Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, I endorse fully the views expressed by Capt McRae (Letters, November 7). I, too, have experienced similar sights, when in a certain Scandinavian country with strict liquor laws. Alcohol-induced illness can be acquired in private, in the comfort of one’s home, and may still require medical assistance.
As with the ever increasing price of tobacco products, addicts are driven to the black market, where the product, as with illegal alcohol, can have frightening ingredients.
Pricing and prohibition are not the way to solve the problems. I’m afraid we are stuck with them, for the present. We must ensure our children/grandchildren are thoroughly educated with regards the addiction dangers these products create, in the person, and consequently, in society.
Too often, in our courts, the drunkenness of an accused when committing a crime of whatever severity, is taken as mitigation, instead of adding to the offence. This must stop.
A. T. Geddie.68 Carleton Avenue,Glenrothes.
University fees system is unfair
Sir, I don’t agree with Mr FitzPatrick’s recent comments in The Courier with reference to Mr McGovern’s statement being a slur. If Mr FitzPatrick would care to step back a few paces and look inwards at the problem, I think he would see a great deal of truth in Mr McGovern’s implications.
Surely, Mr FitzPatrick must disagree with the present system I will use ‘unfair’ rather than ‘racist’. It must be unfair to charge any British citizen tuition fees when a resident of the EU can be educated free of charge.
We in Scotland for more years than most can remember have had a fair deal when it comes to a share of the purse a purse made up of British taxes, not just Scottish taxes. So, surely, if a family has been paying into that purse generation after generation they should be entitled to the use of it more so than the newest member of the EU who has not contributed to it ever?
Some of said countries have made us use that purse to pay for wars and conflicts that were not of our making, so maybe ‘racist’ is a bit hard but ‘unfair’ hits home for me.
R. M. Scott.13 Hawthorn Street,Methil.
Bizarre claim by Jim McGovern
Sir, Jim McGovern MP has rather embarrassed himself by calling Scottish Government plans to charge students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland up to £9,000 a year to study at Scottish universities ‘racist’.
Tuition fee arrangements are based on ”ordinary domicile”, not nationality. An English person living in England is not being charged because they are English, but because they lived in England when they applied to a Scottish university.
An Englishman living in Scotland who chooses to go to university here would not be charged but a Scot living in England who chooses to go to university north of the border would have to pay fees.
Mr McGovern’s claim is even more bizarre given that it was his Labour Party that introduced tuition fees in the first place.
Alex Orr.Flat 2, 77 Leamington Terrace,Edinburgh.
Definitive word on ”devo max”?
Sir, As one of the first to coin the phrase ”devolution max” during a discussion in the boozer in autumn 2010, I would define the term to mean the devolving to Holyrood of all government services with the exception of national defence, foreign affairs, the currency and the head of state, who does not necessarily have to be an unelected, unaccountable monarch.
This in essence boils down to ”home rule” which has been the policy of the Labour movement since 1918 and is also the policy of the ”Liberal” party. The political forces of the left and all progressives should be actively campaigning to ensure that ”home rule” or ”devolution max” is the alternative question on any independence referendum ballot paper.
Raymond Mennie.49 Ashbank Road,Dundee.
Approach is inconsistent
Sir, Any keen observer of politics would find the approach of the Liberal Democrats towards referenda somewhat inconsistent.
They failed in their bid to change the Westminster voting system with an option that was not remotely popular with their own members, far less the public.
On Scottish constitutional reform they herald great political powers to Scotland under the Scotland Bill, while not deeming it worthy of a referendum, perhaps because it offers in real terms very little advance in political influence and could expose by public debate more enlightened alternative options.
Lastly, they are unwilling to argue for a full fiscal autonomy option in the anticipated referendum being put forward by the Scottish Government despite such an option being similar to their political aims.
Anyone pinning their hopes on Lib Dem leadership in such matters is going to be sorely disappointed.
Iain Anderson.41 West End,St Monans.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.