Readers' Letters: Russia is waging a secret war on the UK

While it’s self-evident Europe needs to rearm in the light of the new special relationship between Russia and the US, there is a war being fought that will not even require Vladimir Putin to refuel his tanks.

Over many years Russia, aided by right-wing US and UK-based actors, has been tearing at the threads that hold our society together. By, for example, promulgating beliefs like the “race replacement” theory and stoking the transgender wars with exaggerations and spurious nonsense, many in the west have been nudged far rightwards themselves.

A false problem is created and over the horizon appear false saviours (or useful idiots or charlatans, take your pick) who mysteriously appear to have the answers and, strangely, are aligned to Putin. Of these you can take your pick from Donald Trump and the various leaders of the European and UK far right political parties.

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Osaka in 2019 (Picture: Brendan Smialowski/AFP)

The first step in resisting this is to be aware of how we are being played.

Alastair Thomson, Inverurie, Aberdeenshire

Sham defence

Britain in effect rents its Trident nuclear deterrent from the USA, and there is no way that Britain could launch a Trident missile without the USA’s say-so. And now, we find that Trump is Putin’s ally, and in fact has disabled Ukraine’s HIMARS missiles. From this act, it is a short step for Trump to disable the UK’s Trident systems, or maybe even destroy them remotely.

Thus has the Trump presidency rendered an already highly questionable “independent nuclear deterrent” completely useless. Westminster should now finally accept that its pretence at being a nuclear power is a sham. The programme should be wound up, the nuclear submarines presently under construction converted to conventional weaponry, and the money saved used to reverse the current slide into ever-deepening austerity.

Ken Gow, Bridge of Canny, Aberdeenshire

Under pressure

One recognisable rule of dictatorship is that no person is allowed to escape to another country. Because of reckless slanders and hostility from the White House towards Ukraine, President Zelensky and Europe, and because of Trump’s newest measure to secure the defeat of Ukraine and the victory of the invader, I firmly believe that Putin has ordered the United States to desist from sheltering Ukrainians who have found refuge from the Russian invasion of their country. Trump obeys.

Trump is either unhinged or under pressure if he thinks Russia will let him asset-strip a defeated Ukraine. Russians know how to do that themselves.

Some US Senators are wondering what form of pressure is getting exerted on the President of the United States.

Tim Cox, Bern 6, Switzerland

Trump carded?

A week is indeed a long time in politics – the length of time between Donald Trump sneering to Volodymyr Zelensky that he hadn't the cards, to Trump discovering the hard way he'd just overplayed his own hand with the entire world.

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

Half right

I read the latest article by Philip Lymbery with interest (Perspective, 7 March). Much of what he says is true, although whether significant numbers can be persuaded to change to a vegetarian diet is extremely doubtful. However, he is just plain wrong to claim organic crop yields are in any way comparable to those from conventional agriculture. In my real-life experience organic yields are about half of what can be achieved when using agri-chemicals and inorganic fertiliser.

Jim Sutherland, Lauder, Scottish Borders

Clever needed

If the Tory Party wishes to lower the school leaving age so low ability pupils can instead attend apprenticeships as Ivor Sutherland (Letters, 7 March) suggests, then that would be quite wrong. Modern industries have little use for low ability workers: in fact, quite the opposite. Modern plumbing, electrical work, nursing, farming, building, engineering and so on are increasingly highly skilled activities, but they are not academic ones. Jet pilots don’t need an honours degree in economics or a doctorate in linguistics. Horses for courses, please.

Any teacher involved in the work experience system knows how a troublesome and disenchanted 15-year-old can blossom, brighten and impress all those in his or her temporary workplace. Good schooling for all in the basics from age 7-14 is an excellent foundation Yet the evidence of growing truancy and ever lower exam pass rates shows the inadequacy of today’s system. We should all welcome the fresh thinking.

Tim Flinn, Morningside, Edinburgh

Higher education

Dr Ivor Sutherland is rightly upset at the idea of reducing the school leaving age from 16 to 14. It should be increased to 65. This would have the added advantage of eliminating unemployment.

Malcolm Parkin, Kinnesswood, Kinross

Gas tanked

I have just received notice from OVO that my gas and electricity costs will increase as of 1 April. Gas will increase from 6.25p to 6.92p per kWh and electricity from 24.31p to 25.82p per kWh. Note that electricity is four times the cost of gas yet the climate brigade wants to ban gas. When will the cheap reliable electricity that politicians and the wind and solar industries promised actually come?

As Bob Dylan said, “The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind".

Clark Cross, Linlithgow, West Lothian

Exploit reserves

On the radio this week I heard an environmentalist praising geothermal energy. He explained how cold water is pumped one or two kilometres down into the ground and then comes up another pipe, hot enough for heating, or in some case as steam which can drive a turbine to generate electricity.

What he failed to mention was that this form of renewable energy relies on fracking, just the same as drilling for gas and oil.

Of course, the Green movement is not being straight with us. We have vast reserves of gas under Northern England and the Scottish Lowlands. The rock in these areas is already highly fractured, and the claims of pollution are greatly exaggerated.

We must exploit these gas reserves to solve our energy crisis.

Otto Inglis, Crossgates, Fife

Hydrogen bombs

John Swinney’s support for the H100 Fife project is wrong-headed (your report, 3 March). Here’s why.

Independent research and countless advisers, ranging from the UK Climate Change Committee to the National Infrastructure Commission, have made it clear hydrogen has no place in our houses. Green or blue hydrogen is more expensive than the respective electricity or natural gas it is made from, meaning hydrogen heating will drive up energy bills and push more Scottish households into energy poverty.

Furthermore, according to a report issued by the UK Government, the risk of a hydrogen fire or explosion is three times higher than with natural gas, even with additional safeguards in place.

Also, hydrogen produces harmful nitric oxide emissions, it is leaky and a global warming agent.

Nothing speaks in household hydrogen’s favour. When the public purse has to be spent wisely, the Scottish Government’s support for the Fife trials is a waste of our taxes.

(Prof) Tom Baxter, University of Strathclyde, Hydrogen Science Coalition co-founder, Aberdeen

Creative play

I could not agree more with Jill Stephenson (Letters, 7 March), NHS Education for Scotland is another waste of money on woke wonkiness.

However, it did make me think of a great opportunity missed in my life. As I stared into the abyss with my English “O level” coming up, I explained to my teacher that the creative writing section would ensure failure.

She then gave great advice – write two sentences and stop. Read them, then start adding to them. I remember them both to this day: “Clouds roll across the sky. The hills a mixture of shadow and light.” Genius, I know – I got a B!

However, if only I had applied to the NHS or Civil Service I could have made a great living.

“Once upon a time, there was a man with a beard. She wanted to use the ladies toilet.” Surely I’d have been on £60,000 a year fairly quickly?

Regrets, I’ve had a few...

David Millar, Lauder, Scottish Borders

Support women

International Women's Day, celebrated today, offers us a splendid opportunity to recognise the insurmountable challenges women and girls encounter in all walks of life, from structural injustices to marginalisation, gender disparities, exclusion, domestic based violence, patriarchy, discrimination and harassment.

International Women's Day is therefore a clarion call to stand up for women who aspire to attain their inviolable human rights and dignities and to achieve gender equity and participation and build a more inclusive and diverse world.

(Dr) Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London

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