Sir, The former Labour advisor Simon Pia may wish to convince us Labour for Scotland is an SNP front but the evidence he put forward in Saturday’s Courier really was a desperate attempt to convince the rest of us.
This whole non-story has been based on a photograph taken at a YES event last year. The photograph was taken by, and posted, on the Facebook page of Yes East Ayrshire and was captioned with all participants named.
Allan Grogan, the founder of Labour for Independence, has stated the image has not been used by them. There was no “subterfuge” as Mr Pia claims. Sadly, this nonsense proves that just when you think the NO group have plumbed the depths, they surprise you by finding yet another level. And with more than a year to go, one wonders just how far they will sink to convince Scots to remain where they are.
I can understand the NO camp’s wish to mislead us in this matter as their whole campaign has consisted solely of misinformation, while refusing to engage with the larger debate concerning Scotland’s future. To demonise the SNP by using any means and ignoring the unpalatable truth that others, including Labour supporters, are involved in the YES campaign.
The fact that Laboursupporters do supportindependence undermines this false and dishonest assertion and attempting to discredit this group and the organisation set up to give it a voice displays an arrogant disregard for what should be an open and honest debate.
YES supporters of allparties have been photographed together, just as various parts of the NO group have been on occasion.
Alistair Darling’s rapturous reception at the Tory conference, in his position as the leader of Better Together, springs to mind. An event which may have convinced some Labour members that a YES vote will be thepreferred option next year.
Ken Clark, 335 King Street, Dundee.
Conduct unbecoming
Sir, Mr Simon Pia, in his Saturday column, demonstrates his unawareness that name-calling is unbecoming in one who has aspirations to be a political columnist.
It is not only childish but also reminiscent of the “ya boo” politics that Mr Pia has condemned in the past.
His use of this tactic, four times in respect of Alex Salmond, twice in respect of George Galloway and thrice in respect of Allan Grogan, does tend to confirm his headline description of his own column pants!
It would be good if we could have some kind of responsible political comment, rather than the repetition of jibes not even fit for the classroom.
Jack Searle, 32 Farington Street, Dundee.
Working-class seaside invasion
Sir, Nick Jedrzejewski, writing in the Courier (August 2), gave a fair assessment of my newly-published book Wish You Were Still Here the Scottish Seaside Holiday (Amberley Publishing). However, he erred in writing that it was the working-class in resort towns who resented the presence of holidaymakers. On the contrary, it was the better-off people who were more likely to object to invasions of working-class daytrippers.
Eric Simpson, 27 Briarhill Avenue, Dalgety Bay.
Impact of rising carbon dioxide
Sir, The jellyfish increase being detected around Tayside and Fife is a direct result of man-made climate change and over-fishing.
This combination of over-fishing and ocean acidification (caused by rising concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, due to the burning of fossil fuels) has created the perfect conditions for a shift from a system dominated by fish, to a system dominated by jellyfish.
Unless drastic global cuts are made now to Co2 emissions, jellyfish proliferation will become another catastrophic effect of anthropogenic global warming.
Alan Hinnrichs, 2 Gillespie Terrace, Dundee.
Cover your back with gas firm
Sir, I would like to point out to your readers a problem they might have if they have a gas service contract with Scottish Gas.
We recently had a visit from a Scottish Gas engineer for the annual service of our gas boiler and gas cooker.
We told the engineer that the igniter in the oven was continuing to spark afterthe grill had been lit. The engineer then informed us that only the hob was covered as the oven is considered to be a separate unit, although the oven is underneath the hob.
I contacted Scottish Gas and they confirmed this,saying a hob and oven do not qualify as a cooker.
We have been paying an extra £56.41 thinking our cooker was covered. I have now cancelled the cooker cover from Scottish Gas.
I would advise readers who have a service contract with Scottish Gas to check their cover.
Charles Gibson, 2 Greenbourne Gardens, Dundee.
Drivers should go with the flow
Sir, I find it difficult to understand why lorrydrivers should take issue with the Government’s sensible plan to more effectively police speed limits on the A9 between Perth and Inverness.
I should like to suggest an additional measure to ease traffic flow on this busy road: ban heavy vehicles from using the outside lane on the dual-carriageway sections of the road.
Michael Almond, The Retreat, Perthshire.