Sir, – Can I suggest that, in the next series of Line of Duty, AC12 turn their attention to that part of the Met charged with protecting Downing Street?
There seems to be plenty of justification to send them in. Blatant flouting of Covid legislation appears to go unpunished in the most highly policed area in the UK, while in other parts officers follow solo ramblers into remote car parks and arrest them. Junior members of Number 10 staff are allowed to smuggle in suitcases which fortunately contain copious quantities of alcohol rather than high explosives.
Assertions are made that a civilian is better placed to determine whether criminality has occurred than any duty officers or their superiors at Met headquarters. A statement by the “prime minister” emerges stating the head of the Met has his full support when there are widespread calls for her resignation in September 2021.
There’s plenty for AC12 to get their teeth into. It would be interesting to see if Hastings, Arnott and Fleming could extract the full confession out of the leader of the OCG (Outgoing Conservative Government) which has so far eluded Sir Keir.
Andy Mackay, Forest Park, Stonehaven.
Nuclear power not responsible option
Sir, – I note the enthusiasm for nuclear power shown by several correspondents in Thursday’s P&J.
Dr Allan Duncan from Abingdon suggests I am being alarmist, but we all know that the Chernobyl and Fukushima disasters did happen with their horrific and long-lasting consequences – particularly in the case of Chernobyl where people’s health is still being affected.
When seeking underground storage for nuclear waste, the Japanese authorities were told that there was nowhere in the country which could be guaranteed to remain stable for the requisite time of 100,000 years.
We are building up problems for eternity as well as the enormous financial costs of decommissioning. We must of course reduce our carbon outputs but the use of something as dangerous as nuclear power is a highly irresponsible way to do it.
Clark Cross rightly expresses concern about future supplies of electricity – but we have just turned off a nuclear power plant and the lights have not gone out. Although there are countless coal-fired power stations in the world, many countries are racing down the path of alternative energy sources.
Solar panels on house roofs are commonplace in Europe, China is the largest producer of solar panels in the world, and other countries are following fast. Norway gets 90% of its electricity from hydro power, a situation Scotland could have emulated had not the expansion of hydro schemes post-war been stymied by coal interests.
We are doing great work in developing tidal and wave power – all renewable, as indeed is wind power. All these systems are available now for development and production, much more readily than seeking nuclear fusion with its own particular problems.
Colin D Young, Newtonhill, Aberdeenshire.
Ross light on recall over his ref duties
Sir, – Douglas Ross MP/MSP is perhaps not a “lightweight” as regards “avoir du poids” but there appears to be a lightness in his brain department since on at least two occasions he failed to remember and to record his remunerations from refereeing activities.
He would do well to remember “let him who is without sin cast the first stone”. For myself I am IBB BBBAB = I’m Backing Boris – Boris Backs Britain and Business.
Angus Jacobsen, Grange of Kinneff, Inverbervie.