Readers' letters: Brian Wilson would know all about 'secretive cabals'

Brian Wilson complains about Nicola Sturgeon’s “secretive cabal’ – an affront, he says, “to the open and transparent government” Scotland had a right to expect during Covid.

I agree with the sentiments though, coming from him, they sound deeply hypocritical.

He has evidently forgotten Tony Blair’s notorious inner circle which, according to the Calcutt Report, took decisions on the 2003 Iraq war ‘without reference to cabinet’.

Jonathan Powell, Blair’s Chief of Staff, and Alastair Campbell were two of the unelected beneficiaries of this anti-democratic arrangement which, as we all know, took the UK into a conflict that destabilised a country and led to hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Tony Blair walks to a cabinet meeting flanked by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott (left) and chief of staff Jonathan Powell in 2007 (Picture: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Mr Wilson won’t want to be reminded of this secretive cabal, because he was himself led by the nose through the voting lobbies in support of the war.

In the Scotsman of 27 January, he referred to Sturgeon as “a nasty piece of work”. What then of his own erstwhile leader, a man who should arguably be arraigned for war crimes.

It beggars belief that the present Labour Party, as well as people like Mr Wilson, still think so highly of him. After all, it was Iraq more than anything, that destroyed the Labour Party’s idea of itself as a moral crusade.

Alastair McLeish, Edinburgh

Dirty linen

Elizabeth Scott must be on Nicola Sturgeon's Christmas card list (Letters, 2 February). She describes the scenario around Ms Sturgeon’s conduct during Covid as if she was Mother Teresa, ministering to the sick and needy in Scotland rather than scheming with her fellow Nationalists for the downfall of the UK as she really was. The very idea that the opposition are “bullies” is so grotesque as to be farcical.

In fact, the hard truth is that Sturgeon and her fellows were totally focused on doing things differently from Westminster, just to be different, not for sound medical reasons. The full involvement of thoroughly politicised civil servants whose role demands neutrality as part of the British Civil Service is alarming.

The evidence shows that the SNP were “winging it” while a top civil servant relishes “a good old-fashioned rammy” with the UK Government. These are not the words of a government, but of a subversive, disruptive fifth column.

As Ms Scott says, Boris Johnson did, indeed hand over to other people. They were qualified medical professionals. Here in Scotland, however, we were treated to daily party political broadcasts and a medical director who admitted that the technical aspect required him to “wing it”.

That is the standard of care we had in Scotland and the SNP benefited from many millions of pounds-worth of free, daily, prime-time TV propaganda.

The inquiry has made it crystal clear that their divisive nationalism was always to the forefront, rather than concern for Scotland’s people. Well, luckily they didn't succeed and now the truth is coming out. Their dirty linen is on display and it is not a pretty sight.

Peter Hopkins, Edinburgh

Be more French

It may be of little comfort for Celia Hobbs (Letters, 2 February), but may I suggest we need to become a little more like the country folk of France.

After years of persistent action by those of the village of Lunas and surrounding area, just a few weeks ago the appeal court of Nimes made the final decision on a detested wind farm.

The order was for the wind farm to be demolished and the land returned to its original state within a period of months – two of the main reasons for the order being the killing of birds (well over a thousand, including golden eagles), and the constant low frequency noise suffered by residents.

Incidentally, some time ago a lady in Dumfries and Galloway publicly complained that after the opening of a wind farm near her house she had to get into her car each evening, drive some distance away and then wrap up in a sleeping bag in order to get a night’s sleep.

A McCormick, Terregles, Dumfries

Tunnel vision

The Scottish Government has announced that it is looking into the possibility of joining some outer Scottish Islands to the mainland by building tunnels.

Sadly, the recent announcement comes just days after it was declared that violent underwater earth tremors shook several western islands. I think I'll stick to taking the boat!

Archibald A Lawrie, Kingskettle, Fife

TV tackled

When will television producers recognise that rugby is a key spectator sport?

In the ITV coverage of Ireland v France the three commentators were so loud and voluble that one longed for the serious calm of Bill McL aren. The BBC coverage of the exciting Wales v Scotland game the following day was spoilt by the commentary subtitles obscuring the result and sin-bin clock line. Crucial as it turned out!

Lord Steel of Aikwood, Selkirk, Scottish Borders

Sinking feeling

The report of the Glen Sannox sea trials (Scotsman, 2 February) raises an interesting point that, had it been built to budget, the SNP would have had sufficientfunds to cover the construction of a new hospital in Fort William.

Once more rural Scotland looses out to the Central Belt!

Ian Moir, Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway

Agony and XTC

Well done to the ground staff at Starks Park, Kirkcaldy, who took Raith Rovers' Challenge Cup semi final defeat at home to Airdrie on the chin, by playing at full time XTCs The Disappointed.

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

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