Sir, – Typical Unionist response from Keith Shortheed (Letters, October 22) to my letter warning of the imminent privatisation of the NHS.
He effectively implies that monies that should have been used to improve the Scottish NHS were instead used for “politically expedient” reasons instead, eg, the independence campaign. Oh, and he can prove it.
On the surface, his claims and arguments seem quite convincing – until you examine them a little closer.
Firstly, healthcare in Scotland is allocated the majority of the annual “allowance” the Scottish Government is given each year from Westminster – this has increased year on year from over £10 billion in 2009-10 to over £18bn currently.
Compare these monetary amounts to the final total cost of the 2014 referendum – £16 million. That figure, £16m, is 0.16% of the 2010 healthcare budget or 0.08% of today’s £18bn healthcare expenditure – hardly likely to cause the issues we’re experiencing at present.
Also, his claims fail to explain why the NHS is in similar dire straits across the Union, whether that be England, Wales or Northern Ireland – arguably worst in England.
Saying it is the Tories’ aim to privatise healthcare isn’t scaremongering.
We live in a world where they have to see a profit in everything, whether that be our trains, buses, electricity and gas, and even our water – the very minimum requirement to sustain life. And healthcare is potentially the most lucrative of them all.
If it wasn’t for the electorate’s love for the NHS, we all know they would’ve done it by now – whether we care to admit it or not.
Douglas Black. Kingsford, Alford.
‘Unreliables’ do more to destroy environment than save it
Sir, – I notice a call for an “honest energy conversation” (The Press and Journal, Letters, October 25).
So, here is the brutal honesty for interested readers.
Have you ever wondered how the much-vaunted “energy transition” is getting on? The short answer is it isn’t.
Here are the details few deluded politicians will admit:
The world has spent close to $10 trillion – yes, trillion – on so-called “unreliables” yet 20 years later wind and solar combined produce less than 3% of the world’s energy.
Ninety-seven per cent of all machines that move are still powered by oil, with oil, coal and natural gas still providing 84% of the world’s energy.
The mining for the raw materials required to make short-lived “renewables” will have to increase by more than a staggering 1,000%!
On top of that, the energy to process and convert these non-renewable materials into “renewables” will require even more planet-devouring mining. The whole lot will require replacement by 2050.
A World Bank study has recently confirmed that “green” technologies are significantly MORE materials intensive than our current energy mix.
To quote recent, revealing documentaries: “You use more fossil fuels to do this than you’re getting benefit from it”. And you are “better off burning the fossil fuels in the first place”.
Expert calculations also show that our present energy mix occupies 0.5% of our land surface, expanding wind and solar would require an astonishing 25% to 50% of the land surface area. What room will that leave for farming, food production, people, nature and wildlife?
Before any more damage is inflicted on besieged, rural residents and wildlife, the crucial question our ever-so-green politicians should urgently be asking: If “renewables” are so great for the environment, why do they keep destroying it?
George Herraghty. Lhanbryde, Elgin.
Focus on splitting UK as NHS fails
Sir, – Whilst our First Minister continues to focus on separation, our NHS is crumbling.
We are now hearing of underspending to the tune of £650 million in the last fiscal year, money that came north under the Barnett formula that has NOT been allocated, all at a time when people are suffering and looking for real accountable leadership and not the smoke and mirrors we are fed on an almost daily basis.
Our SNP/Green Government is banging on about the future threat of more Tory-led austerity; yes a concern, but how on earth can we take them seriously if they continually fail to get their own house in order?
The opposition parties have called for a cost-of-living support scheme but this appears to have been dismissed at a time when children are going hungry and pensioners cannot afford to switch their heating on.
We are realising what is a gross abuse of the Scotland Act, which requires devolved nations’ deficits to be bailed out by the UK.
Within the UK, Scotland’s annual deficit sits around £11 billion per annum and, thankfully, the UK has stepped in year on year, which it certainly won’t do if Scotland were to break away from the UK.
Let us not forget that back in 2020-21 in the potential absence of UK support, Scotland was unable to foot the bill to extend furlough on its own.
Whilst I agree that frontline key workers within the NHS are hugely undervalued, this lack of allocated spending is in fact another slap in the face. We need to see real investment and commitment to reverse the failures created on their watch.
We have seen over a decade of failures within the fully devolved NHS and education sectors, yet they are so unorganised, incompetent and fixated with separation that these available funds go unspent. All we are offered is diversion and blame to the past months of chaos in Westminster which is a feeble attempt to divert attention and hide the truth while hoping to buy support.
It’s time all unionists came together, it’s time our new Prime Minister and his cabinet came together and collectively pull our way out of three years of misery in a planned, sustainable manner. It’s time for hard decisions and collective cohesion.
Do we really want to suffer another decade of unaffordable division-fuelled SNP policies destroying our great nation? I know I don’t.
Conrad Ritchie. St Combs, Aberdeenshire.
Sturgeon working in fairy-tale world
Sir, – We Scots are being constantly inundated with the doctrines and propaganda of the SNP.
