Sir, – In the wake of the utter chaos resulting from the latest round of suspensions of top Scottish police officers, the justice secretary Michael Matheson was urged to ‘step out of the shadows and get a grip of Police Scotland’.
His downright dishonest response was to assert that it would not be appropriate for politicians to become involved in police management.
That was Matheson’s equivalent of an accused’s ‘no comment’ interview.
In this shambles many would contend that he doesn’t have the right to remain silent.
The truth is that the SNP created a national force here against the wishes of almost all the stakeholders.
They did so for no other reason than to centrally control the police service and to ensure that whenever the word police was uttered, the word Scotland would follow.
Then they went on to amalgamate the transport police – a move surely designed not only to get political control, but also to remove the word British from that arm of law enforcement.
Police Scotland’s senior management team was set up under the watchful eye of SNP ministers quite simply to do their bidding.
The fact that it is now disintegrating is entirely the responsibility of the SNP.
The SNP has murdered policing in Scotland in pursuit of its own nationalist, political ends.
You don’t need to be a detective to work that one out Mr Matheson.
Jim Shaw.
Hill Street,
Dundee.
We deserve a change
Sir, – Many predict Richard Leonard’s arrival means disenchanted left wing SNP supporters will vote Labour and, with the apparent resurgence of the Conservatives in Scotland, the SNP will lose the 2021 election.
But Mr Leonard supports First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s demand to repatriate 111 EU powers to Scotland, which is unnecessary duplication, separates and differentiates Scotland further from the UK and – given the example of the estimated £400m just to set up the new Benefits Agency – will cost more money, more taxes and lead to cuts elsewhere.
There is a possibility all this ‘tax and spend’ could spook traditional Labour voters into voting Conservative.
If there is a satisfactory result on Brexit and the Scottish Conservatives remain immovable on Indyref2 and start announcing common sense, deliverable solutions on education, NHS, housing, local government and police, the SNP/Labour ‘pot’ could shrink and there could be a minority Tory Government in Holyrood.
Given the other parties’ underwhelming performance in government since 1999 perhaps they deserve a chance.
We certainly deserve a change.
Allan Sutherland.
1 Willow Row,
Stonehaven.
Compassion bypass for some
Sir, – I had thought Westminster had a monopoly of Tory dunderheads until I watched First Minister’s questions Wednesday last and heard Ruth Davidson trying to convince anyone of a gullible disposition that Chancellor Hammond gave to the Scottish Government two billion pounds.
She did not mention the money is a loan to be paid back.
Ruth deserved the verbal kicking the First Minister dished out to her for her attempt to distort the truth.
Murdo Fraser then got to his feet and brazenly claimed the credit on behalf of the Scottish Tories for the return of the VAT levied on Scotland’s public services.
The response of the First Minister made Murdo look very foolish indeed and probably left people wondering whether Westminster Tories or Scottish Tories are in fact the biggest dunderheads.
Of course the Tories have their fans, yet the evidence of their incompetence increases by the day.
The usual bunch of daily correspondents refuse to see it, instead they reserve their criticism for a Scottish Government that is doing its best to alleviate much of the misery the Westminster Government is visiting on the most vulnerable.
I often wonder whether, in spite of the education qualifications touted by some, at some point Conservative supporters have suffered a compassion bypass.
James Smith.
4 Brownhill Place,
Dundee.
Happy news of royal nuptials
Sir, – I am delighted with the news that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are engaged to be married. His late mother Diana would have been so happy and so proud; not only about his impending marriage but about the fantastic work he has done this year by opening up surrounding the issue of bereavement and mental health issues.
This may potentially help many people open up about their own feelings, particularly men who are often scared to show their feelings and find it very hard to be honest about such issues.
Meanwhile, his incredible work with Invictus games has done a great deal to raise awareness of sport and disability.
There is little doubt Harry shares his late mother’s sense of compassion.
He also has a spirit of fun and, like Diana, he is very much down to earth.
I am sure there will be a few heartbroken single girls now that he is no longer Britain’s most famous and eligible bachelor.
Congratulations to them both, I hope they will be very happy.
Gordon Kennedy.
117 Simpson Square,
Perth.
Levenmouth link hopes
Sir, – While the exact amount of additional funding for Scotland announced by the Chancellor in the UK budget last week may need clarification, it seems that anything between half and one billion will be available.
Much of this is apparently earmarked for infrastructure funding.
This provides a great opportunity for the Scottish Government to commit a small fraction to advancing the reopening of the Levenmouth rail-link, estimated to cost between £37 to £56 million.
Other transport projects, including extending the Border line, are already making loud noises about their entitlement but they are much more expensive and offer a much weaker case.
So, will the upcoming Scottish Budget make any specific commitment to our long-overdue connectivity?
Neil Stewart.
62 Omar Crescent,
Buckhaven.
Minimum price far from fair
Sir, – It appears minimum pricing for alcohol is on its way.
Good news, say the heads of alcohol abuse charities, doctors, police chief constables and most MSPs who – surprise, surprise – all have substantial incomes.
MSPs even have subsidised alcohol in their own exclusive £125,000 bar in the Scottish Parliament.
If you are fairly well off you can still drink yourself under the table but the majority of people affected are less well-off like pensioners who enjoy responsible social drinking but who are being labelled as drunks and wrongly penalised.
Mike Rogalski.
82 Feus Rd,
Perth.
Fracas over fracking letter
Sir, – I feel I must write to challenge the ill-informed opinions put forward by Dr John Cameron in his recent rant, which was lacking in any evidence (Letters, November 23).
I fail to see how fracking could reduce emissions when the energy required to extract shale gas is so high, and with so much uncertainty over leakage of methane, a much more powerful greenhouse gas than CO2.
GM crops so far have done nothing to help the poor. According to the US Professor of Environmental Studies, Glenn Stone: “If we are actually interested in the welfare of poor children … then we have to make unbiased assessments of possible solutions. The simple fact is that after 24 years of research and breeding, Golden Rice is still years away from being ready for release.”
Meanwhile, Fairtrade is a consumer-led movement which set up specifically to empower smallholder farmers in the global south, and to challenge the injustices of the world’s trading system.
Far from being a “market manipulation”, it is currently working with over 1.5 million farmers and workers.
Sally Romilly.
4 Westwood Terrace,
Newport.
