Readers' Letters: Labour MPs not prepared to stand up for Scotland

A reader is less than impressed by the performance of Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray and his fellow Scottish Labour MPs

Whaur’s Murray? The silence over the loss of funding for Edinburgh University’s exascale supercomputer following on from the apparent loss of funding for Scotland’s Acorn CCS project confirms what most have already deduced – the Secretary of State for Scotland and his 36 fellow Labour MPs are, in reality beyond an election campaign, not prepared to stand up for Scotland.

Keir Starmer has steam-rolled over Scottish views on suspending arms sales to Israel, on abolishing the two-child cap, on maintaining universality of the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners (with Scottish pensioners suffering most in the UK’s lowest temperatures), on paying at least some compensation to the WASPI women and on the introduction of a bespoke Scottish rural visa (called for by the Scottish Parliament). Where are the Labour voices who loudly proclaimed they would stand up for Scotland if elected as MPs and a Labour government were formed at Westminster?

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Where are Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie who echoed the voices of Labour candidates before the election and were complicit in duping many people into believing that Scotland’s voice would be heard? Perhaps I am going deaf but it seems that Scotland’s Labour politicians are content not only for Scotland to be treated as a county, not a country, but as a county that is less important than the shires of England.

Surely the time is long overdue for true Scottish socialists in the Labour Party to find backbones and split from the London-controlled UK Labour Party to form a genuine Scottish Labour Party that supports the right of the people of Scotland to determine their own future.

Stan Grodynski, Longniddry, East Lothian

Thatcher’s stance

Brian Wilson (Scotsman, 11 January) is right to recall Margaret Thatcher’s steadfast refusal to be cowed by the USA, even when her political soulmate Ronald Reagan was its President.

In July 1982 the USA imposed sanctions on British firms, including Clydeside’s John Brown, that had contracts to supply items for the Soviet trans-Siberian pipeline. Mrs Thatcher declared she was “deeply wounded” by this violation of British sovereignty.

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Her government made an Order under the UK’s Protection of Trading Interests Act 1980 (“an Act to provide protection from requirements, prohibitions and judgments imposed or given under the laws of countries outside the United Kingdom and affecting the trading or other interests of persons in the United Kingdom”). This Order made it illegal to comply with the US sanctions.

The robustness on the part of a fellow-conservative and staunch ally made the USA think again and terminate the problem. The transatlantic relationship remained strong.

Jim McLean, Edinburgh

Local lawyers

Towards the end of last year I had occasional to submit a claim to City of Edinburgh Council as a consequence of pothole damage to my e-bike. On a wet morning I cycled through what I thought to be a puddle but which turned out to be a sizeable pothole. As a consequence the rear wheel rim split. The resulting cost for a replacement amounted to a little under £150.

I completed the claim form, made available by the council, and submitted it along with photographic evidence of the accident site and the damaged wheel.

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I received acknowledgment of receipt of the documents and advised the matter would be looked at by their lawyers and it would be around 12 weeks before any decision might be made.

Today I received a communication from a firm, Gallagher Bassett, based in Ipswich, England, advising that they were representing Edinburgh Council, and that they might be in touch for more information – fine. On investigation it would appear that the HQ of Gallagher Bassett is in Illinois, USA!

Surely there are many law firms based in Scotland more than capable of processing claims without employing a firmfrom the United States?

It would be interesting to learn of the reason for this choice by the council. If it was the most competitive company then one can accept it, but there are a lot of Scottish businesses in need of clients and surely this is an import factor in making such a choice.

Graham Smith, Edinburgh

History lesson

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Todays and most days, the news is so full of gloom and doom I thought a bit of Scottish history linked to the leader of HM Opposition but not about her politics, might be more apposite.

Having established that Kemi Badenoch’s husband Hamish’s lineage went back the the Wulf of Badenoch, who burnt Elgin Cathedral to the ground in 1390, we wind back to 1306 when Robert the Bruce who murdered his competitor for the Scottish Crown, the Red Comyn, Lord of Badenoch in Dumfries in 1306 – eight years before Bannockburn, when Edward was defeated and – as the Corries’ late Roy Williamson put it – Edward was “sent homeward tae think again.”

After being hunted by “The English”, the Bruce aided by the Bishop of Glasgow and some Scottish Lords, spent much time in the wilderness – during which time he hid in a cave, where – as legend has it – he watched a spider constantly spinning an dre-spinning its broken web and never giving up, thus encouraging the Bruce to believe he should never give up either. As history tells us, he didn’t.

Perhaps Kemi, leader of HM Opposition – married to Hamish Badenoch – should talk about history rather than modern politics. Not everyone can claim to have had a relative who was murdered by Robert the Bruce. Hamish Badenoch has.

Doug Morrison, Tenterden Kent

April Fools

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After reading Brian Monteith's article (Scotsman, 14 January), I had to check whether April Fools Day had come three months early. Allegedly, rumours are swirling over the future of the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, and whether she will survive up to the next election, far less beyond it.

