Sir, – My chin just hits the deck when I read letters from some of your correspondents.
Clark Cross of Linlithgow believes because of a computer problem paying out subsides for farmers, the SNP cannot be trusted to run the country.
What does Mr Cross think of the last two Westminster governments’ records, when £500 billion, yes that’s billions of pounds, of public money was wasted through errors, inefficiency and fraud.
A sum of £500 billion is a fairly meaningless figure to most people, so here are some of the things it would pay for. These include the UK’s entire housing benefit bill for 29 years, or the UK’s entire JobSeeker’s Allowance bill for 103 years, or the UK’s entire Child Benefit bill for 42 years or the UK’s entire tax credits bill for 17 years.
In addition it would pay for the entire education budget in Scotland for 195 years, or pay to restore the Educational Maintenance Allowance in England and Wales for 902 years.
I’ll take a worry over a computer error any day.
Rod Selbie.
45 Silver Birch Drive,
Dundee.
Bankers keep Tories in office
Sir, – In 2008 the greedy bankers caused a world recession and UK taxpayers had to bail them out.
Barclays, it seems, avoided being nationalised by engaging in alleged illegal money deals in the Middle East. Taxpayers forked out billions of pounds to bail out RBS.
You would think that the bankers would have a little humility after the misery they caused, but oh no.
They still dole out multi-million pound bonuses (bonuses we pay for as taxpayers) and now we hear that RBS have decided to sack more than 400 UK workers and move jobs to India.
Now since we own RBS, you might expect our government to stop RBS attacking UK taxpayers and destroying more UK jobs.
But our government has done hee-haw to stop more banker attacks.
The fact is that the Tory party gets much of its funding from bankers and hedgefund managers. The rich banker Tory party looks after its own okay. We must get rid of them and the sooner the better.
Karen Heath.
Cortachy,
Kirriemuir.
Work needed on our economy
Sir, – The Fraser of Allander Institute’s warnings of a continued Scottish economic slowdown explains why Nicola Sturgeon’s recent statement on a second independence referendum is simply not good enough.
The think tank says that the Scottish economy is in a precarious position, which, for many households, could come to feel like a lost decade.
For the balance of this term of the Holyrood parliament, the Scottish Government should be focused on the great challenges that Scotland faces with its economy, education and health systems and wider public services.
Instead, our First Minister has decided that the SNP’s interest must come first as she seeks to wring every last drop of grievance possible out of the Brexit process, while continuing a campaign to convert us all to her view on independence.
Then we will have her announcement in the autumn of next year on exactly when she plans to call the next referendum.
She says that will likely be before the 2021 elections.
This will mean years of continued uncertainty for a Scottish economy that cannot afford it.
The one person who could change that course has just made it very clear that she has no intention of doing so.
Keith Howell.
White Moss,
West Linton.
Turn to magic money tree
Sir, – Don’t panic Mr Manwairing. Apparently all Theresa May has to do is open the gate to the secret garden where the magic money tree grows and she can wipe out the £33 million NHS Tayside debt.
I’m sure there is still some fruit left which hasn’t yet fallen.
Paul Bulle.
Lawside Road,
Dundee.
Sir Vince Cable a real contender
Sir, – Should age be a factor in determining who should be the next leader of the Liberal Democrats at United Kingdom level?
Sir Vince Cable, now 74, is a contender.
One thing the recent general election campaign has shown is that younger voters were prepared to back integrity and vigour despite the advancing years of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Had he had a bit more experience of actually running a government, it is possible that his party might have done even better.
Sir Vince Cable is not short of experience in government although he had very mixed fortunes in the 2010-15 coalition.
He should take some credit for helping to introduce the triple-lock on pensions, and rises to the threshold for paying tax to help the lower paid.
His expertise in economics and industry was invaluable in helping to start reform of the banking system after the crash of 2008.
Against that, of course, he will be forever tainted with the broken Liberal Democrat pledge on tuition fees in England.
Although he was once described as the moral compass of the coalition, it will be difficult for him to shed the image of someone who simply collaborated with a Conservative-dominated administration.
But when Liberal Democrat members ponder whether to support him, surely they must ask themselves a simple question: do we want to be a party of government or a party of protest?
Sir Vince’s considerable experience of both should be enough to gain their confidence.
Bob Taylor.
24 Shiel Court,
Glenrothes.
Peace process put in danger
Sir, – How dare Theresa May and the Conservative Party jeopardise the Northern Irish peace process by the desperate move to use the DUP to prop up their political power.
This must be seen as absolute proof that the Tories are more interested in their own power than the good of the people. The UK and the Irish governments entered into an agreement to support the peace process and guaranteed that they would remain as honest brokers by not supporting either side of the political/religious divide in the province.
The fear that the troubles could be reignited are too real and there has been a number of indications in recent times that there is still a simmering threat.
If indeed trouble does break out again, then the sole responsibility will rest with Theresa May and her government.
Surely it would have been better for the good of the UK for the Tories to at least look for consensus with the other Westminster parties on Brexit and not take the risk of kicking off the Irish troubles again.
Harry Key.
20 Mid Street,
Largoward.