Readers of the Press & Journal and the Evening Express discuss the issues that matter to them the most including the bosses at CalMac ferries and the gender reform debate.
Iniquities of shocking Tory libertarianism have been laid bare
Sir, – Imbued with Thatcherite zeal, Ian Lakin (Letters, February 3) extols the virtues of “pure” capitalism, describing the abundant opportunities exploited by entrepreneurs, eager to generate profits which trickle down to those less worthy. Give market forces free rein, reduce taxation and, magically, everything falls into place.
In his libertarian nirvana everyone benefits. Aye, right.
Our Tory government is populated with those of a similar neoliberal persuasion – disciples of the “Iron Lady”. Unfortunately, evidence suggests this approach isn’t working.
Equality Trust findings for 2022 show that households in the bottom 20% of the population had average disposable income of £13,218 compared to £83,687 for the top 20%. Real wages are lower than they were 18 years ago.
Inflation and high mortgage rates have dampened prospects for the young. Poverty is on the rise, increasing the necessity for food banks. What has happened to levelling up?
It’s clear that Mr Lakin’s quasi-religious fervour lacks critical objectivity and balance. No consideration is given to the striking nurses – clapping doesn’t pay their bills.
Future prospects are limited by the nonsensical Tory Brexit which Bloomberg reports is costing the UK £100 billion annually in lost output with a consequent contraction in business investment and labour recruitment.
Entrepreneurial opportunities are drying up, except if you’re a Tory donor.
Capitalism, tempered with humility and sensible governance, can provide universal benefits but its current neoliberal iteration has singularly failed.
Recent polling shows a decline in support for the Tory government and I look forward to celebrating its overdue demise.
Ian D McCormick, Huntly Road, Aboyne.
Broadcast media is out of tune with UK
Sir – I could scarcely believe an item of news from a national broadcaster who announced to the viewing world the UK has given so much military aid to Ukraine that, unless replaced, if attacked we shall be able to resist only for a few days before our stocks are completely depleted.
What an irresponsible action, just as well nobody is itching to conquer our small island.
But surely we can rely on our Nato allies to come to our aid as we pay the third highest proportion of GDP of any country in the alliance.
I reflect on the difference from my childhood during the years when Nazi tyranny was an all too real threat. The slogan then was “careless talk costs lives”.
Now I feel completely safe despite careless broadcasting simply because we are as likely to come under attack as to be in the path of a giant asteroid. Nothing seems to be out of bounds in the attempt of the broadcast media to portray the UK as a lame duck.
Am I alone in being proud of what our country has achieved? I look with pride at the incredible achievements of our scientists, those whose expertise is in physiology and medicine, our country second only to the US in the number of Nobel Prize winners, with Scotland punching above its weight.
In my lifetime the first to receive the award was Alexander Fleming from Darvel whose discovery of penicillin has saved the lives of countless millions.
Even at a local level the world’s first clinically-used whole-body MRI scanner was built in Aberdeen.
We have so much to be thankful for living in the UK. Every day brings images of poverty and distress never encountered in our land, not even by the most financially compromised on the picket line.
Ivan W Reid, Kirkburn, Laurencekirk.
Wearing a mask is question of choice
Sir – We still hear calls for masks to be reintroduced.
These people should read the new study lead-authored by Tom Jefferson and his team of 11 at the University of Oxford. It is titled “Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses”.
They examined 78 previous studies involving more than 610,000 participants and concluded: “Wearing masks in the community probably makes little or no difference to the outcome of influenza-like illness and Covid-19-like illness compared to not wearing masks”.
The debate is over.
Masks should never be imposed on or recommended to us again.
Geoff Moore, Braeface Park, Alness.
Ferries scandal has far too many chiefs
Sir – Apart from a few trips on the Skye and Shetland ferries my acquaintance with this kind of maritime transport is minimal.
So it was something of a surprise to see photos in the media which showed both of the Ferguson’s ferries looming large against my memories of what had gone before.
More in keeping with cruise liners, I thought – costing more in crew, turnaround time, berthing and repairs while making a comparison with Canadian running costs – then wondering if the two others on order from Turkey will be of the same size and fittings. With what we are having to pay we should at least know what we are going to get.
It all seem a shambles that is going to run and run. We have CalMac drawing up the specifications, CMal, and Transport Scotland who apparently have no discomfort as costs go up through the roof.
Some discomfort though for the rest of us when discovering that miles of cable was short and had to be stripped out.
As they say, a camel is a horse that was designed by a committee and there seems to have been far too many around Clydeside.
Sam Coull. Lendrum Terrace, Boddam.
SNP ‘sheep’ in danger of a shearing
Sir, – So both Shirley-Anne Somerville and Alan Smyth indicate that SNP members should consider their positions if they disagree with the party’s position on certain issues.
One assumes that this applies equally to SNP MSPs, the implication being that they should resign under these circumstances.
The remainder could all baa in unison thereafter.
Mike Salter, Glassel, Banchory.
Sturgeon criticised for trans rights stance
Sir, – The arrogant self-righteousness and incoherent arguments in support of transgender rights by Nicola Sturgeon has had a significant and noticeable effect on support for the SNP and for Scottish independence, which has fallen sharply as the party’s crisis over transgender rights deepens.
The complete intolerance of any counter-arguments, particularly in matters of genuine conscience, displays a totalitarian regime at its very worst.
A degree of genuine consideration for others rather than the whipped support from the SNP, Greens, Labour, and the Liberal Democrats would be a more honest reflection of democratic support from the Scottish population.
Nicola Sturgeon has shown the wisdom of a complete numpty.
David Philip, Knockhall Way, Newburgh.
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