Letters: Don't let private operators ruin the health of the NHS

INTENSIVE campaigning by the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats over the last year to get people to accept cuts seemed initially to be successful, but now the cuts are happening, realisation that they have been misled not only on the causes of the financial crisis but the devastation the cuts will cause is becoming clear.

Their rallying call "We are all in this together" is the biggest deception of all, these words hide the sheer misery being caused throughout the UK by their actions.

Our society has been built by generations of people into a more caring one.

All of this is at risk from those who are turning the clock back.

The proposed changes to the NHS, allowing private companies to compete with the NHS in providing medical services, shows how far they are prepared to go.

The widespread opposition to the Government's plans for the NHS shows just how little confidence people have in private companies putting service before profit.

There are so many examples of private companies throughout the UK closing down a business because of low profitability, irrespective of job and service losses.

People understand the dangers of privatisation and cannot let this happen to the NHS.

A Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens, Edinburgh

From the wrong side of the street

THERE is a wonderful, newly-surfaced street with new pavements and street lighting which, because it is a cul-de-sac - goes nowhere!

East Scotland Street Lane is virtually traffic free but has been prioritised by someone (presumably an employee of the city council) who has spare tax payers' money to spend on such an out of the way project.

Meanwhile, the residents of Bellevue Crescent (particularly the east end of the crescent) have been begging for repairs for years to a pavement which would not be out of place in Kabul and is in a dangerous condition.

Letters to councillors, politicians and Edinburgh City Council over many years have fallen on stony ground and then suddenly East Scotland Street Lane is given the full beauty treatment!

Who sanctioned the work? Why was it prioritised? How much did this cost the Edinburgh taxpayers?

J Milne, Edinburgh

Ditch subsidies on green energy

THE anti-nuclear energy brigade raised their strident voices after the Fukushima crisis and joyfully when Germany decided to shut the eight nuclear power plants, which provided 13 per cent of its generating capacity.

However, a report reveals Germany is set to return to coal, gas and imports to fill this energy chasm and has no plans to increase green power.

The green zealots will be furious since this will halt misguided efforts to curb CO2 emissions.

The German government continues to lower its feed-in tariffs - which is the huge subsidies that utilities must pay to generators of renewable power - until they reach the same as conventional forms of energy.

Britain should do the same.

The renewables industry is subsidy dependent and would never exist otherwise.

Solar power, which is even more expensive than useless wind, has seen steep cuts in subsidies in Spain and Germany, driving many solar companies into insolvency.

A pity wind subsidies were ever invented, thus allowing turbines to destroy our landscapes.

Clark Cross, Springfield, Road, Linlithgow

One God for Jew and Gentile alike

I ENJOY Steuart Campbell's letters on various forms of energy, for in that field he is obviously an expert.

He knows what he's on about, and I agree with his views on renewables.I wish however, that his theology would match his technology.

I know that, as a professed atheist and secularist, he has studied the Bible, but it is wrong of him (Interactive, June 23) to refer to Yahweh (or Jehovah, the term used in the AV) as "the god of the Jews".

There is only one God for Jew and Gentile alike.

Donald Jack, Summerside Place, Leith