Readers' Letters: Don't blame Scottish Government for UK's economic woes

Perhaps this is not surprising when some routinely attempt to mislead readers by, for example, stating that the words of John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon, referring to a minority of far-right agitators who have infiltrated anti-immigration and For Women Scotland protests, actually referred to all protesters involved. This is cynical politics at its worst and confirms that some contributors to these pages would clearly prefer to distract from the fundamental problems confronting broken Britain rather than seriously discuss possible solutions, whether they be a radical democratic overhaul of the Westminster electoral system and embarrassingly anachronistic governmental structure, federalism, confederalism or full independence.

Regrettably, this paucity of constructive ideas, or simple reluctance to positively engage with others having different views, not only further substantiates the broad assessment that the “wealthy” United Kingdom is today in a desperate state, economically, socially and morally, but effectively opens the door for a snake-oil salesman offering nothing of substance any more than was offered in the lead-up to Brexit. It is a sad indictment of current political discourse and objective balance across the media that some, deliberately or otherwise, would rather place their faith in Nigel Farage than in their fellow Scots.

Stan Grodynski, Longniddry, East Lothian

Folly-rood

For all its glitz as a regional parliament building, with ultra-spacious accommodation and over-elaborate decor, Holyrood has been an abject failure. Better that the money spent on creating this showpiece had been used to provide improved public facilities throughout Scotland, for the benefit of the people!

In recent years the Scottish Parliament building has merely accentuated the meaningless cause of the SNP. What should have been given serious consideration is closure of the building as a “Parliament”. I am certain that alternative uses can easily be found for what otherwise might become known as “Edinburgh's Folly”.

Let us not forget that the UK has been an entity for over 300 years, surmounting wars, plagues and many other catastrophes. Scotland has benefited greatly from being part of the UK of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Scottish nationalism can only be regarded as a whim; its leaders have come and gone like shadows in the night. Change is long overdue!

Robert I G Scott, Northfield, Ceres, Fife

Christmas Turkey?

I see that one of the Calmac “Turkish” ferry boats might get to Scotland before Christmas.

What happens when it breaks down, will it have to be towed back to Turkey for repairs, or are there enough Turkish engineers living in Glasgow to try their hand at fixing it?

Bruce Proctor, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Not so great

The Scotsman’s report “Swinney calls on Chancellor to stand down” for “very clearly” misleading the public (2 December) will prompt many to ponder that John Swinney is in no position to tell Rachel Reeves to resign, as he too misleads. Here are some examples: Firstly, Swinney consistently claims health performance is better here than in England. The IFS reported in November 2024 that NHS Scotland’s performance was lagging in every key measure relative to pre-pandemic levels and the previous year. In England there was improvement in five out of six measures. The report concluded that “things are, if anything, still getting worse in Scotland whereas they have started to improve in England”. NHS spending per head here is higher than in England yet the latest statistics for October show record A&E waiting times in Scotland, far longer than in England.

Secondly, Swinney claimed at the start of the year that growth in Scotland outstripped the rest of the UK, yet this year UK GDP growth is expected to be 1.5 per cent against 1.1 per cent in Scotland. There is silence on this – like Reeves, the First Minister conveniently omits to comment on key economic data.

Finally, Swinney argues education standards in Scotland are higher than in England. The IFS concluded that performance is particularly poor in maths and science and for children from better-off backgrounds in Scotland compared to England. Scotland is behind England in the international PISA rankings yet spending per pupil here is the highest in the UK. Mr Swinney claims the attainment gap is closing but exam results suggest otherwise.

If John Swinney claims Scotland is performing better than England or the rest of the UK, other than in child poverty, check the facts.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Waiting game

Catriona Clark thinks it a good thing that Chancellor Rachel Reeves abolished “the draconian policy” of the £2.3 billion two-child benefit cap (Letters, 29 November). Perhaps she should look out for a spike in births in approximately ten months’ time before passing judgment?

William Loneskie, Oxton, Lauder, Berwickshire

Pardon?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked President Isaac Herzog to support a pardon for his war crimes (your report, 1 December). Despite an alleged ceasefire in Gaza, Palestinians are still being killed there and in the occupied West Bank.

While pleading innocence, Netanyahu's war crimes are continuing unabated. Israel is in a state of perpetual war, simply to postpone Netanyahu's arrest and delay a much-needed general election, which is due next year.

Israel, under Netanyahu's premiership, is fast becoming the pariah state of the Middle East in its unprovoked attacks, first in Lebanon and then in Syria. Qatar and Iran are not beyond its reach. Greater Israel is his aim, to the exclusion of all the Palestinians.

The only upside in all of this is that US President Donald Trump is fast losing patience with Netanyahu, as are the vast majority of the Israeli people themselves. Unlike their Prime Minister, they want peace and see the justice of a Palestine state. We must hope Trump will lose patience with Netanyahu and his cronies altogether.

Ian Petrie, Edinburgh

Who goes there?

In her response to my letter Jill Stephenson says it is for the EHRC to sort out anomalies I raised regarding single sex spaces (Letters, 3 December). This is despite my pointing out that it is the EHRC guidance published after the Supreme Court ruling which has created some of these.

She further accuses me of being fixated with anomalies and of creating “hypothetical” situations. Firstly, as an architect I have to deal with the practicalities of implementing these decisions and clients won’t fund hypothetical situations. Secondly, it was the Supreme Court which sought to address various existing anomalies only to create new ones.

For instance, the court said it would be unrealistic to allow a transwoman to access a meeting for lesbians even if it is only to discuss same sex issues. In other words, you now have no legal right to participate in a gathering of the opposite sex if the gathering is intended solely for those of one biology.

Does that therefore mean that when a female referee is listed to run the line at a men’s football match she can now be legally denied the right to participate because it’s a gathering intended solely for biological men? Perhaps Ms Stephenson can explain how such a denial of female participation advances women’s rights.

Robert Menzies, Falkirk

History lesson

Colin McAllister is right to criticise Scottish chronicler John of Fordun's version of history (Letters, 26 November).

In his time, history was less a telling of what actually happened than a weaving of a tale. Thus, the Scots came from a weird mixture of a Greek king who married an Egyptian princess called Scota who journeyed to Scotland via Spain and Ireland.

In the same medieval period, without irony, the English were able to claim King Arthur as part of the “Matter of Britain” and, therefore of their chivalric tale, despite legend telling us that he fought against the English.Athelstaneford is claimed to be where a Pictish king (not Scottish, as Murdo Fraser says) called Angus fought a battle and killed the eponymous “invading” King Athelstan. The actual history is very confused and Fordun tied himself in knots over it. King Athelstan around that time was a king in Kent and he lived until 858, despite the battle being dated at 934 or so.

As Murdo Fraser says, Angus is said to have prayed for divine help and a white cross appeared in the blue sky. This is clearly drawn from the tale of the Emperor Constantine's vision of a cross in the sky before the Battle of Milvian Bridge. There is no actual record of any battle at Athelstaneford. Athelstan may simply have been a local ealdorman – a senior official in Anglo-Saxon England – after whom the ford was named, with no battle involved. Not only that; the Northumbrians were the locals at Athelstaneford. The Picts would have been the invaders. The Northumbrian king at the time was called Eanred.

Andrew HN Gray, Edinburgh

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