Scotsman Letters: Community services must be protected from cuts

The stories in the press of more cuts being threatened to basic community services, to which we all have a right for the sake of a civilised society, is surely very distressing. Libraries, swimming pools and no doubt what are seen as “supplementary” subjects on the school’s curriculum (for example, music, sports) are just examples of where the axe could fall.

It is almost incomprehensible that our fire services, along with other community and social services, are targets for yet more pruning, not to mention our precious NHS and GP practices.

When will one of our political parties be brave enough to stand up and be counted and declare an action plan on doing something to narrow the ever-increasing gap between the haves and have-nots in our society?

As costs increase on meeting the needs of an increasing population, it stands out a mile that taxation needs to increase to balance the books, and those receiving the sort of obscene salary levels that cause most to just gasp pay their way. Footballers, TV presenters – often with offshore bank accounts – and some company executives are just some that come to mind. The richer just go on getting richer while the ordinary man or woman in the street seemingly can do little but take it all on the chin, shrug their shoulders and put all these issues down to our corrupt system that no one seems to want to properly address.

Demonstrators protest outside the Scottish Parliament against library closures in 2021, and some facilities remain threatened today (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Is it possible the next general election could give cause for hope? It would be good to think so, but I have my doubts.

James C Orr, Pathhead, Midlothian

Setting sail

There is nothing new under the sun. In 1858 the largest ship to date, The Great Eastern, was launched; designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the premier engineer of his time. This gigantic vessel was powered by a combination of wind and steam-driven paddles and propellers. This week we see the first serious wind-assisted large commercial cargo vessel in 150 years plying between China and Brazil, with impressive figures on savings of fossil fuel and consequential CO2 emissions. Congratulations are due to Americas Cup winner Sir Ben Ainslie and his company Barr and Yarra Tech Marine for developing the Wind Wing, which takes the technology he developed during his sailing career to a new level.

By scaling up what are in essence two very large sails on a very large ship, there is a potential to revolutionise the green credentials of currently the most polluting of transport systems.

One and a half centuries on, there is still nothing new under the sun, especially wind!

SR Wild, Edinburgh

Oil gone?

I recently noticed that we haven't heard from the Just Stop Oil activists for a while. Have they jetted off on holiday? Is it a coincidence that this is peak holiday season?

Geoff Moore, Alness, Highland

Open letter

I do agree with broadcaster Tam Cowan saying that people should get offended with the serious stuff in the World rather than jokes (“BBC Scotland presenter Tam Cowan has to bite tongue to reduce risk of complaints over offensive jokes”, 22 August).

Is it just me who thinks the people who seem to be offended with comment or opinion that people make seem to be the younger generation? I put it down to being told at a very early age, “You can't say this… you can't say that”, so that by the time they are in their young adulthood they have had their own train of thought manipulated so much they can't tell the difference between openness and offence. No wonder today’s young adults have so many issues

I hope I haven't offended anyone with my openness.

J Moore, Glasgow

Arches backed

Sally Gordon-Walker writes about Graham Linehan and free speech (Letters, 21 August). Mr Linehan engages in gross abuse of those he disagrees with, including those who stand up for fairness and dignity for trans people.

There is no “free speech” right to abuse others. Well done to Leith Arches for standing up for their LGBTQ customers and saying No to the abuse.Ironically, Ms Gordon-Walker suggests Leith Arches’ decision may herald Scotland becoming a fascist state. Such comparisons lack consideration for the victims of real fascism. In any case, which is more democratic, the kind of material readers can find on the Equality Network’s and Scottish Trans websites and social media, or Graham Linehan's public stirring up of hate against LGBT equality campaigners by calling us paedophiles?

Tim Hopkins, Director, Equality Network, Edinburgh

Bring to book

Any chance someone will publish a list of the authors boycotting the Book Festival so that I can boycott them?

Oonagh Gray, Edinburgh

London weighting

On Gers, Brian Monteith (Perspective, 21 August) calls for prudence and value for money, which should apply to the UK government that levies two-thirds of the taxes attributed to Scotland and spends 40 per cent of Gers “on our behalf”, with billions wasted on botched defence contracts, dubious PPE contracts, High Speed Rail and unsuitable migrant barges etc.

Although produced by Scottish civil servants, the vast bulk of the notional Gers figures are based on UK Government estimates of Scotland’s poor position in a London-dominated Union.

Several reports mistakenly refer to record oil revenues as Gers, strangely, only goes back to 1999 in relation to Scotland’s share, which was just after the last Labour government transferred 6,000 square miles of Scotland’s territorial waters to England prior to devolution through the back door using a House of Lords Order rather than it being debated in the House of Commons.

The highest oil revenues were in the years 1984-1986, worth some £41 billion each year in today’s money, and it is instructive to compare how Norway, with similar oil extraction, has prospered since then compared to London’s control of our economy.

Under Gers, Scotland is charged £9.2bn as our share of interest on UK national debt of £2,500bn caused by Brexit, mismanagement of the economy, a failed energy policy and inflation. The Scottish Government has to balance its books and can only borrow £300 million, so can’t undertake the infrastructure projects required to grow our economy.

Given Scotland’s highly educated population and vast energy resources, why is our GDP per head £33,000, while that of Ireland, which expects to run surpluses over the next few years, is £81,000, Norway £80,000, Denmark £55,000 and Finland £42,000? Under London rule our standard of living is falling, while theirs is rising.

Mary Thomas, Edinburgh

High flyer Humza

Is the First Minister making an attempt to catch up with “Air Miles” Angus Robertson? He has announced a trip to New York next month for a “climate change event”. No doubt the FM will be bringing along a large entourage who all have to be housed in the best hotels, again at our expense. I venture that his presence could have been covered by a minor official from Britain’s New York Consulate, leaving Humza Yousaf free to tackle the mountain of problems we have at home.

I am not against flying as such. Hard working families, for example, deserve a break in a warmer clime – but the difference is, they do not normally make hypocritical statements about climate change and how our habits must change. Mr Yousaf’s flights will be churning out tons of carbon and making use of fossil fuel-powered aircraft for merely an ego trip at our expense, in every sense of the word.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Just say Yes

The news that drug deaths in Scotland have fallen by a fifth is welcome. However, it’s important to understand the causes not only of drug deaths, but of all premature deaths in Scotland, be they from alcohol abuse, suicide, heart disease or violence.

Scotland isn’t an inherently unhealthy nation. The Scottish infant mortality rate in 2019 was 3.3, well below the UK rate of 3.9. Of the 32 council areas, 24 have mortality rates in line with the European average. The remaining eight, clustered in west central Scotland, are responsible for Scotland having the highest age-standardised mortality rate of all the UK nations.

The root cause is unemployment. Thatcher closed down Scotland’s heavy industries in the 1970s and 1980s and failed to replace them, unlike in northern England with car manufacturing. This coincides with a deterioration in Scotland’s health. Men lost their sense of purpose and self-esteem when they lost their jobs and they filled the void with alcohol, drugs and violence. We are living with this legacy today.

It’s well documented that psychological stress and social deprivation harm physical health. Countries where people feel in control are healthier.

Scottish activist Jimmy Reid said alienation was “the cry of men who feel themselves the victims of blind economic forces beyond their control. It’s the frustration of ordinary people excluded from the processes of decision making.”

To recover our health, people need to feel that they have control over their lives. The current political settlement, by which Westminster dictates most major policy areas, won’t deliver the change we need. Only independence can.

Leah Gunn Barrett, Edinburgh

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