Sir, – Having witnessed the panic buying of fuel at the filling stations are we going to be in for another winter of discontent?
The national health service is creaking at the seams and, with the annual influenza season shaping up, not to mention ongoing Covid-19, are people waiting for other forms of treatment, cancer care and screening programmes going to have to put up with waiting longer to be seen?
Michael Baird, Dornoch Road, Bonar Bridge, Sutherland.
Humour dilutes political poison
Sir, – Today the atmosphere prevalent in politics tends to be confrontational and toxic. Being “offended” seems to have become the norm.
However, there are historical examples of a different way of coping with insults.
In 1948, Aneurin (Nye) Bevan, Labour minister of health, during the annual Labour rally in Manchester, described the Conservatives as “lower than vermin”.
The self-deprecating reaction of the Tories was to set up the Vermin Club.
At its height membership grew to 120,000.
Members wore a chrome badge featuring a rat and the word VERMIN.
In her memoirs, Margaret Thatcher recorded with amusement that she became “Chief Rat”.
The recent verbal assault on the Tories, by our Labour deputy leader, labelled them as “scum”.
Perhaps some of our current Conservatives could come up with a suitable ironic and amusing response – worthy of the foundation of a new club and appropriate badge?
We could all do with a dose of good humour.
Alison Innes (Dr), Lang Stracht, Alford, Aberdeenshire.
Assisted dying a merciful policy
Sir, – Your piece on assisted dying was helpful and I applaud MSP Liam McArthur who wants to bring forward new legislation to the Scottish Parliament that would permit assisted dying for those who are terminally ill (Press And Journal, September 27).
Mr McArthur sets out his position in the public consultation document that is presently available on the net. My view would be that the law as it stands is an ass, for who would deny release to someone trapped in some hellish illness or disease, who has fought and suffered long and can fight no more?
Among faith groups opposed to change, your report mentions the Church of Scotland, but no surprise with the Kirk largely living in Calvin’s day circa 1509.
On the contrary it seems to me a merciful God would be wholly in favour of assisted dying and, with safeguards in place, I believe the time is right to bring it on.
Keith Fernie, Drakies Avenue, Inverness.
Why competence beats gender
Sir, – The Voice of the North (September 28) states Scotland should be aspiring to be the first European country to have a female- majority government.
All well and good, but surely our first priority should be to get a capable and competent government to get us out of this ever deepening mess we are in at the present.
We stumble from disaster to disaster with not a glimmer of light anywhere. With the Greens doing all they can to drag us back in time, we are heading dangerously fast to becoming the first globally recognised “fourth world” country.
If miracles do happen and we find that elusive government and it happens to be a male majority, then so be it. If it’s a female- majority government, then good on you girls, long may you reign.
Stewart Archibald, Dee Street, Ballater, Aberdeenshire.
