to “take our country back”.
She is taking it back to the Dickensian era.
Hard Brexit means hard times.
James Stevenson.
Drummond Avenue,
Auchterarder.
Pensioners must fight right wing
Sir, – The political right has exploited the economic crisis of the last decade to drive down pay, destroy the power of the unions and encourage a small government status in general.
This neocon agenda has been manifestly pushed by our right-wing press.
They set public and private employees against each other. They set traditional working-class Labour voters against the perceived elitist, intellectual, middle-class Islington set.
They are now setting the young against the “pampered” Baby Boom pensioners.
The pensioners have had historical protection in the form of their numbers and their voting propensities.
Not now. The gloves are coming off.
The media are even convincing some pensioners that they are privileged.
The Tories chose to commit vast sums to quantitative easing to save the banks rather than allow public sector pay to rise and spoil their agenda. The pensioners should not be blamed for the problems of underpayment of others.
We should not be manipulated into resenting the pensioners and not accept that the pay of the workforce can be improved without harming the economy.
It could stimulate it better than fiscal easing.
Come on unions, get your act together and earn your salaries or you may soon be under scrutiny yourselves.
Robert Ferguson.
19 New Gilston,
Leven.
Praise for those who saved a life
Sir, – Please let me tell you of the best hotel in town.
It is the cardiac unit at Ninewells Hospital.
I had a heart attack last Wednesday – a massive pain in the chest.
I did not know where I was until the paramedics arrived – two women who, with total assurance, took charge.
One remotely connected me to an information system at Ninewells Hospital.
The other, Lynn, calmly made sure I was getting the life-saving drugs I required and assured my wife and son I would be fine.
I have no idea how long the girl worked on me, but the trip to Ninewells was undertaken.
We arrived at a small door and, after a few steps, I was in a theatre, with all the staff who put in the stents and allowed me to feel safe again.
The recovery unit I was sent to was calm, quiet and peaceful. Nothing was too much trouble.
We hear much today about the cuts to our services, but I have to ask – if it was your dad, would you grudge the cost?
I don’t know how much my stay cost, but best of all was the smiling nurses and doctors. I have a happy family that is glad to have dad and grandad back, so my ever grateful thanks to everyone for enabling me to write this letter.
Archie Peffers.
Burnside Street,
Carnoustie.
Charge electric cars for parking
Sir, – The proposed increase in charges for parking a vehicle in Dundee are scandalous, as are the new charges for leisure facilities.
I sincerely hope that the powers that be will start charging electric powered vehicles for parking.
After all, they cause wear and tear on the roads and do cause a certain amount of pollution from tyre wear.
I also presume that given the budget cuts and council tax increases that our local and national politicians will not be getting a salary increase – at least I hope not.
Ken Dickson.
Collace Crescent,
Dundee.
Things are looking up
Sir, – Reading through your paper (February 15) page 10 informed me about the lighting up of dark alleyways and dilapidated buildings under the so-called City of Light scheme.
What next, I thought.
Then page 13 told me my council tax could rise by an extra £151 a year.
Thankfully, I have been informed that as I will be 80 this year, I will get an extra 25p a week on my pension. Things do not look too bad after all.
Jack Alexander.
Whinlatter,
2 Stormont Way,
Scone.
Scotland’s sound tax base
Sir, – The pro-union chorus line continues to sing about an independent Scotland’s inability to stand on its economic feet. They fail to appreciate that in the event of leaving the UK, Scotland would have its own treasury and would no longer be reliant on Westminster pocket money.
Billions of pounds of VAT that goes into the UK Treasury from the head offices of national companies based in England would come to a new Scottish treasury.
The big supermarkets and retail outlets would fall into this category.
In addition, the export value of Scotch whisky sales, recently valued at 25% of total UK exports of food and drink would no longer be available to Westminster.
London’s current block on having full fiscal powers would also disappear and Scotland would be in a position to raise funds over and above taxes to meet urgent needs.
This new income base has nothing to do with oil receipts which were regarded by the Yes campaign as a bonus in the 2014 referendum.
Allan MacDougall.
37 Forth Park,
Bridge of Allan.