Scotland on Sunday readers' letters: Sturgeon could yet serve up some Scandinavian spin

Recent stats show Covid infection levels rising in Scotland and dropping in England. Higher rates present a conundrum for Nicola Sturgeon, her more cautious approach to easing restrictions appears to be failing, so is continuing restrictions that arguably don't work wise?

First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon arrives to update MSPs on any changes to the Covid restrictions at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Tuesday, February 22. Picture: PA

Or would she be better going against her nationalist instincts and following England's lead? Or is another option available that might both allow her to ease restrictions faster while saving face amongst her fellow separatists?

Sturgeon often, and counter-intuitively, claims Scotland is more aligned with Scandinavia than the rest of the UK. Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Iceland have lifted almost all Covid restrictions – thereby enabling Sturgeon to claim she could do the same, but following a Nordic not British approach. Surely Sturgeon can spin that one, no problem?

Martin Redfern, Melrose, Roxburghshire

Nuclear fallout

Steuart Campbell and Hugh Pennington (Letters, February 20) disagreed with my belief that nuclear power is too dangerous to be considered as part of our electricity generation portfolio as we strive to combat global warming.

Although disagreeing with the quantity and length of time it persists, Mr. Campbell admits nuclear reactors create highly dangerous waste which will remain dangerous for a very long time. He said Sellafield has handled this waste successfully since 1965. That’s 57 years. Let’s hope they can keep up that safety record for another 5,700 years and a lot more.

Professor Pennington raised the issue of loss of lives in coalmine disasters and claimed the 1957 fire at Windscale (now renamed Sellafield) killed nobody. We just do not know how many, if any, people died after becoming contaminated from the plume of radioactive pollution released from Windscale and blown east across the north of England and over the North Sea to mainland Europe.

In the same way we will never know how many people died and will die from a similar plume of radioactive particles which travelled east from Chernobyl in 1986. One of the highest fallout levels was measured at Glasgow Airport. Some contaminated Scottish farms could not sell sheep for human consumption until 2010.

The much hyped selling point for new nuclear power plants is that solar and wind generated electricity cannot be guaranteed 24/7. However, we frequently have excess capacity which can be used in pump storage schemes where water is pumped up to high reservoirs and released to generate hydro power during peak power demand.

Thankfully, the moon should be around for even longer than the radioactivity in nuclear waste. Tide generated power is another way to ensure round the clock electricity supply.

Nuclear power is not an asset to society or the environment. It’s a very dangerous, very expensive problem which will be around for a lot longer than the pyramids of Egypt.

John F. Robins, Cardross

Raising alarm

The extent of our energy shortfall caused by planned fossil and nuclear power closures by 2035 is truly alarming. In 2016, our output from all sources was 323 TWh, with fossil and nuclear accounting for 272 TWh of that.

By 2035, the planned closure of nuclear and fossil power stations will reduce that output to 107 TWh. The huge 216 TWh gap will have to be filled by wind and sun, whose output is variable, and also by imports. Not an energy policy of which to be proud.

Malcolm Parkin, Kinnesswood, Kinross

Showing contempt

Reading today's paper (Scotland on Sunday, February 20) I could not help but notice the difference in our society today. Firstly from the heart-breaking article on people on the breadline living on floorboards in an unheated flat and trying to survive on £4 per day.

Contrast this with the travel article on holidays ranging from £1,099 to £4720 per person and a night in a hotel from £269.Or how about a new Volvo starting at £42,465 to £60,400?

Not so long ago you could buy a flat for this kind of money.

Things are only going to get worse. Money from the UK Government will not cover the rising fuel bills and still to come are price inflation, council tax rises and increased national insurance.

Doubtless there will be casualties and suicides while Boris Johnson and his subservient MPs cling to power and try to save their own skins. Time and time again this cabinet of millionaires have shown their contempt for the people of Britain. How much longer are we prepared to put up with this divided society?

Iain Bell, Arbroath

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