Sir, It came as something of a surprise to me that that old firebrand, Arthur Scargill, back in 1983/4, when he spoke about Mrs Thatcher wanting to close 70 working pits in the UK mining industry, he was right and Mrs T was wrong.
This information comes into the public domain through “the 30-year rule” when confidential information is made public after civil service and politician rears have sat on it for 30 years and, like the proverbial mushroom, we have been kept in the dark.
So, sorry, Arthur. You may not be a king and I may not have agreed with everything you ever said, but you were 100% on that one. Boy, do I have a red face!
And what this must surely do is make us think just how many more pieces of our well-being, or lack of it, are kept secret for 30 years by politicians like Margaret Thatcher?
Her “pupils” are now in power and a million miles farther to the right than her. I wonder what we will find out in 30 years’ time? Maybe they have a secret paper now (I believe there is) that says the banks have killed this country, with the help of greedy shareholders, and not the unions and not families on some of the poorest social security benefits in Europe.
I’ll be nearly 97 then, but I’m going to stay alive, so that I can write: “I told you so!”
K J MacDougall. 3 Logie Avenue, Dundee.
Dangerous assumptions
Sir, The article by Rob McLaren “Gamekeepers urged to report unscrupulous owners” (January 8) repeats some very dangerous assumptions.
The death of the golden eagle “Fearnan” has been subject to police investigation for over a month. There has been no indication it resulted from the actions of a gamekeeper or that it was related to grouse moor management.
The gamekeeper Colin Mair, whose purely personal comments are repeated in the article, admits he “didn’t have pressure applied to him to use poison during his career”. He merely speculates others might have done.
To be quite clear, landowners do not put pressure on gamekeepers to use poison or break the law. Indeed any gamekeeper would have full protection of employment legislation if that should happen.
In the few cases where gamekeepers have been convicted for using poison to control predators, there has been no indication they were told by their employers to do so and particularly no evidence that poisons were supplied by shoot managers.
Since 2011, the already strong laws on employer liability have been tightened further by a “vicarious liability” offence whereby a land owner, manager or employer can be held liable for wild bird offences carried out by another person even if he was not aware of them. Any estate employing gamekeepers now has to make it clear no illegal activity can be condoned.
If anyone, including a gamekeeper, has specific evidence as to who was responsible for the death of the golden eagle, it should be reported to the police immediately.
Tim Baynes. Director, Scottish Land & Estates Moorland Group, Musselburgh.
Another ploy by boss class
Sir, The truth will out. BBC2’s “immigration programme” featured the neo-liberal bourgeois academic, who advised the Blair government not to impose any restrictions on central/east European migration to the UK in 2007, admitting that this was done to “hold down wages”.
Now we have it straight from the horse’s mouth, the free movement of labour is but another ploy by the boss class to batter the workers.
If you said that at the time, you were called a racist by people who, frankly, should have known better.
Any planned economy needs an immigration and emigration policy, especially when employment opportunities for our youth are almost non-existent.
Raymond Mennie. 49 Ashbank Road, Dundee.
Contradictory statements
Sir, I totally agree with (Captain) Ian McRae (Better to stick with the devil you know, letters January 9) I have been saying the same since the referendum was announced.
It is a total contradiction to say we can’t live together as four countries then say we will join with 26 other countries of the EU to get embroiled in over 600 EU directives.
How independent would Scotland be? Maybe the Scottish Government will be allowed to pick and choose?
I don’t think so!
A Parker. 17 Hayston Park, Balmullo.
Storms will be more frequent
Sir, Monifieth’s beach was not the only one to show the destructive effects of the recent stormy weather, “Coastal defences take pounding from storms”, January 8.
I was walking towards the western end of Broughty Ferry beach last Thursday and noticed the extent of erosion of the unprotected dunes which fringe the football pitches.
A large eucalyptus tree had also been blown down in the nearby rock gardens, blocking a footbridge.
As the sea level rises and storms become worse due to climate change, we can expect to see damage like this occurring more frequently.
Andrew Llanwarne. Co-ordinator, Friends of the Earth Tayside, 8 Glasclune Way, Broughty Ferry.