Keir Starmer’s government has been in office for just over six months and the next election is almost four-and-a-half years away. It’s surely premature, to say the least, to even talk about sacking any of the cabinet, especially given the mess they inherited from the last Tory government.

Rachel Reeves admitted that the content of her Autumn budget was one that she didn't want to give. Much more significant will be her Spring statement. The thought of Gordon Brown being parachuted from the House of Lords, Cameron style, is just beyond belief. Surely the hard yards are being done now, hopefully, paving the way towards growth to come.

Ian Petrie, Edinburgh

Economic crisis

Rachel Reeves is desperately trying to send out the message regarding the UK economy as “nothing to see here, move on”.

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Unfortunately for Ms Reeves there is a glaring error in her calculations. As the value of the pound plunges against the dollar the price of petrol will inevitably rise as oil is traded in dollars. This, in turn, will fuel inflation.

Ms Reeves’ plans are coming apart at the seams as borrowing rates are going up too. It is no longer crisis, what crisis? It really is a crisis.

Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

Root causes

The recent call from Scottish Labour for the SNP to ensure “lifesaving” dental checks are available to all Scots (Scotsman, 13 January) highlights an issue of great importance that extends beyond mere access to a dentist's office. It is alarming that despite the clear link between dental health and overall well-being, many citizens still face barriers to receiving timely and adequate dental care. The shocking statistics surrounding dental check-ups should act as a wake-up call for all of us who value the health of our communities.

In a country where public health funding should prioritise essential services, it is unacceptable that some residents are unable to obtain basic dental checks due to a lack of resources and access. Health is not merely an indicator of existing conditions but fundamentally impacts each individual’s quality of life, productivity, and wider community welfare. Failure to provide these necessary services sends a troubling message that we are willing to overlook an essential component of healthcare simply due to financial constraints or logistical challenges.

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Moreover, it is imperative that all funding mechanisms are aimed at supporting universal access to healthcare services, including dental care. Initiatives to increase funding for preventative dental measures can significantly reduce long-term health costs while ensuring that individuals are not left to navigate a fractured system alone. By investing in preventive care, we can mitigate the need for more extensive and costly interventions later.

The ramifications of neglecting dental health access go beyond individual patients – they impact our NHS, increase waiting times, and ultimately lead to a heavier burden on emergency services. The government must reassess how resources are allocated and prioritise strategies that genuinely address the root causes of inequalities in healthcare access.

Scotland has the potential to lead the way in exemplary healthcare practices, yet this can only be achieved through commitment and action from our political leaders. If we truly intend to foster a healthier nation, we must act decisively – because health isn’t just a privilege; it’s a fundamental right.

Alastair Majury

Dunblane, Stirling

Keir Starmer has steam-rolled over Scottish views on suspending arms sales to Israel, on abolishing the two-child cap, on maintaining universality of the Winter Fuel Allowance for pensioners (with Scottish pensioners suffering most in the UK’s lowest temperatures), on paying at least some compensation to the WASPI women and on the introduction of a bespoke Scottish rural visa (called for by the Scottish Parliament). Where are the Labour voices who loudly proclaimed they would stand up for Scotland if elected as MPs and a Labour government were formed at Westminster?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Where are Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie who echoed the voices of Labour candidates before the election and were complicit in duping many people into believing that Scotland’s voice would be heard? Perhaps I am going deaf but it seems that Scotland’s Labour politicians are content not only for Scotland to be treated as a county, not a country, but as a county that is less important than the shires of England.

Surely the time is long overdue for true Scottish socialists in the Labour Party to find backbones and split from the London-controlled UK Labour Party to form a genuine Scottish Labour Party that supports the right of the people of Scotland to determine their own future.

Stan Grodynski, Longniddry, East Lothian

Thatcher’s stance

Brian Wilson (Scotsman, 11 January) is right to recall Margaret Thatcher’s steadfast refusal to be cowed by the USA, even when her political soulmate Ronald Reagan was its President.

In July 1982 the USA imposed sanctions on British firms, including Clydeside’s John Brown, that had contracts to supply items for the Soviet trans-Siberian pipeline. Mrs Thatcher declared she was “deeply wounded” by this violation of British sovereignty.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Her Government made an Order under the UK’s Protection of Trading Interests Act 1980 (“an Act to provide protection from requirements, prohibitions and judgments imposed or given under the laws of countries outside the United Kingdom and affecting the trading or other interests of persons in the United Kingdom”). This Order made it illegal to comply with the US sanctions.

The robustness on the part of a fellow-conservative and staunch ally made the USA think again and terminate the problem. The transatlantic relationship remained strong.

Jim McLean, Edinburgh

Local lawyers

Towards the end of last year I had occasional to submit a claim to City of Edinburgh Council as a consequence of pothole damage to my e-bike. On a wet morning I cycled through what I thought to be a puddle but which turned out to be a sizeable pothole. As a consequence the rear wheel rim split. The resulting cost for a replacement amounted to a little under £150.

