Readers' Letters: Referendum results can’t be dismissed as ‘spasms'

Brian Wilson (Scotsman, 2 October) writes “a referendum is not a test of democratic opinion so much as a spasm”.

The EU referendum showed the UK held a deeply ambivalent attitude towards Europe. Nevertheless, the result vindicated the demand for the vote and the right of the Brexiteers to try to make a success of it. It cannot be dismissed as a "spasm”.

The situation in Scotland now looms large. We did not vote for Brexit and the No vote in 2014 was largely secured on the promise that this would keep Scotland in the EU.

There is another faultline: quite simply, there is no appetite for the “Brittania Unchained” agenda in Scotland, which includes replacing the efficient and fair NHS with US-style privatised health care.

With majority support for independence in Holyrood and a consistent majority support for independence in opinion polls, Brian should fully support the right of his country to determine its own future.

Jim Daly, Edinburgh

Vote thresholds

I have to agree with Brian Wilson that the way we run referendums is not good. The belief that 50 per cent plus one is satisfactory for victory is most unwise, indeed, irresponsible.

Political moods can be fickle, and we know that some use a referendum to, for example, vote against a government they dislike – we need safeguards, like a threshold, common in other countries.

I voted for Brexit, but it should never have gone ahead on such a narrow majority!

William Ballantine, Bo’ness, West Lothian

Missing police

Whilst I am pleased Police Scotland are introducing a verification procedure for people approached by a lone police officer, I can’t remember when I last saw a police officer, lone or otherwise, on any street.

Mary Douglas, Galashiels, Scottish Borders

Honours for sale

Last month there was a tremendous fuss over the award of a CBE to someone who had contributed to the development of the Dumfries House estate by Prince Charles.

Having visited that project I noted that HRH had successfully and openly obtained philanthropic contributions for the development of the local economy in this rather downtrodden part of Ayrshire.

This month in contrast you report (1 October) as just a matter of fact that the Prime Minister has given a peerage to somebody who had paid almost £150,00 to the Conservative Party – surely a far greater scandal!

Lord Steel of Aikwood, Selkirk, Scottish Borders

Murdo agrees

I wonder how many times the genesis of the support and promotion of Gaelic needs to be repeated before it percolates through what Gaelic scholars have described as the toxic philistine ignorance of the unenlightened?

This is encapsulated in the letter from Robert IG Scott (30 October). His comments make it clear that the root of his irrational antipathy lies with his misconception that the promotion of Gaelic is an SNP plot.

Can he possibly be unaware that the Scottish Government is bound by legislation to support Gaelic? Can he be unaware that the relevant legislation was brought in by the Labour/Lib Dem coalition in 2005, two years before the SNP came into power?

Among his nonsensical attempts to find another translation for the simple word police, and his general ignorance of how widely Gaelic was spoken, a couple of other questions jump out. Why, as a Scot, does he not believe in the preservation of an integral part of our heritage? And what is there to be afraid of in the protection of this aspect of our culture?

I'll give the last word to a Scottish MSP on Twitter. "Attacks on Gaelic by some on the the pro-Union side are too often ill-informed, tiresome and counter-productive". Well said Murdo Fraser.

Gill Turner, Edinburgh

Too many cuiks?

I was horrified, on calling up the Wikipedia entry for Penicuik – my home town – to read the words: Scottish Gaelic: Peighinn na Cuthaig.

This is fascinating. I had no idea that the native Gaelic speakers of North-West Scotland had their own name for Penicuik, especially in view of the fact that the name Penicuik is really derived from Pen Y Cog, which in the Old Brythonic language meant “Hill of the Cuckoo”. For the benefit of the militant Rename Everything in Scottish Gaelic tendency, the Old Brythonic – or Ancient British – language was the forerunner of modern Welsh. Nothing whatever to do with the Scottish Highlands.

