Sir, There appears to be irrefutable evidence that the European experiment of unrestrained multicultur-alism has been a failure. Instead of having brought the benefits promised they have instead translated into extremism, radical doctrinaire and violence .
This is indeed sad in that the benefits, which might have accrued from an influx of brains and abilities have been denigrated by uncontrollable mass immigration and an open door policy, instigated by a European Union dictate largely out of touch.
Witness the recent events particularised by terrorist attacks in France and Belgium, to name but a few. Here young Muslims, despite enjoying the benefits and monetary advantages of the countries who have been their hosts, have been led towards disenchantment and hatred.
In any country within The European Union immi-gration has been, and is, without control, allowing free access without commensurate and appropriate safeguards, and there appears to be no political will to reverse this.
Indeed, the first duty of any government is the protection of its citizens but it would seem that this premise takes a place much lower down a list.
What will it take for governments to face the facts that enough is enough and that we must protect our borders for the safety of all our people, whatever race, colour or creed from those who would do us harm?
I believe these failures will manifest themselves through the medium of the ballot box, not only in this country, but that of others. Indeed if the European Union will not move its stance then an exit seems an inevitability.
Politicians, neglect this at your peril!
David L Thomson. 24 Laurence Park, Kinglassie.
Statement is laughable
Sir, Dundee City Council leader Ken Guild’s statement in Monday’s Courier that “the Scottish Government need to get to grips over the spiralling cost of its (the V&A) production” is laughable. The Scottish Government could not manage to build its own house without a vast increase in cost and very significant delays.
What allows Councillor Guild to believe it would be any better at getting to grip with managing a project 50 miles away and for which it would have no direct use?
Surely Dundee Design Ltd, augmented with the finest professional brains from all the relevant disciplines in Angus if not in Scotland and with accountability to the council should be responsible for managing the project in order to avert the looming inevitable chaos.
A Charleson. 7 Fonab Crescent, Pitlochry.
Brief and honest
Sir, Some of your correspondents have described me as “disingenuous”, “dishonest” and of “telling a half-truth”. Those accusations are shocking and quite unjustified.
My letter was in response to a previous correspondent who had asked how Denmark manages to enjoy higher spending on public services then ourselves.
To be helpful, I quoted the facts supplied by the Danish Government to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The Danish Government reports that it raised 56% of its national income in all sorts of taxes, including social security and local taxes.
In comparison, our government gathers only 40% of our national income in all types of taxes. I commented that raising taxes in Scotland to the same level as Denmark’s would require quite a large adjustment for Scottish families.
Those higher taxes in Denmark allow Danes to pay for more generous welfare and public sector employment than we have. Which, I presume, is the brief and honest answer your readers want.
Andrew Dundas. 34 Ross Avenue, Perth.
True reasons lie at his door . . .
Sir, Councillor Bryan Poole again asserts “the build period for a school that size is two years . . . had it not been for the judicial review the school would have been completed in 2016” (your report January 16).
He is well aware that Dunfermline High School took only two years in total for planning, building and fit-out. On choosing the Pipeland site in December 2012, against initial opposition from council officers, with autumn 2016 for target completion (report, October 24), he knew then that its specific planning, engineering and other issues would almost double the “normal” timeframe.
He also knows that many of Pipeland’s purely planning issues are still unresolved and much of the detailed design work still continues, as his executive committee report states (January 16) and as was accepted, surprisingly to many, by NE Fife councillors at their Cupar meeting on December 10.
Site work could not even start now, let alone last June when the judicial review was announced.
Finally, he stated that the school would have been completed in “summer/autumn of 2016, if all the required planning approvals were agreed” (report, October 17). He thus effectively admitted, 22 months into the planning, that the true reasons lie entirely at his door and the council’s.
I hope the parents supporting Pipeland accept Cllr. Dorothea Morrison’s much more credible explanation for the delay.
John Birkett. 12 Horseleys Park, St Andrews.
It deserves a better fate
Sir, Councillor Brian Thomson has alleged in your columns that the delay in building a replacement Madras College at Pipeland Farm, St Andrews is caused by the judicial review into the council’s decision-making procedure in selecting this site.
This review is a legitimate process for examining the council’s actions in approving its own planning application. The council might prefer to take its decisions without public consultation and scrutiny. It effectively ignored all public objections to its plans, and pressed on regardless.
All delays to date have been caused by the council’s own mismanagement of the planning process, and at this late date important permissions are not yet in place.
Objectors to Pipeland are staunch in their support for the early replacement of Madras College, but in a sensible location better able to serve its wide catchment area. Mr Thomson has also cast his eyes on the legacy, Kilrymont school campus and the Madras “A” listed South Street building. His proposals for taking forward housing on the Kilrymont site will be delayed not as he suggests by the judicial review, but by the need to satisfy Historic
Scotland that a beneficial use cannot be found for the vacated buildings.
His administration has already earmarked the iconic Madras South Street for commercial or hotel use. This wonderful building, gifted to the community for educational purposes almost two centuries ago, deserves a better fate.
An alternative educational use has been proposed by the university; it also offered a much better site for the school which was, perversely, rejected by the council. All this could have been resolved two years ago, when Historic Scotland made their concerns known, but were ignored.
David Middleton. 26 Lade Braes, St Andrews.
What do they stand for?
Sir, When he was in Dundee, why did Jim Murphy go on about the SNP instead of explaining Labour’s policies on pensions and welfare, fuel bills and the minimum and living wage, etc?
If nobody is told what Labour will do for them if they come into power in May, how on earth can anyone vote for them?
Mr Murphy and Mr Miliband have never made their policies clear to anyone so it is time we asked them loudly and clearly just what they are. They need to stop simply highlighting what they feel are other parties’ shortcomings.
Mrs Anne Mackay. 17 Glen Drive, Dyce, Aberdeen.