I completed the claim form, made available by the council, and submitted it along with photographic evidence of the accident site and the damaged wheel.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I received acknowledgment of receipt of the documents and advised the matter would be looked at by their lawyers and it would be around 12 weeks before any decision might be made.

Today I received a communication from a firm, Gallagher Bassett, based in Ipswich, England, advising that they were representing Edinburgh Council, and that they might be in touch for more information – fine. On investigation it would appear that the HQ of Gallagher Bassett is in Illinois, USA!

Surely there are many law firms based in Scotland more than capable of processing claims without employing a firmfrom the United States?

It would be interesting to learn of the reason for this choice by the council. If it was the most competitive company then one can accept it, but there are a lot of Scottish businesses in need of clients and surely this is an import factor in making such a choice.

Graham Smith, Edinburgh

History lesson

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Todays and most days, the news is so full of gloom and doom I thought a bit of Scottish history linked to the leader of HM Opposition but not about her politics, might be more apposite.

Having established that Kemi Badenoch’s husband Hamish’s lineage went back the the Wulf of Badenoch, who burnt Elgin Cathedral to the ground in 1390, we wind back to 1306 when Robert the Bruce who murdered his competitor for the Scottish Crown, the Red Comyn, Lord of Badenoch in Dumfries in 1306 – eight years before Bannockburn, when Edward was defeated and – as the Corries’ late Roy Williamson put it – Edward was “sent homeward tae think again.”

After being hunted by “The English”, the Bruce aided by the Bishop of Glasgow and some Scottish Lords, spent much time in the wilderness – during which time he hid in a cave, where – as legend has it – he watched a spider constantly spinning an dre-spinning its broken web and never giving up, thus encouraging the Bruce to believe he shouldnever give up either. As history tells us, he didn’t.

Perhaps Kemi, leader of HM Opposition – married to Hamish Badenoch – should talk about history rather than modern politics. Not everyone can claim to have had a relative who was murdered by Robert the Bruce. Hamish Badenoch has.

Doug Morrison, Tenterden Kent

April Fools

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After reading Brian Monteith's article (Scotsman, 14 January), I had to check whether April Fools Day had come three months early. Allegedly, rumours are swirling over the future of the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, and whether she will survive up to the next election, far less beyond it.

Keir Starmer’s government has been in office for just over six months and the next election is almost four-and-a-half years away. It’s surely premature, to say the least, to even talk about sacking any of the cabinet, especially given the mess they inherited from the last Tory government.

Rachel Reeves admitted that the content of her Autumn budget was one that she didn't want to give. Much more significant will be her Spring statement. The thought of Gordon Brown being parachuted from the House of Lords, Cameron style, is just beyond belief. Surely the hard yards are being done now, hopefully, paving the way towards growth to come.

Ian Petrie, Edinburgh

Economic crisis

Rachel Reeves is desperately trying to send out the message regarding the UK economy as “nothing to see here, move on”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Unfortunately for Ms Reeves there is a glaring error in her calculations. As the value of the pound plunges against the dollar the price of petrol will inevitably rise as oil is traded in dollars. This, in turn, will fuel inflation.

Ms Reeves’ plans are coming apart at the seams as borrowing rates are going up too. It is no longer crisis, what crisis? It really is a crisis.

Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

Root causes

The recent call from Scottish Labour for the SNP to ensure “lifesaving” dental checks are available to all Scots (Scotsman, 13 January) highlights an issue of great importance that extends beyond mere access to a dentist's office. It is alarming that despite the clear link between dental health and overall well-being, many citizens still face barriers to receiving timely and adequate dental care. The shocking statistics surrounding dental check-ups should act as a wake-up call for all of us who value the health of our communities.

In a country where public health funding should prioritise essential services, it is unacceptable that some residents are unable to obtain basic dental checks due to a lack of resources and access. Health is not merely an indicator of existing conditions but fundamentally impacts each individual’s quality of life, productivity, and wider community welfare. Failure to provide these necessary services sends a troubling message that we are willing to overlook an essential component of healthcare simply due to financial constraints or logistical challenges.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Moreover, it is imperative that all funding mechanisms are aimed at supporting universal access to healthcare services, including dental care. Initiatives to increase funding for preventative dental measures can significantly reduce long-term health costs while ensuring that individuals are not left to navigate a fractured system alone. By investing in preventive care, we can mitigate the need for more extensive and costly interventions later.

The ramifications of neglecting dental health access go beyond individual patients – they impact our NHS, increase waiting times, and ultimately lead to a heavier burden on emergency services. The government must reassess how resources are allocated and prioritise strategies that genuinely address the root causes of inequalities in healthcare access.

Scotland has the potential to lead the way in exemplary healthcare practices, yet this can only be achieved through commitment and action from our political leaders. If we truly intend to foster a healthier nation, we must act decisively – because health isn’t just a privilege; it’s a fundamental right.

Alastair Majury, Dunblane, Stirling

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