Readers' Letters: 'Right to roam' has had a devastating effect on capercailles

The Cairngorms National Park is the last territory in Scotland where the capercaillie survives. The species was once so plentiful that a keeper was employed in the Glenmore Forest Park by the Forestry Commission to manage the numbers. They were thought to damage young pine trees

The “Right to Roam” means that the days of “Trespassers will be prosecuted” and “Private – keep out” notices have long gone. These restrictions were resented, but there have been consequences. More people than ever are venturing into remote wild places.

When they arrive at a car park, their dogs are let out and “off lead” rampage through the woodland and ground cover. No wonder capercaillies have disappeared. What action, if any, will the National Park authorities take?

There are just over 500 capercaillies left in the wild and the species is in danger of extinction in the UK

I A Glen, Airdrie, North Lanarkshire

Tom’s right

What an excellent article by Sir Tom Hunter (Scotsman, 1 October). He not only sums up the problems in Scotland today, he also lays out practical solutions to fix them, and I suspect a very large number of people will heartily endorse his first advice: “Stop moaning and start fixing.” I would add to that: stop claiming that Scotland is far superior to England, stop blaming Westminster, and face reality up here.

Is our government up to the task of fixing things? It has shown little sign of this over the years. Is it fear of failure? Is it sheer incompetence? Or is it that the individual members of the government are reluctant to step out of their cosy positions and “rock the boat”?

Let us hope that each one of these MSPs, the other political parties, the Civil Service, and those who sit on the merry-go-round of quangos give serious consideration to Sir Tom’s article and at least try to follow his advice. Scotland needs that right now.

I am not affiliated to any political party. I am very seriously concerned about the state of our country.

Margaret Longmuir, Dunfermline, Fife

Assisted dying

A memorandum sent by Health Secretary Neil Gray to MSPs on Holyrood’s Health Committee has warned that a bid to introduce assisted dying for terminally Scots may be outwith Holyrood’s power (Scotsman, 2 October).

Should this not have been carefully checked by Liam McArthur MSP before he introduced the Bill? This Bill has created much more heat than light – particularly among the minority who base their lives on faith. Surely Scots must now be given the opportunity of a referendum on the matter?

Doug Clark, Currie, Edinburgh

Ireland booming

With the Republic of Ireland’s finance minister recently announcing personal tax cuts and cost-of-living support in the budget, the contrast between Ireland and the UK could not be greater.

Ireland will run a €25bn budget surplus this year, and that windfall will be set aside for investment in infrastructure, tackling that nation’s challenges in housing, energy, water and transport.

The budget included €8.3bn in tax cuts and spending increases, alongside one-off cost of living supports worth a further €2.2bn. These include two double child benefit payments before Christmas, continued mortgage interest relief, a €1,000 renters tax credit and a €1,000 winter fuel payment for pensioners.

In contrast, continued Westminster austerity has seen the loss of the winter fuel allowance for 880,000 Scottish pensioners, cuts in vital public services and a warning from the Prime Minister that “things can only get worse”.

Brexit Britain is broken, and a prospering Ireland illustrates what small independent countries with full control over their resources and economic levers can achieve.

Alex Orr, Edinburgh

What’s in a name?

Andrew Marr may have been persuaded that he was wrong in his condemnation of the ridiculous names in Gaelic which have been given to places which have never been Gaelic-speaking, but he was right (Scotsman, 27 September). The absurdity of the whole idea is on show in the fake names for “Police” and “Ambulance”, which are on most such vehicles in Scotland now. They are an embarrassment.

However, when we are dealing with Gaelic, I think that we should look at the entire proposition and, like positive discrimination, look at it from the other end of the telescope. We should translate Gaelic place-names into English. Why not? If it’s valid in one direction, it’s equally valid in t’other.

Here goes: Nairn is “Inbhir Narann” and Nairn itself means “the River of Alders”. Thus, Nairn Station’s name-board translated should state, “Inbhir Narann – Nairn: The Mouth of the River which is the River of Alders”, which takes up quite a lot of space.

