Readers' Letters: Devolution has failed - so it's time to cut our losses

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It is fair to say I have been against devolution since the word go and voted accordingly over the years. There was no family pro-Union element or tradition whatsoever, it was simply a gut feeling of what was right and what was wrong. I had much the same views as the late Tam Dalyell, the Labour MP who saw through the whole thing and envisioned almost exactly what has come to pass.

The idea was fine, but once nationalism and nationalists became involved, all bets are off. With them, instead of trying to make Scotland a better place, the whole focus is on separating and being different and breaking up what exists, at whatever the cost. It could never work in these circumstances, and I would think it much better if we cut our losses and had a revamped and updated version of what served us for many, many years before at a tiny fraction of the cost today. The money saved could be used on worthwhile projects.

It is not too late to turn back.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the Scottish Parliament's 25th anniversary celebrations on 28 September this year (Picture: Andrew Milligan/Pool/Getty Images)King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the Scottish Parliament's 25th anniversary celebrations on 28 September this year (Picture: Andrew Milligan/Pool/Getty Images)
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended the Scottish Parliament's 25th anniversary celebrations on 28 September this year (Picture: Andrew Milligan/Pool/Getty Images)

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Former colonies

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I see Charles Mountbatten-Windsor is presenting himself at a meeting of “Commonwealth” Presidents and Prime Ministers in Samoa as some kind of leader. I would like to point out to all involved that Mr Mountbatten-Windsor is not elected to lead anything nor even does he have any right to claim to represent me or my country. His inherited privileges that set him apart from the entire population of this country have no place in a 21st century democracy.

If the remnant of the English/British Empire known as the Commonwealth is to have any continued relevance then the two-thirds or so of member states that no longer consider the English monarch as their head of state should lead the rest in rejecting him as head of their organisation.

I consider the name ‘Commonwealth’ to be an insulting throwback to the days when it granted the colonial power the right to cart off whatever resources it desired due to some presumed shared ownership. There is a clear parallel to the relationship between England and Scotland there.

Once the Commonwealth of Nations has thrown off the leadership of the English monarch perhaps they should give their organisation a more fitting title reflecting their recent common history as liberated former colonies. Maybe Scotland will be able to join in the not too distant future.

Ni Holmes, St Andrews, Fife

Aussie rulers

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I’m fairly certain the King of Australia has never massacred anyone, as accused from the floor of the Australia Commonwealth Senate recently.

A referendum in 1999 confirmed his mum in office as Queen of Australia, making her history’s best known democratically elected monarch. More Australians than not think the King and his late mother are their monarchs.

Tim Cox, Bern, Switzerland

Tail wags dog

For all the years the Tories were in power the SNP complained Scotland did not have a government it voted for. That changed when Labour won on both sides of the border. Now it appears it may well be changing back right here.

The Greens are making very ill thought out demands upon the SNP with regard to the Scottish housing market, amongst other issues, if John Swinney wants his budget passed. If Mr Swinney agrees then this will genuinely constitute the Green tail wagging the SNP dog. Scots did not vote in any numbers for the Greens so to allow this minor party to dictate the future economic direction of Scotland is patently undemocratic. Mr Swinney appears to be in a spot of bother, again.

Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

Electricity cuts

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Recently we’ve seen two significant, and related, events. Firsty, the last coal-fired power station in Britain closed. This makes the UK the first G7 nation to phase out coal power.

Prominent SNP, Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrats hailed this as a great day. Reform is the only major party which regards this as an act of huge and wilful self-harm. Other countries are reconsidering their rush to “net zero”. Germany recently dismantled a wind power site to expand an open cast coal mine.

Meanwhile, ScottishPower has sent a leaflet to Scottish customers telling them how to prepare for “planned electricity power outages”. It states: “Planned emergency power cuts are unlikely and would only happen when all other options have been considered, or there is a need to deal with a major energy supply shortage.”

