Madam, – The hypocrisy of our MPs has been highlighted in recent days.
On Tuesday the majority of Parliamentarians voted not to support the government on the Brexit plan it has been working on for two years.
Then, the next day, they voted to help the same government to stay in power, obviously in fear of losing their £77,000 per annum jobs.
The PM said she expected all MPs to vote in the interests of the country, instead they vote for their own self interests.
She and her cronies in the Tory Party claim that Jeremy Corbyn in power would be a disaster.
How do the know that?
This government is a disaster, it has spent two years trying to find a solution to the Brexit problem and they claim that austerity is over but still continue with VAT at 20% which everybody has to pay including OAPs and other people on fixed incomes.
There are one million people on zero hour contract jobs and more and more people are begging at foodbanks to stay alive.
They made a mess of their Universal Credit changes and put vulnerable people into hardship.
Crime is on the increase and education budgets are being cut.
The gap between rich and poor is increasing and more people are living in poverty.
This is the government the hypocrites supported in the vote of no confidence.
They should be ashamed of themselves.
Give the people a vote of no confidence.
Alister Rankin,
93 Whyterose Terrace,
Methil.
Valuing deeds over words
Madam, – Once again The Courier letters page has members of Scotland in Union – a group supported by the wealthy and titled posing as a grass roots movement – conducting their ongoing campaign of denigrating our present Scottish government.
Their approach can, at best, be politely described as dishonest.
The intent to undermine confidence in the SNP’s governance of Scotland, while desperately attempting to deflect attention from the woeful performance of a London establishment with a track record of blundering from one crisis to another, only serves to highlight the paradox at the heart of Scottish life.
Which is; the target of this daily pummelling continually outperforms their own preference, with satisfaction and trust ratings unmatched anywhere else in the UK.
No doubt the result of Scots taking the common sense approach of judging parties by their deeds, not their words.
Advocating continuation of the union is a legitimate position.
However, in a 21st Century with alternative views, such as the Nation series of films fronted by the estimable Lesley Riddoch, a positive and honest unionist counter argument is now needed if their goal is to be achieved, as Scots aren’t falling for the SNP/bad.
Failure to do so will only confirm that such a case is non-existent.
Ken Clark,
15 Thorter Way,
Dundee.
Damaging effect of going green
Madam, – Scotland is responsible for well under 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
It could not usefully help the rest of the world in offsetting adverse climate changes even if the hypotheses linking these with such emissions were correct, which is far from unanimously agreed.
Indeed, no-one elsewhere would notice if we shut down all fossil fuel energy production, except perhaps the present beneficiaries of our whisky, shortbread and tartan exports.
In Scotland, we would suffer higher costs from such costly, token, ineffective ‘greenery’.
Already, increasing energy costs from attempts to switch to green generation have helped us lose industries such as aluminium smelting, Michelin tyres and now Rannoch Smokery.
But it has yielded no significant benefit, except to foreign firms taking over such manufacturing.
Dr Charles Wardrop,
111 Viewlands Road West,
Perth.
More voices need to be heard
Madam, – This political farce that we are currently experiencing should never have been allowed to develop.
No such massive change to our country’s structure and culture should be allowed unless there is a substantial vote in favour of that change.
Some say two-thirds, but if it were 60% of the potential voters rather than 60% of the actual voters then it might be more decisive and as such less disputed.
Fraser Bruce,
Colonsay House,
Auchterarder.
A case of pot, kettle and black
Madam, – It was with incredulity that I saw the headline on your correspondent Jenny Hjul’s article about the SNP tearing itself apart (Courier, January 16).
If they are then they must have taken lessons from her beloved Tory Party, who have been doing a similar thing for the past two years and have brought the country to the political mess it now is.
Pot, kettle and black spring to mind.
Vincent Connor,
53 Taylor Street,
Forfar.
Not in mood for EU referendum
Madam, – If there is to be another referendum there should be three choices: accept Theresa May’s Deal, accept No Deal or stick with the status quo.
I am not in the mood for another referendum asI felt I knew full well what I was voting for.
It was clearly to leave the EU to take back control of our country.
Earl Russell,
7 Albert St,
Arbroath.
Poor should be the UK’s priority
Madam, – It is outrageous that people are having to suffer hardship and starvation while rich Tory MPs pussyfoot around trying to decide how cheaply they can make the Universal Credit system work.
The reason they are doing this is so they can scrape together enough money to spend billions on nuclear weapons that we don’t need. Surely it would be far better to look after the poor of the nation.
Susan Swain,
Tyme Cottage,
Innerwick.
Hoping Sir Andy can play on
Madam, – In reply to the Reverend Dr John Cameron’s letter (No need for Andy to cry, Courier, January 16) I am sure if he could be fit to play tennis at the highest level for a few more years then he would gladly give up his millions.
As a huge fan I hope he can keep going and I wish him well.
Davina Farquharson,
3 Barrie Place,
Kirriemuir.
Driving down the wrong road
Madam, – The general trend in road traffic accidents is down and has been for some considerable time.
Dundee is no exception so Councillor Fraser Macpherson’s proposal to squander scant resources on the proliferation of 20mph speed limits on major thoroughfares (Council urged to grasp nettle on safer speeds, Courier, January 10) is not supported by reality or reason.
Furthermore, an AA study concluded reducing the speed limit to 20mph can result in a 10% increase in vehicle emissions.
Hamish Hossick,
76H Strathern Road,
Broughty Ferry.
