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Readers’ letters: We’re all paying for Harvie’s virtue-signalling

Scottish Greens government spokespeople
Green Party co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater

Sir, – It’s just as well COP26 is upon us.

It has enabled people like Partick Harvie to virtue-signal to the world while scaring the thermal pants off Scotland’s two million tax-paying households who must find £17,000 each in taxes or spending to pay his forecast £33 billion net-zero transition costs by 2030.

When asked by Conservative energy spokesman Liam Kerr how this was to be done, he obviously hadn’t a scoobie.

Meanwhile gas shortages highlight the lunacy of relying on wind power which are useless on a calm day, and the arrogant stupidity of the SNP/Greens’ stated intention to prematurely shut down our oil and gas industry.

India, Russia and China are ramping up their coal and gas usage to enable us to import their cheap goods while our high energy costs make ours uncompetitive.

All this while the UK’s share of global warming is 1% which means Scotland’s is around 0.1%

Allan Sutherland, Willow Row, Stonehaven.

Pittodrie crowd limit shameful

Sir, – I have been a Dons fan for decades, a former season ticket holder and writer about the Dons.

I have rarely felt so ashamed and surprised at what is happening from the top of this club over crowd limits for forthcoming matches.

Nor more confused than when I was sent an advert for Pick Six season tickets.

After all that hype about increasing Pittodrie crowds and atmosphere, we find that to avoid the club’s responsibilities to government and the public by checking vaccine passes after October 18, it will lower crowds to below 10,000 – below most crowds during Derek McInnes’s eight-year tenure – for two major fixtures with traditionally big attendances: Hearts and Hibs.

Bizarrely, these are two matches we can watch if we join the Pick Six scheme. Will all your current season ticket holders get in?

They are throwing in the towel as a leading club to avoid the public responsibilities other clubs accept.

Giving up the ambition (and income) that we can now secure any decent crowd at Pittodrie. How disgraceful.

Please explain to your many supporters how you have reached this low point, and how you are going to keep below 10,000 for Old Firm games.

Please reverse this decision now.

Sarah Nelson, Newport on Tay, Fife.

New MS drug alleviates illness

Sir, – I am writing to you about a new drug for multiple sclerosis, a debilitating and sometimes painful, life-long condition for which Scotland has the highest incidence in the world.

Fampridine will not alter the course of a patient’s disease but it can improve conduction of nerves by up to 40% in 30% of patients.

The reason that I am writing is that, as an MS patient myself, I was very surprised how few patients were actually aware of this already licensed drug.

I am hopeful this letter will alert MS patients of the availability of the drug, which works in both progressive and relapse-remitting disease.

Susie Lind, Forest Avenue, Aberdeen.

Sturgeon should support freeports

Sir, – Could I appeal to Nicola Sturgeon to reconsider her decision to not progress with the UK freeport model?

As a north-east businessman and provider of employment opportunities for local people, I find this decision very hard to understand in the present economic climate. Instead of collaboration for the benefit of all, we have the same old response of refusing to co-operate for the desires of a few. Putting politics and ambition for independence over the wellbeing of our economy and employment benefits of the people seems to be the hallmark of our present government.

When will this change?

G Whitbourn, North Beach Road, Balmedie.

‘Scotland’s oil’ now SNP’s ‘dirty oil’

Sir, – Not so long ago the SNP were chanting “It’s Scotland’s oil” – but things have quickly changed to “dirty oil” now the SNP has gone all Green.

It seems the SNP is quick to jump ship if it means a few more votes and really can’t be taken seriously in policy matters, as loyalty is as cheap as chips within the party.

Dennis Forbes Grattan, Mugiemoss Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen.