Learn lesson of Springburn

IAN Wilson of Springburn Academy (Insight, 1 September) is to be congratulated on standing up for his beliefs, but is he really a lonely figure in Springburn, of all places?

Springburn used to be the home of NB Locomotives, which built railway engines for the home market, and for export. It was a source of skilled jobs in Springburn, and of pride throughout Scotland. When the post-Second World War Labour government nationalised the railways and the coal mines they made a policy decision not to order any locomotives from Scotland. NB Loco staggered on for a while on exports only, but without a home market they were doomed. Springburn has never recovered from this betrayal.

This is just one of the costs of being ruled from Westminster. Tory and Labour share the blame for running down our traditional manufacturing industries, and for selling off national assets to foreign rivals.

John Smart, Lossiemouth,