Readers' Letters: Can new spin doctor turn Yousaf's fortunes around?

How will new spin doctor Kevin Pringle influence Humza Yousaf's style at FMQs, wonders reader? (Picture: STV/BBC)

Alistair Grant’s article about the return of Alex Salmond’s former spin doctor, Kevin Pringle, to become Humza Yousaf's spokesman was both edifying and unedifying (13 June).

Same old? Instead of the previous battle cry of “It’s Scotland’s oil” (anathema to the Greens), the panacea for all financial reservations about the affordability of independence, will we be greeted with new battle cries of “It’s Scotland’s cans and bottles” or “It’s Scotland's wind”?

The format of the new spokesman’s delivery and presentation conjures up some interesting scenarios at today’s First Minister’s Questions. Will he wear a Nina Conti style Humza face mask or will Mr Pringle be the First Minister's ventriloquist ?

Whatever happens, rest assured that the Scottish Government’s existing outside advisers’ bill of £1.9 million (according to The Scotsman) will be increased and continue to be paid by the taxpayer. Just think how the NHS could benefit from that annual sum.

Fraser MacGregor, Edinburgh

Movement needed

Recent government data showed that wage inflation excluding bonuses is running at 7.2 per cent, not far behind inflation at 8.7 per cent. This narrowing of the gap in real terms pay lag means that many traders are pricing in 6 per cent interest rates later this year. Economists are warning that with underlying inflation remaining stubbornly high then high interest rates will be here at least until 2025. Normally firms would struggle to award high wage increases, even when inflation is soaring, but the skills shortage coupled with record levels of labour inactivity, caused mainly by ill health, mean that employers have little choice.

It’s clear that faced with falling demand, high wage growth can only last for so long. The usual way out is to hire cheaper labour from abroad but Brexit has made that harder. Another way is to increase productivity by investing in technologies such as AI. This is not happening; however, business has seen very low levels of investment while our competitors continue to innovate and be more productive – the electric car industry is a good example. Britain continues to fail to educate and train highly skilled labour to meet industry demand. Most engineering graduates, for example, come from abroad and leave after their studies. Higher unemployment looks inevitable as more firms succumb to low demand and high costs without improving productivity.

Recent migration data showed that out of 1.2 million immigrants only about a quarter came to work. Of EU migrants, however, the proportion was over 40 per cent, suggesting that the economy would benefit most from ties with our closest neighbours.

Freedom of movement with the EU is more pressing. With an increasing proportion of immigrants not coming to work or study and an ageing population, it’s important to plug skills shortages to boost our ailing economy.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Paths of danger

Many will be echoing the fears of Elizabeth Scott, who rightly complains about those cycling on the pavement (Letters, 12 June). Yes Ms Scott, it is illegal but our police, under woke leadership, do nothing. It is expected that E-scooters will be made legal on roads but, like cyclists, will gravitate towards “safe” (for them) pavements with no police presence.

Michael Baird, Bonar Bridge, Highland

Without a clue

It was excruciating to watch Lorna Slater, a Green/SNP minister commanding a vast salary, being asked a question at Holyrood that required a simple yes/no answer. She could not say whether or not legal advice had been asked for with regard to one of her actions in the DRS fiasco. The questioner did not ask what advice was given, he was presumably well aware that was out of bounds. He merely wanted to know if advice had been sought.

The resultant squirming and lack of basic nous had me, for the first time, feeling sorry for Ms Slater, a person palpably many miles out of her depth in a job she should never have been given in the first place.

Who is going to relieve Scotland of this wretched administration?

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Safe deposits

On the pavement, jagged bottles from a dropped plastic bag, clearly destined for recycling but abandoned when the bag broke. Lethal shards of glass litter the footpath and gutter, dangerous for pedestrians, cars and bikes. A deposit return scheme for glass would give value to a product which is both easy to reuse and recycle.

Yes, there is the palaver of returning bottles, but if you have bought them, they are your responsibility, whether you choose recycling banks or landfill.

People resist change, but bottle return schemes are the habit of the past. Is it so hard to revert to a system that will significantly reduce our consumption of raw metals, plastics and glass?

And if it is more expensive, isn’t that a good thing? Sugary fizzy drinks or alcohol should be treats, not the basis of breakfast.

Frances Scott, Edinburgh

Grudge match

How odd. One would have thought that nationalist letter writers would have something to say about the political earthquake caused by the Scottish police arresting the former CEO of the SNP, its Treasurer, and its former first minister and subjecting them to further inquiries. Oh no. The nationalist grudge machine rumbles on.

Three letters yesterday underline that. Stan Grozynski claims the UK “has become an international pariah”, Mary Thomas says Scotland is being robbed of £350 billion by Westminster, and, according to Leah Gunn Barrett, the UK is a “colonial” power.

Instead of monstering England these writers should explain how exactly Scotland would be better off leaving the world's sixth largest economy, socially, economically, scientifically and politically. What would the currency be? How would a central bank be funded? What would the interest rate be? What spending cuts and tax rises would be needed?

The Scottish people will only be persuaded to separate if the Scottish Government can show that it is competent and financially rigorous. Alas, far from moving towards that goal it is drifting further into a morass of incompetence and Green lunacy.

William Loneskie, Oxton, Lauder, Berwickshire

Principles of justice

Innocent until proved guilty is a cherished cornerstone of our justice system and must continue to be so.

After being arrested and interviewed for seven hours by the police, Nicola Sturgeon was released without charge. Under increasing pressure to suspend her, Humza Yousaf was right to say “he sees no reason” to do so.

Yes, some say others in the SNP have been in similar positions and were punished by the party. Maybe we need to cling on to the old adage, two wrongs don't make a right – if indeed wrongs were committed and mistakes were made. If we give in to narrow-minded political pundits with hidden agendas, where now for justice? If charges are brought against individuals and others in the SNP wronged they must have their day in a proper court, not a kangaroo court filled with those with particular axes to grind. Our justice deserves just that and nothing less.

Jack Fraser, Musselburgh

Watery grave?

By providing the Scottish public with both a Cabinet Secretary and a Minister under the Transport brief, Humza Yousaf is surely hoping that two heads are better than one and not merely a “buy one, get one free” offer. As he rearranges the political deckchairs, akin to the Titanic, but in this case the Glen Sannox, the eyes and ears of the Scottish people will watch every move and listen to every word, hoping for some salvation from a public services shambles. Playing Scotland The Brave as the ship slides into the Clyde may not save Mr Yousaf from a political watery grave.

Bob MacDougall, Oxhill, Kippen, Stirlingshire

Polls apart

Contrary to Allan Sutherland's letter of 14 June, there is not “a by-election in Paisley to replace disgraced councillor Jordan Linden” today. Linden was one of the councillors for Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, not Paisley, Renfrewshire. Like most knee jerk unionists (as bad as knee jerk nationalists), his geographical knowledge of his own country is lamentable.

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

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