John Tavner, Colchester, Essex

Right to die

Pamala McDougall writes that because good palliative care can alleviate pain, fear and distress those who are terminally ill have no need of assisted dying (Letters, 2 October).

What she fails to understand is that while palliative care might relieve physical symptoms, it may also increase mental distress for those who do not wish to be kept alive.

I am fortunate to have come much closer to death and being more healthy and active than many my age. In my last years the prospect of being incapacitated and being kept alive appalls me.

Ms McDougall shows no compassion when she forces me to live to soothe her own conscience.

A truly caring society would recognise that each of us has different desires and all options should be open for the terminally ill.

Martin Foreman, Edinburgh

Set targets now

With COP26 looming and our government falling behind on meeting emissions targets it should be moving to ensure it gets back on track. COP26 aims to achieve global net zero emissions by mid-century and keep warming below 1.5C, protect communities and natural habitats and raise at least $100 billion. This is underpinned by Greta Thunberg’s mantra to work together to deliver based on the evidence. As she says we should listen to the science rather than her.

Given its history of missing its targets, the government needs to be held to account to stay on track to meet its 2045 goal of net zero and consider additional measures such as in the following key sectors before 2032:

Transport: Proper vehicle tax traffic light system based on emissions, ranging from £0 to £2,000 per year. Domestic air tax where there are greener alternatives of 20p per mile, £120 to London return.

Biodiversity: plant at least 25,000 ha of native woodland per year from 2024 on land that is not suitable for agriculture or peatland. Protect habitats from mismanagement by sporting estates and encourage natural regeneration.

Power: 100 per cent generation by renewables, up from 50 per cent, a greater mix of wind, wave, solar and hydro with funding to replace all fossil fuel boilers such as gas.

Agriculture: move meat and dairy production to low emission breeds with grants to move livestock inside and for methane capture to power buildings.

Manufacturing: Materials including for building, packaging and furnishings to be recyclable.

Scotland can do this but it requires better collaboration between governments and the public and private sectors now. If we fall behind then our children will be left to pick up the consequences.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Burning issue

According to data records from the US National Interagency Fire Center, in 1930 a total of 52,266,000 acres were destroyed by fire across the US. So far this year burn acreage in the USA is the 40th highest on record and down 86 per cent from the recorded maximum in 1930.

With Glasgow COP26 just weeks away it is understandable that The Scotsman would wish to push every climate change button it can find but perhaps a little accuracy and context might not go amiss.

Alastair McCulloch, Dunblane, Stirling

Capital disgrace

I couldn’t agree more with the comments expressed by Pat Huxtable about Edinburgh (Letters, 2 October).

My wife and I spent a weekend in the capital a few weeks ago and quite frankly the streets were a disgrace. Graffiti in many parts of the city centre, litter, unemptied stinking street bins, weeds and overgrown grass and hedges were commonplace.

The city council needs to take a good hard look at how neglected this beautiful place has become and reflect on their inaction.

I believe the Cockburn Association is a charity which tries to protect the heritage of the city, maintain green spaces and campaign to preserve the general character of Edinburgh. It would appear they have a thankless task.

Bruce Mireylees, Broughty Ferry, Dundee

Orban’s example

I have just returned from two weeks in Victor Orban’s Budapest and a happy contrast it makes to Nicola Sturgeon’s struggling Edinburgh.

In that time, I found a city that was totally maskless, even on crowded buses, trams and metros, and in bustling cafes, shops and malls. Everywhere I saw a city functioning wholly normally and happily, even its hotels are creeping open quietly to welcome international visitors.

Hungary was the second country after Britain to get its citizens doubly vaccinated and unlike us, is allowing itself to benefit from this. True, it experimented – briefly – with a double vaccination passport, but decided speedily to trust instead to its vaccination programme. The result: economic and social rebirth.

The hand-wringing neurotics at Holyrood could well learn a lesson as Edinburgh limps along unhappily.

Dr Christopher Nicol, Edinburgh

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