Sir, We have been subjected to successive visits from Osborne, Hammond, Cable and now May. Cabinet ministers lecturing us on the dangers (financial, military and security), facing an independent Scotland.
They have also tried to persuade us that the possession of substantial oil resources is a liability, rather than an advantage.
The latest tirade from Theresa May is a little too rich. This is the Home Secretary who sat on her hands gazing helplessly at the street riots in London, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham and elsewhere in England.
Boris Johnson and David Cameron had to break their holidays to return in panic and the trouble was not sorted out until Scottish police had to emulate the Seventh Cavalry and head down south.
Osborne and Cable struggle ineffectively with a growing deficit approaching £1600 billion; Hammond presides over a Royal Navy which failed to see off a couple of Icelandic gunboats and May shares information with an “ally” that happily hacked into the telephone conversations of the leaders of Germany and France.
Theirs is indeed a “terrorist attack” to be feared by Scotland and should be recognised and dealt with, as such.
Joseph G Miller. 44 Gardeners Street, Dunfermline.
Look at cyclists before passing any legislation
Sir, With regard to Brenda Mitchell’s letter of October 28, before any legislation is passed to hold motorists culpable in all accidents involving cyclists there should be a most vigorous investigation into the conduct of many cyclists presently on our roads. They must obey the highway code and all traffic laws.
I first started cycling at the age of eight and, finally, took my last cycle ride aged 74. In my teens, I was a keen club cyclist (sometimes covering over 100 miles on a good day) and our club membership also insured us for third party claims.
Since the age of 18 I have covered many miles on motorcycles, in trucks and cars, including towing a caravan.
In this region, cyclists pay little or no heed to traffic laws or regulations. They can be frequently observed riding against the traffic flow in one-way streets. They ride through red lights at light-controlled crossings and fail to give way to pedestrians on zebra crossings.
Night-time can become a real hazard for motorists as there are too many cyclists with the suicidal instincts of a lemming. They wear dark clothes and ride without any lights, and some of them will even make sudden a right turn, without looking behind or giving any signal.
They seem to think that they are invulnerable and motorists are clairvoyant.
Henry Topping. 17 Mount Melville Cres, Strathkinness.
Targeting of customers
Sir, I would like to alert any other of your readers who are customers of Scottish Hydro/SSE and who are on the THTC tariff. This tariff is increasing with effect from November 15, 2013 by an eye-watering 19.45% which is a long way from the average 8.2% declared by the company.
Fortunately, I had already fixed my tariff at a 2% discount until December 2014. Had I not done so the increase would have been 21.45%.
As far as I am aware only Scottish Hydro/SSE provide this tariff which is used by people on electric heating.
Is it not deplorable that the company have targeted an element of their customers who are by virtue of their method of heating high users and who also cannot, as the Prime Minister recommends, shop around and switch companies?
Jill Huntingford. The Whins, Barry.
Jenny didn’t disappoint . . .
Sir, I opened Wednesday’s “Courier” fully expecting to see more Tory tosh from Ms Jenny Hujl. I was not disappointed.
She devoted her article to trying to prove that the Scots and English are the same in their political aspirations. I refer her to Rabbie Burns who presciently said that “facts are chiels that winnae ding”.
Scotland has one Tory MP in the whole country. Left to their own devices the English would live under a permanent Tory government whereas the Scots tend to vote anything but Tory.
Indeed, the one real attraction of independence is that never again would we Scots have to live under a Tory administration.
Jim Robertson. 194 High Street, Montrose.
Bonfire night animal plea
Sir, As bonfire night approaches, we should spare a thought for the animals and birds who may be terrified by the deafening crashes and blinding flashes. For their sake Animal Aid believes fireworks should be sold only to organisers of public events and not to individuals to set them off in gardens or streets.
Try to keep cats and dogs indoors and take rabbits and guinea pigs inside as well for the night , or cover their “home” with a thick blanket. Also, check no hedgehogs or other animals have made a home in your bonfire before you light it.
Kate Fowler. Head of Campaigns, Animal Aid.