This may be the first time since the miners’ strikes and the three-day week in the ’70s that electricity customers have been warned to prepare for planned outages. Those of us who remember those days will not look forward to this brave new world with enthusiasm.

Helen McDade, Pitlochry, Perth and Kinross

Not so simple

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Leah Gunn Barret demands regional energy pricing for Scotland (Letters, 23 October), claiming that: “Consumers would pay less for electricity if the power is generated near them” and that “Because Scotland has renewables coming out of its ears, regional pricing would be a huge benefit and Scots would pay the lowest electricity prices in Europe.”

Has she considered that when wind speeds are too high or too low, turbines can’t operate and so you need energy from mainly fossil fuel or nuclear sources? Under these conditions, electricity prices surge. Since the current Scottish Government is so self-righteously against oil, gas and nuclear reactors, customers north of the border most certainly wouldn’t gain from Ms Gunn Barrett’s modest proposal.

Unwelcome technical facts such as the need for reliable base load to keep the grid functioning clearly aren’t included in these calculations, nor is the figure of £68 million squandered on constraint payments to Scottish wind farm operators last year. Sweden is mentioned as a role model for regional pricing, yet this is a country that generates a third of its energy needs from atomic power stations.

From “It’s Scotland’s oil” to “It’s Scotland’s wind”, the desperate sloganeering journey continues.

Martin O’Gorman, Edinburgh

Labour pains

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It’s all up for discussion. From the NHS to union control – or workers’ rights if we use the correct jargon – the latest government is hell bent on introducing change that reflects their view of how this country should run. Nothing wrong with that of course, it’s why we have regular elections to provide answers to the failings of past governments as perceived by the electorate. Of course when elected – and elected with such a vast majority as Labour – they should feel that the power to govern is theirs by right and whatever direction they take is what they were voted in to do.

Of course, during most elections parties produce a manifesto which outlines the direction of travel that is required to set the country back on its feet after years of neglect and turmoil.

Unfortunately, in the lead-up to the latest election Labour produced a manifesto that failed to make an impact with ideas and policies other than that change was required. Without doubt, change was required, but what kind of change is where it all started to fall apart.

All of us armchair critics have answers which largely reflect our own experiences and view of the world. However, if we boil it down to essentials, we would wish that our taxes are spent to improve the lives of all in this country. In addition, we want to feel safe in our homes and that our children and their children have healthy, productive lives. The bottom line is that we want and need government decisions that protect and if possible enhance our standard of living. Anything and everything not geared to that aim is superfluous and should be ignored.

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Unfortunately, it appears that at present we are destined to suffer another period of political and industrial unrest that will lead us further down the road of nonentity and penury, probably ending up with us having to beg the EU to let us back in again.

Labour is a party that could do good but its leaders are still hidebound by a far-left view of struggle that most of us felt were left well behind us.

A Lewis, Coylton, South Ayrshire

Thistle or fig leaf?

Your article headlined “Labour begins hunt for 2026 candidates” (24 October) refers to “Scottish Labour” as “the party”, and Anas Sarwar as “party leader”.

But the facts on the website of the Electoral Commission are that “Scottish Labour Party” is just a “description” for this accounting unit – number 642 – of the UK Labour party, and the graphic of the thistle is just Emblem id 8219 ”for use in Scotland”.

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Perhaps the emblem should be a fig leaf, for Jackie Baillie and Anas Sarwar to hide behind when they are less keen to be seen with Ian Murray and Keir Starmer.

E Campbell, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire

Automatic solution

It is difficult to argue against the principle of cognitive tests for older drivers (Scotsman, 24 October) . But the practicalities of introducing such tests are immense – above all, who would carry them out and patient confidentiality.

But I would argue that more immediate action would be to strongly encourage older drivers, if they possibly can, to switch from a manual to an automatic car. Automatics are physically much easier to drive. And, much more importantly in this context, they greatly increase levels of concentration on the road.

KW McKay, Carrbridge. Highland

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