Scotsman Letters: Scotland’s drugs problem has deep generational roots in Thatcher era

Scotland’s drugs problem has deep generational roots in the trauma of the Thatcher era, claims one reader

Hugh Pennington (August 28) clearly doesn’t understand the historic nature of Scotland’s drugs problem which has deep generational roots in the trauma of the Thatcher era.

Addiction thrives on misery. To escape misery and addiction people need to have hope and aspiration. They have to see a way of escaping from a degraded environment.

Communities gutted by de-industrialisation, decaying housing estates, and generations of long-term unemployed have created an environment of hopelessness that has allowed drug dealers an easy supply of customers.

Thatcher used Scotland’s oil to give tax cuts to the rich and unemployment benefit to the poor who were cast out by de-industrialisation. This legacy is generational.

There was no attempt at a ‘just transition’ or investment in decaying communities affected by the sudden shut-down of major industries.

One of her ministers even suggested just razing northern towns after industries closed. It’s very difficult to eradicate a problem with such deep roots, especially as drugs policy is not within the remit of the Scottish Government.

Mairianna Clyde, Edinburgh

NHS investment

In Alistair Grant’s article “NHS workers log staffing concerns on 21,000 occasions” (August 24) the Liberal Democrat leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton, is quoted indicating: ”These figures show the toll of 16 years of ministerial disinterest on our NHS.”

Perhaps he needs reminding that it was the Lib Dem/Conservative Coalition Government which, in 2010, introduced ‘Austerity Economics’ the deliberate aim being to reduce public spending including in the NHS. So not “16 years of ministerial disinterest” but 13 years of deliberate reduction in funding by UK Governments.

His claim that “Humza Yousaf utterly failed to take any meaningful action” ignores the UK Government decides the funds available and the Scottish Government has at least negotiated to prevent doctors’ strikes, unlike in England.

The complaints the Grampian accident and emergency doctors raised do highlight real concerns about the NHS. A&E staff try to overcome problems due to insufficient beds, equipment and staff to do the job properly, resulting in huge stress on these caring people who have specifically chosen these careers to help save people in severe circumstances.

While most critical in A&E it is repeated throughout the NHS. That stress and reduced value of salaries over 13 years of Austerity Economics has resulted in staff leaving and others choosing not to work in the NHS, making pressure worse on those remaining.

The frustration is that investing public funds in the NHS actually adds more to the economy than it costs. When the NHS was set up in July 1948 while the UK had large financial debts due to the Second World War, these debts were repaid. With proper investment people can be treated well and quickly they suffer less and can work and contribute more to the country.

Jim Stamper, Bearsden

Egoistical leaders

Donald Trump has seemingly reimagined the late Rev Ian Paisley’s “no surrender” slogan with “never surrender”, reflecting his mantra that he has done nothing wrong.

Two seemingly intransigent leaders, Paisley had the courage to relent, becoming close friends with his political nemesis Martin McGuinness. Trump will never reconcile with his many enemies or compromise, a weakness shared with leaders he admires such as Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un. Drawing adulation and ridicule in equal measure such is the polarisation in US politics.

It seems that many choose to believe whatever they hear from their political icons without the ability or inclination to question or debate. This is increasingly prevalent among Scottish voters today who unquestionably support their party of choice despite political leaders selling them out by abandoning core values. A growing minority here have become disillusioned with politics altogether, effectively becoming hopelessly disenfranchised.

As with Trump, too many of our political leaders put their ego first, their party second and the electorate last. What happened to conviction politicians inspired by Mandela, Churchill, Gandhi and Luther-King? All iconic figures of the 20th century who shifted the political dial and changed the course of history not just on their respective continents but across the world.

Twenty-first century politics risks being remembered for megalomaniacs like Putin and Trump. What has gone wrong?

The big difference is inspirational leaders are driven by a deep sense of morality and compassion, values that are sadly lacking in most 21st century political leaders who claim defiantly that they have done nothing wrong when their past catches up with them.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Ferries farce

The straw that broke the camel’s back has just been applied. The Glen Sannox ferry, countless millions over-budget and due to be in service five years ago in 2018, is again delayed by problems. Doors and stairways, we are told, are in need of redesign.

This is a project in which there was no Westminster involvement whatsoever. This was a project, contract down, entirely undiluted SNP-run. Whenever pressed, the present and previous first ministers always mention the jobs of the shipyard workers they saved.

With no attempt at satire intended, we could have given every single one of the 200 and so workers £1 million each, let the Turks build it, and had some change, rather than go through this humiliating embarrassment and shame on our once world-class reputation for shipbuilding.

Perhaps our shipbuilding expertise was once special, but that was before the SNP and their partners, the Greens – who would shed no tears for anything industrial failing – got within miles of it.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

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