It really does seem the Scottish Nationalists believe their own fables about an independent Scotland becoming an international success both politically and economically. The recent pandemic has had a detrimental effect globally, but Scotland’s problem is much deeper than that.
With a population of around 5.5 million and only about 2.4 million taxpayers, surely it is quite obvious Nicola Sturgeon’s theory of an independent Scotland is completely without cause or substance.
In the fairy-tale world of Sturgeon, et al, Scotland would prosper if only it could manage to break away from the 300-year-old Union. But, in addition to problems with the economy, just how can the First Minister explain to those of us, mere members of the electorate, how she intends to replace key Westminster government departments such as: the Treasury/UK economy; Foreign Office; Home Office; Defence; the Bank of England; and pound sterling.
The defeat of Alex Salmond in the “mutually agreed” independence referendum may have led to the rise of Sturgeon and her equally nationalistic followers but without the true support of the Scottish electorate, they will become as irrelevant as her predecessor.
Robert I G Scott. Northfield, Ceres.
We live longer and yet feel worthless
Sir, – Just paid my annual fine to the BBC. That is all it can be called because if I don’t pay it they will take me up in front of the beak that will consider my circumstances and then jail me.
That is one of the options available to the judge.
There are no do-gooders about for us oldies as in the other end of the age spectrum who commit crimes far more harmful to society and with the help of the do-gooders get off with a community sentence which most of them ignore.
Throughout the years we have conscientiously paid our dues and when we look around us now we wonder why.
At every turn, it appears we are so much baggage in the way of development.
An MP of the SNP has openly stated that if it wasn’t for the oldies they would quite easily have dragged Scotland into the never-never land of independence.
We are not looked on as a source of hard-won experience. If they try consulting us they might not keep repeating the mistakes we made on our way through life.
Advances in medicine are allowing the population to live longer; anyone of my age will look at his daily pill intake and realise exactly what I mean.
The other side of the coin is although we are living longer, most of us get the feeling of worthlessness; our self-esteem takes a knock on a daily basis.
But although reluctantly I have paid the fine, they will hope all the same that I’m around in a year’s time to pay and rant.
Finlay G Mackintosh. Loch View, Forres.
Don’t mention SNP’s own record
Sir, – Never a week goes by in the letters page without a few beguiled nationalists churning out the usual insults and manufactured grievances towards the UK. Oh, to be perfect – just don’t mention the SNP’s record in government.
After more than 15 years of failure at Holyrood, the arrogant Nats are in no position to dictate or preach to others – but they do, and its the same old claptrap every day of the week.
In order to keep control of their party, the inept and disaster-prone SNP leadership have turned their MPs into nodding dog clones by banning them from criticising the party in public, and doctored their constitution to ensure “a two-thirds majority must be achieved before change”.
They are also committing all their time and taxpayers’ money pandering to school children, prisoners, refugees and foreign nationals, and are bombarding the workshy with unsustainable handouts, all in their fanatical mission for an “independent” Scotland but ruled and dictated to by Brussels. Scotland – mafia democracy or what?
It’s time for all voters (young and old) to be made fully aware of Nicola Sturgeon’s independence “economic plan”, which has taken eight years to produce, and has been described by those who know about these things as “utter p **h”.
Scotland’s hard-working struggling taxpayers should be the entitled ones and deserve much better than the dodgy SNP, who are incapable of getting a couple of ferry boats built, or of even providing toilet facilities on our world-famous NC 500 tourist route. “Utter p**h” right enough.
George Emslie. Bridge of Don, Aberdeen.
First Minister’s rise looks familiar
Sir, – Nicola Sturgeon questions the democratic process by which the UK Prime Minister is selected and appointed.
As I recall it is a very similar process to that by which the leader of the SNP is selected and appointed and thus becomes First Minister if the SNP are the largest party in Holyrood.
Sturgeon became first minister following an election in which she was the sole candidate after the resignation of Alex Salmond.
The SNP elects its leader (and currently first minister) via a one-member-one-vote postal ballot of the party membership.
Sounds familiar?
Mike Salter. Glassel, Banchory.
Stadium plan’s in wrong place
Sir, – I read with interest all the promises about international football games coming here if the Dons’ stadium gets the go-ahead.
In my opinion, there are a few problems with this.
One – there is no infrastructure.
Two – we have a toytown airport with how many international flights?
Three – the bus and train stations are not fit for purpose
Four – where are the buses and cars that take the fans to the stadium going to park?
Five – the stadium will have reduced capacity for internationals!
I am fed up with people saying it’s the older citizens who are not looking to change their ideas about the city but I am interested in new ideas.
The council cannot afford to cut the grass and trim the flowerbeds, repair the roads, or the steps that lead down to the beach – or demolish the old shelters there. I could go on and on. I suggest that they get their priorities in order before deciding about building a stadium at the beach.
It is about time AFC decided to look forward to a new era instead of harping on about them always being at Pittodrie.
Aberdeen has grown since the old stadium was built and if they are to be the great team they once were, the space at Kingsford, pictured, is the place to grow.
Some of the new people elected to the council said the new stadium would not get built, so I will wait with baited breath to see if they keep their promise.
C T.
Conversation