Sir, The recent by-election result in Rochester makes for interesting thought. If UKIP and the Conservatives were to combine on the strengths of the result, together they could form the strongest coalition group, in power, since the national wartime government.
Socialism is dead. It died in Russia years ago. In China, an emergent grasp of capitalism is slowly killing socialism by the back door.
The common ownership of their country’s wealth production by the “workers” followed by the “equal”, “fair”, or otherwise graduated system of sharing this wealth, supporting generous welfare, health, education provision was always going to be a non-starter. Except in places like Cuba.
Wealth has to be created, to be shared. Anything less means borrowing, year after year, with the inevitable result. In my opinion, the nationalisation programme of Attlee’s government sounded the death knell for any spirit of enterprise which may have survived the war. The Tories had to try to sort the mess out. Time and again. And did fairly well, given the enormity of the tasks.
Socialists tell us that we, the people, must be made aware of the poverty and deprivation which surrounds us. Of course, it is someone else’s fault. Never the Labour Party’s record in government. And yet, tens of thousands of “illegal” immigrants travel huge distances to enter our country by any means available, at any cost. The poor wishing to join the poor? I think not.
Free enterprise is not perfect the banking crisis showed us that but otherwise things, and people, do tend to work.
Adam Smith’s philosophies of agriculture, manufacturing, finance and the welfare of the people are even more relevant today.
AT Geddie. 68 Carleton Avenue, Glenrothes.
Back to daysof the ‘cowp’
Sir, The recycling facilities at Riverside are not keeping up with the expectations met by other regional facilities. On a recent visit I had to make four different vehicle stops: one for wood into skips which I expected; one for general waste not an issue; one for plastic bottles etc; and one for glass and cans(aluminium cans only).
Mud and potholes everywhere do take it back to the days of the “cowp” and, I suspect, put many off the process. The formerHarefield Road site wasfar superior.
L Brown. West Green Park, Liff.
Did they try to influence vote?
Sir, I read with interest Dudley Treffry’s article,Gentlemen! Give it a rest. Work together.
You might even get somewhere (November 17), about the recent troubles for government caused by boats, in particular the section on the Type 26 Frigates, where Dudley correctly reminded us the Navy had threatened to stop building warships in Scotland if we became an independent (“foreign”) country.
It exposes the lies and obfuscation put out by various parts of the establishment during the referendum campaign that the recent pronouncements by the First Sea Lord, which Dudley did not mention, were to the effect that the government would have to have the ships built in France!
Does this mean that France is not a foreign country, while an independent Scotland would have become one?
Was this government, or the private sector, using blackmail to influence the outcome of the referendum?
Alastair Fraser. 1 Forester’s Cottage, Cardean, Meigle.
It’s time for the country to heal
Sir, With reference to Ken Greenaway’s letter, Becoming more united (November 20), is he really serious? Surely he must realise that 55 is greater than 45?
He claims many “no” voters may now “pause for thought”. Rubbish most of them had made their minds up well before polling day, as polls consistently showed.
“Empty proposals”?
Lord Smith has announced that he will produce proposals on St Andrews Day. That’s on the 30th, still a few days away.
Mr Greenaway’s implied suggestion that most Scots wish another referendum sooner rather than later based on one limited poll is hardly worth commenting on.
I suspect that most people will think we’ve had quite enough and that Scotland which was severely wounded over the last two years, no matter what he believes needs time to heal itself.
Thankfully, the new First Minister seems to agree.
Kenn McLeod. 70 Ralston Drive. Kirkcaldy.
Doubletalk from Nicola
Sir, It is noticeable already that Nicola Sturgeon has resorted to weasel words and doubletalk, many times in the past few weeks she has said she cannot ask for another referendum, that choice will be up to the people of Scotland, to which she tends to add: “If any party includes a referendum proposal in its manifesto and wins an election it will be the people who have suggested it.”
We can assume she will have a big input into the next SNP manifesto, so why try to apply a “political con”?
Miss Sturgeon should remember her own well-used catchphrase of the past couple of years: “The people of Scotland are not buttoned up the back.” No, and especially not the 55.3% “no” vote.
Colin Cookson. Glenrothes.