Sir, – In the weeks of high political drama leading to the resignation of Liz Truss, what the papers were saying provided an essential barometer to the rapidly- changing fortunes of the increasingly hapless prime minister.

Whether it was the exasperation of right-leaning dailies, the fury of the left, and the blow-by-blow inside stories from the big Sundays, news titles were helping to make the political weather which blew Ms Truss so catastrophically off course.

Here, Scottish news titles were at the forefront of comment and analysis of the SNP’s economic plan for independence, performing the vital role of scrutineers the public needs to understand what’s being proposed.

Meanwhile Scotland’s regional and local publications have been getting on with the job of covering their towns and communities, casting light on decisions with immediate impact on their readers, and helping readers cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

Trusted journalism matters, and this week the UK industry is highlighting the key role our news publishers perform and the good they do, such as The Greenock Telegraph’s Time to Talk mental health campaign, the P&J’s campaign on the dualling of the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen, the Sunday Mail’s Anne’s Law series to ensure care home residents are never left without visitors, and the Sunday Post’s Shaming campaign to win justice for victims of male violence against women.

However, the future of quality journalism in the UK is still very much under threat, and amidst recent upheaval in Westminster, it is essential that the UK Government gives the new Digital Markets Unit the promised legal teeth it needs to ensure the big tech platforms pay a fair price for news publishers’ stories they re-use for nothing, currently valued at £1 billion a year.

It is also crucial that the Scottish Government recognises it could do a lot more to support journalism in Scotland, when it spends only a 20th of its marketing and advertising budgets with Scottish news publishers which reach 90 per cent of the population, but a quarter on American-owned tech platforms.

It could also invest in the proposed Scottish Public Interest Journalism Institute, which it says it supports.

Like many sectors over the past three years, Covid, the energy crisis and global inflation pose existential threats to many of our businesses, but without trusted, independent journalism and properly trained, professional journalists the public would be fed a diet of spin, misinformation and social media-driven fake news.

Reporting the facts, uncovering truth and campaigning on issues about which readers care is what journalists do every day, and the Journalism Matters week is a timely reminder of why their job will always need doing.

John McLellan. Director, Scottish Newspaper Society.

To see ourselves as others see us

Sir, – In the October 29 edition of the Press and Journal letters page George Herraghty adds his comments to the debate about the renewables sector.

The letters page for me is a place where the general public can express their views on issues within the public domain and hopefully stimulate debate about any issue raised.

In my previous letters about the energy and renewables sector I have challenged the representatives to come back and discuss or correct my assumptions about their sector which I feature in my letters. I am sure the other three “wise men” would also appreciate the sector’s comments on their interpretation of the facts. Are our assumptions incorrect, biased or is what we have publicly said correct?

To date, no sector representatives have taken our content and challenged it with validated research which substantiates their claims.

Could it be that they think it might be prudent for them to not challenge our assumptions because they might be true?

Come on energy sector, respond to four wise men who are raising key issues. Only through open transparent debate about the sector will confidence in it be regained.

God forbid that the oil oligarchs will be substituted by the renewables ones and we, the customers, will see their huge profit-making machines continue.

Or where the general public will again foot their exorbitant financial, social and environmental costs and the status quo will remain. I am sure any of us would be happy to speak at any of their conferences about how the general public see their sector.

It would only be right for them to ask us because we are the biggest stakeholders – after all it is us that have made them wealthy and pick up all the bills.

“To see ourselves as others see us “ would be the title of my presentation at such a fictional conference.

Don Carney. Meadowlands Place, Westhill.

Shortage of social justice laid bare

Sir, – I wonder how many of the families in Kirkton, Dundee, went without heating or food last week in order to buy hundreds of pounds worth of fireworks for their poor, deprived kids.

The sooner we get this lot out and elect a government that understands the true meaning of social justice and the needs for children to let off steam – and rockets – the better it will be.

Allan Sutherland. Willow Row, Stonehaven.

Fracking position on shaky ground

Sir, – Your correspondent Charles Wardrop exposes his ignorance of the energy system in his promotion of fracking (November 1).

He wants the Westminster Government to rethink its position on fracking for petroleum.

Mr Wardrop should know that fracking for petroleum in the UK has not been attempted by anyone, for the simple reason that there is no petroleum (crude oil) down there.

All the commercial oil in England was exhausted many years ago by conventional drilling.

Regarding fracking for natural gas, this technique was banned as unsafe by the (at the time) Oil and Gas Authority.

The fracking well being drilled by Cuadrilla in Lancashire was shown to be responsible for a series of minor earthquakes over a wide area.

This ban remains in place because the oil and gas industry cannot provide assurance that further drilling will be safe, clean or earthquake-free.

Mr Wardrop goes on to suggest that wind power is unreliable. The figures suggest otherwise. Low-cost renewable energy today provides almost half our total electricity but we don’t suffer blackouts, thanks to the National Grid balancing supply and demand.

