Readers' Letters: Scottish Government has no money... unless you're on staff

We also learn that Scottish Enterprise, the publicly funded economic development agency, has eight senior managers who all are paid at least £123,000 annually as well as pension contributions of 20 per cent of their salary. All staff earning over £68,540 were eligible for a “cost of living award” worth 5.5 per cent. Again, nice work if you can get it!

To cap it all we are told that Scottish government ministers travelled 121 times to over 30 worldwide destinations, including China, Chile, Mauritius, Singapore and Dubai in the past two years. One trip to China by Angus Robertson and two officials (business class, of course) cost £11,500. Amazing when you remember that foreign affairs are reserved to the UK government.

Very nice work if you can get it!

Jim Houston, Edinburgh

Ruthless people

Yesterday's front page article, “PM defends fuel payment cut amid SNP call for rebels”, reveals that Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are determined to force through the punitive winter fuel payment cuts to millions of pensioners, the vast majority of whom cannot, by any honest definition, be described as wealthy. But, with a 400 majority of MPs they can and they will.

You report, “Sir Keir shared concerns about the rise of far right political parties across Europe”. He contrasts “the far right” supporters with the people, “the real Britain” in Southport who cleaned up the mess after the summer's riots. He does not acknowledge, however, that a proportion of those who rioted believed they had genuine grievances which have been ignored by successive governments. So, many of them refused to vote in the general election.

Instead, he is wielding his parliamentary power to further impoverish families with more than two children and pensioners, but since they can neither strike nor hold the country to ransom, they are easily ignored.

His MPs, like Wes Streeting, may not be “remotely happy” about voting to “take money from them” but omnipotent Starmer and Reeves will tolerate no challenge to their authority.

They were elected into power, after all, and they are wielding it, ruthlessly, if against the wishes of the majority of people in the UK.

This democratic deficit, the majority of people in the UK, vs the government, plays into the hands of far right supporters. It certainly seems to be the cause of the rise of the far right in Europe, so if Sir Keir wants to avoid further "unrest" in the UK, perhaps he might start by listening to the real Britain" and rethink his cut in winter fuel payments and the two-child rule.

Lovina Roe, Perth

Dark thoughts

It’s been reported that a few years before they came into power Labour had a report saying that at least 4,000 pensioners (in England) would die in the first year of the removal of the heating allowance.

The only reason I can think they went ahead with cancelling the allowance was that they knew that would help the housing crisis, releasing homes to buy and social houses to rent. I wonder if the SNP have a similar report.

Elizabeth Hands, Armadale, Skye

Big difference

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is under extreme pressure over his plan to cut the winter fuel payment. It is all about money. There is another aspect to this crisis that has somewhat gone under the radar: that of electric cars. Many manufacturers are now cutting back on making electric cars as they are simply not selling. Government pressure has been applied but to little effect.

Most drivers do not want electric cars, just as most pensioners do not want to lose their winter fuel payment. Global climate change appears to just have made Scotland colder and wetter. Isn't it time the SNP re-visited their “net zero” and LEZ policy (which is also unconvincing) in light of the fact that it is very different here.

Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

A little help

Especially in a time of hardship, should the government not consider a radical new approach to keeping the vulnerable safe? Instead of upping pensions and benefits etc, should they not consider that everyone should be fed and feel warm over the year? If everyone needy had sufficient food, by way of registering for a ration-style programme, they could collect food and be safe. Children would be fed and schools wouldn’t need to worry.

Similarly, heating levels could be agreed to keep everyone warm and energy meters pre-programmed.

This money could then be deducted from pensions/benefits, nobody is worse off and everyone is safe. Sometimes people need a little assistance to ensure the essentials are covered and what they have available to spend on other things is clearer. Surely this helps everyone?

Russell Brock, Peebles, Scottish Borders

Unbalanced

Labour plans to introduce legislation to abolish hereditary peers in the House of Lords, which from a democratic viewpoint is fair enough.

Although, looking at the Lords, they might want to look at political donors who end up there.

However, so far as democracy goes, should the Commons not be looking at itself? we have one party with a landslide of seats on one third of the votes – something not right here!

William Ballantine, Bo'ness, West Lothian

No crying

The SNP lost over half a million voters at the election in July 2024, 518,000 voters either didn’t vote or voted for other political parties so what does the SNP Conference vote for at the weekend jamboree that ran from 31 August – 1 September? Foeticide to be incorporated into the constitution of any independent Scotland, that is, abortion on demand at any time for any reason (sex of baby, fall out with partner, etc). Foeticide right up to 40 weeks (the EU average time limit is 12 weeks).

SNP Deputy leader Kate Forbes has said the SNP are a “broad church”!

The worrying thing is this motion being passed was not reported in any newspaper or on any news channel.

Do SNP voters really know what their party stands for?

John Smith, Bainsford, Falkirk

Cladding mystery

In the aftermath of the Grenfell tragedy we've heard many times that the removal of cladding from all at-risk buildings will take years because of the cost. Yet it's odd that when the decision was originally made to install such cladding we weren't told that this would take years because of the cost. I would guess that installation would be more expensive than removal as with the former you have to buy the cladding in the first place.

Geoff Moore, Alness, Highland

Reform land

We place much emphasis in this country on our “Auld Alliance” with France and our role as the engines of rational, humane thought as crucibles for the Enlightenment.

This came to mind as a narrative lobbying to halt further spending on land reform from a “rural business organisation” has begun to creep into our media.

This rural business organisation is Scottish Land and Estates , which represents some of the largest landowners in Scotland.

According to REVIVE, the coalition for grouse moor reform, estate sports contribute 0.02 per cent to the Scottish economy but occupy 78 per cent of our land mass. Former MSP Andy Wightman says 433 people own 50 per cent of Scotland’s rural land.

Compare this to France, where history has led to the French state having assets known as the Bien National, the largest part of the land confiscated from the church, the aristocracy and private landowners and, now, administered by the communes.

In contrast, in Scotland, servility trumped rebellion, the poor had no lawyers and landowners got their hands on the millions of acres that were once held in common: the Highland Clearances.

How is that relevant now? Well, it means that a French commune can build a hotel, for instance, and the whole community can share in its benefits though investment in community infrastructure.

Meanwhile, huge landowners here can, hypothetically, buy up tracts of land, an hotel, any house for sale, let them out – or not – and price locals out of the area.

They control the local economy. And while we all pay tax PAYE, they have accountants to help them avoid tax.

Oh, and each community council is given only £400 a year. And we wonder why so few engage in local democracy?

Enter, land taxes. Right wing politicians (and now Labour) explain that raising taxes means that the rich would leave with all their money... But they could not leave with all their land.

Without real changes about who owns the land we will never be able to adopt a genuinely decentralised form of government.

Adam Smith believed land should be distributed widely and fairly. Let’s live up to our intellectual inheritance and make Smith proud: Land reform is essential.

Rebecca Machin, Ardvannie, Highland

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