Murthly seems to come from “Mòr”, which is “big”, of course and “thulach” or “tulach”, which means “assembly mound, or mound of judgment”, so “Mòrthulach – Murthly: Big Assembly Mound, or Big Mound of Judgment” should be added to its signpost, I would suggest.

When we come to Dunkeld and Birnam, we are in for a cornucopia of fun. Its board should read “Dùn Chailleann & Braonan – Dunkeld & Birnam: Fort of the Caledonians and A Little Wet Place”. By the time anyone has read that, they’ll be at Kingussie.

Dingwall should provide endless fun, as an argument could be made that it should be in English, Gaelic and Old Norse!

When mucking around with names is dealt with in the other direction, it can be seen to be ludicrous.

Andrew HN Gray, Edinburgh

Trumpian Murdo

With the US Presidential election in full swing and headlines dominated by former President Trump’s conspiracy theories and so-called facts which are never backed up, it’s interesting to see Murdo Fraser going down the same route (Scotsman, 2 October).

Mr Fraser, in commenting on the upcoming Budget, says: “We might also see changes to inheritance tax, capital gains tax, or even new taxes introduced to fill the black hole Labour have created.”

Mr Fraser gives no details or evidence showing a black hole created by the current government. Going further he also states: “As various experts have pointed out, a large part of this is made up from the above-inflation pay rises to public sector workers paid by Labour.”

Mr Fraser, though, neglected to mention the names of any of these experts or even mentions when and where these experts have given their diagnosis.

I don’t have a problem with this one-time Liz Truss backer claiming all was rosy under the Tories. I do, though, have a problem, as I’m sure many voters do, with politicians giving their own opinions and then claiming they are only quoting experts. No wonder Tory members rejected Mr Fraser so decisively recently.

Alexander Lunn, Edinburgh

Work for peace

How close are we to tipping point in the explosive stand-off between Israel and Iran? Or scarily, are we already past it? In the last two weeks, the situation in Gaza has slipped out of the headlines to be replaced by something potentially more devastating, namely mutually assured destruction.

Should Britain become involved, and if so, how? Surely there are enough warmongers in charge and any role Britain should have is that of much-needed reflection on the lasting dire consequences of the present lethal action on both sides and finding the elusive path towards peace.

It doesn't help that Iran wants to wipe Israel off the map. We’re well past the time when its existence should be acknowledged. Until Iran does that, it's hard to detect a lasting solution. I suspect that the governments of both Iran and Israel don't reflect the aspirations of their people, which are aimed at achieving peace. Our role should be to enable them to reach that aim.

Ian Petrie, Edinburgh

Natural law

If internationally recognised terrorist groups are established in a country adjacent to your own and fire 8,000-plus rockets into your territory, surely the country receiving this seemingly endless barrage – as well as slaughter and hostage taking incursions – is entitled by the natural laws of self-defence to launch attacks on the terrorists involved.

Like it or lump it, that is exactly the situation with Israel and Hezbollah/Hamas operating in Lebanon/Gaza.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

TV to swear by

Isn’t it remarkable that BBC Scotland felt the need to apologise every ten seconds for the language used by some fans in Friday’s live coverage of that all-time ratings buster of the Dalkeith Thistle vs Broxburn Scottish Cup first round tie, yet never seem to pick up a single naughty word when the Old Firm’s entourage turn the air every colour of the rainbow?

It must be those same technical problems that plague its news coverage so somehow it always misses their “fun loving” fans turning Glasgow’s George Square or some other public throughfare into war zones on the flimsiest of pretexts.

But since councils always mysteriously find the cash in budget-constrained times for rapid reaction street cleansing squads on standby to clean up after these charmers (and local A&E departments to patch up those in the wrong place at the wrong time...), that makes it alright, yes? Dalkeith and Broxburn, by constrast, are clearly a threat to civilisation itself, and it’s BBC Scotland’s public duty to warn of their impending menace!

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

Write to The Scotsman

We welcome your thoughts – NO letters submitted elsewhere, please. Write to [email protected] including name, address and phone number – we won't print full details. Keep letters under 300 words, with no attachments, and avoid 'Letters to the Editor/Readers’ Letters' or similar in your subject line – be specific. If referring to an article, include date, page number and heading.