As a nation, we are rightly reducing our need for fossil fuels. Especially when the price of oil and gas has become a very scary rollercoaster ride.

Jeff Rogers. Waters of Feugh, Banchory.

Driving test delays not down to DVLA

Sir, – A letter from Derek Littlejohn was published in your paper on November 2 on delays to his grandson being able to sit his practical driving test.

I’d like to point out that your reader repeatedly incorrectly referred to DVLA in their letter when the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is responsible for the test.

David Whitbread. Media Relations Officer, DVLA.

Climate meetings are not much COP

Sir, – The yearly COP jamboree meetings and freebies, along with some speechifying and promises, subsequently mostly broken, to decarbonise have taken place for a couple of decades or so.

Nothing convincingly useful for the planet’s future climate has yet resulted but the thousands of delegates and their hangers-on must be very pleased to enjoy the freebies at taxpayers’ expense.

Travel from all four corners of the globe has emitted greenhouse gases galore, in conflict with the perceived necessity to economise on carbon dioxide (CO2) release.

Rishi Sunak, our new PM, has evidently changed his mind on his attendance.

Like Scotland’s FM, he will now participate in COP27.

The PM’s promptings as to that might, it is thought, have come from the King and/or from Tory and other MPs, disaffected by the PM’s evident scepticism about the man-made climate threat, warning rebellion.

If the PM, as seems likely, felt that dealing with immediate UK problems, manifold as they are, must take priority, he will have been right.

Surely only he should have decided whether to attend 2022’s meetings in Sharm el Sheikh.

However, political decision-making is based on complex, usually conflicting, motivations.

Nevertheless, the location of his meeting these responsibilities ought to have been his own prerogative.

After all, his is the hot seat – whether it be in London or Egypt.

Charles Wardrop. Viewlands Road West, Perth.

Action must follow pledges at summit

Sir, – We now learn that PM Rishi Sunak will after all attend the COP27 climate summit to be held in Egypt, giving in to the howls of protest from opposition parties and climate activists at his earlier suggestion that he was too busy fixing the financial turmoil caused by his predecessor Liz Truss who mistakenly believed the money markets would be impressed by offering unfounded tax cuts to all in our island.

So he will join world leaders and those who consider themselves as such, many flying in on private jets to add to the hot air being generated in venue after venue as delegates give this or that country’s pledge to reduce – hot air. Pledges only become reality if words lead to actions.

Expected to attend is US President Joe Biden – yes, the same chap who was so worried about global warming that he was willing to turn face and exchange fist bumps with Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah in an attempt to increase oil supply so that US citizens could have plentiful amounts to keep running around in their gas guzzlers.

I would not expect the leader of China to attend, and of course, Putin is far too busy spreading his malevolence in Ukraine to worry about impending climate disaster.

Such is the UK’s present contribution to the global total of noxious gases, will any promise from Mr Sunak make any noticeable difference?

No doubt we will hear that the UK will pledge to financially support, with money that will have to be borrowed, poorer countries to build a cleaner future.

The conference will end with delegates in a congratulatory mood at what has been achieved, mugs and tee shirts with images of the pyramids, probably manufactured in a factory far to the east where power comes from coal, will serve as a reminder.

For our future generations, we must hope progress can be made but history shows promises are easy and actions much more difficult as many of us – though concerned – are unwilling to change a lifestyle we enjoy for a more environmentally-friendly way of life.

Ivan W. Reid. Kirkburn, Laurencekirk.

Take action to support teachers

Sir, – Teachers may strike over violent pupil behaviour at Northfield Academy, according to the report this week.

I myself don’t like violence of any kind.

Times have changed due to rules by politicians etc on how you do this and that because children’s welfare comes first.

And it’s backfired as now it’s the teachers’ welfare at stake.

Going on strike will only result in pupils losing valuable time due to the one or two who disrupt school.

Simple – offer them help, speak to the parents and, if the situation does not change, ban them from school.

Joseph Durno, Cummings Park Circle, Aberdeen.

Splash the cash on some talent

Sir, – Yet again the EE back pages were full of Aberdeen’s chances of beating a vulnerable Rangers only to crash back to earth with the familiar post-match guff about the financial gulf and lessons to be learned.

I wonder if D MacInnes Esq had been given the same backing as Jim Goodwin, it would have been such a one-sided affair. It was 4-1 going on 8. At least a Macinnes team would be difficult to beat.

Aberdeen’s recent run of good results hinged on lady luck favouring the Dons and three wins on the spin could just as easily have been a defeat and a couple of draws.

Aberdeen need to replace Considine and McKenna. Trawling the English lower leagues and loanees who can’t play against their parent club is not the answer.

Fans appreciate the skills of Miovski and Duk, but to stand any chance against either of the Old Firm you need to be able to defend, so please can we see some of the youngsters given their chance to develop into the next McKenna or some of Mr Cormack’s megabucks spent on a couple of quality central defenders.

G. Duncan, Stonehaven.