Sir, – As chair of the Levenmouth Rail Campaign I am grateful for coverage given to efforts over the last few years to reinstate the line so as to allow direct services between Leven and Edinburgh.
Your report of the Holyrood debate on Wednesday focused on the discrepancy between the costings provided by different consultants.
Certainly this is something which merits and indeed needs further investigation.
There are, however, two other very positive aspects of the debate which I would like to draw to readers’ attention.
The first is the fact that in this debate we had representatives of all the political parties uniting in support of the campaign.
Few will be able to recall similar unanimity among Conservatives, Greens, SNP, Liberal Democrats and Labour.
I should also stress that, despite some reports to the contrary, we have experienced similar unity of purpose among the parties on Fife Council.
The second was the announcement by Transport Minister Humza Yousaf that he would instruct Transport Scotland to carry out and take responsibility for the GRIP IV stage report.
This is a detailed investigation of the technical and economic aspects of the project.
It is not something that the council could have carried out itself and this was a major factor in the recent impasse.
The announcement will have put smiles on many faces.
Thousands of people have shown support for our campaign and will be delighted to see it moving forward in such a positive manner.
There is a long way to go but it now seems within reach.
Finally can I thank Jenny Gilruth MSP for her hard work in ensuring the debate took place.
Eugene Clarke.
17 Taeping Close,
Cellardyke.
Policy makers face a choice
Sir, – Following Jeremy Corbyn’s speech at the Labour Party Conference most of the mainstream media have dismissed what he said by claiming that it would cost billions of pounds and therefore totally impossible to implement.
What the media don’t point out is that the money is already being spent by the Tory party who are guilty of having the wrong priorities.
The first thing that must be understood is that the Tories do not spend a single penny of their own money.
Every pound is money that we the tax payers of the UK cough up.
They have, in my opinion, made spending decisions that have had a catastrophic effect.
Our NHS can be seen as being in meltdown.
Our education system is at breaking point.
We have working people relying on food banks to survive.
The rich are getting massively richer at the expense of the poor.
Our rail and roads infrastructure is decaying through lack of investment. University students are leaving university with debts that most will never be able to afford to repay.
Living costs are rising much faster than wages.
We have more people being declared bankrupt than ever before.
We have virtually no genuinely affordable houses being built.
We have an increasing shortage of doctors, nurses and teachers.
Our whole economy is built on personal debt.
I could go on and on listing the diabolical failings of the Tory Government.
This is not a recent blip but is what always happens when enough people vote for the Conservative Party.
I used to be a Labour supporter until I became scunnered with Tony Blair’s brand of New Labour.
I am now a committed SNP supporter but I still see much worth in what Corbyn said in his speech.
What is worth pointing out is that virtually everything Corbyn said is already SNP policy and in fact a great deal of it has already been implemented by the SNP Government.
If Scotland had independence we would be able to fully implement the policies we need to reverse the Tory austerity and improve the lot of the Scottish people.
Running a country is expensive whoever is in government. It is how the money is spent that matters.
Harry Key.
20 Mid Street,
Largoward.
Fascinating times ahead
Sir, – Jeremy Corbyn’s triumph at the Labour Party conference – after his general election defeat – reminds me of how popular Nicola Sturgeon was immediately after she lost the 2014 referendum.
We Brits love to elevate, then bring down our heroes, don’t we?
Remember how popular Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair once were?
It will be interesting to see if Mr Corbyn’s popularity survives long enough to successfully damage the SNP’s western central belt power base in the 2021 Holyrood and 2022 Westminster elections.
Both he and, judging by her policy shift to the left, Nicola Sturgeon appear to think so.
In Scotland where, regrettably, everything politically is subjugated to the independence debate, those who support the UK against SNP nationalism must sincerely hope so.
Martin Redfern.
Woodcroft Road,
Edinburgh.
Nuclear option a concern
Sir, – The current NATO exercises in Scotland remind us that the Trident base would be the primary UK target in any future war.
A nuclear strike or serious accident at Faslane will instantly kill those in the vicinity.
Because of the prevailing winds, people in the rest of the Central Belt, including residents both here in Fife and also in Dundee, would have a slow and painful death.
Is that really what we want for our children and grandchildren?
Andrew Collins.
Skinners Steps,
Cupar.
Socialism’s failures to fore
Sir, – By suggesting that there could be a run on the pound, and a flight of capital from Britain in the event of a Labour government, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell is to be congratulated for recognising that there has never been a financially successful socialist government in the history of the world, and that one led by Jeremy Corbyn would not be the first.
Malcolm Parkin.
Gamekeepers Road,
Kinnesswood.
