Sir, — As the terrible tragedy of Ukraine continues, I salute the courage of its president and its people against the utter deceit of our PM, claiming that the UK is “leading the world” in action against Russia.
The actions against a few individual oligarchs along with a Russian trade embargo have been minimal, and the response of the obstructive and incompetent UK Government towards Ukrainian refugees has been scandalous.
With millions leaving Ukraine, our European neighbours have taken in tens of thousands of refugees, including over 2,000 to tiny Ireland, while Britain has, to date, issued visas for several hundred. Boris Johnson’s Commons statement of eventually taking in “hundreds of thousands” is yet another hollow promise.
The City of London has become a tax haven for Russian assets and the Tory party is guilty of wooing billionaire oligarchs and laundering their stolen dirty money, with millions of pounds illegally donated to the party. Where is the moral authority of the once Great Britain?
Grant Frazer, Cruachan, Newtonmore.
Get your basic facts correct
Sir, — In response to being slated by Douglas Black (Letters, March 16), I was commenting purely on the UK’s intake capacity, which I think I made clear.
Poland was never mentioned.
However, Mr Black evidently did not excel in geography at school.
If he had, he would know that Poland is indeed 28% larger than the UK, therefore, potentially capable of populating more people.
Oh, may I add too, that English is evidently not his strong point either.
Try spelling my surname correctly, as it was printed in the P&J. McLellan, NOT McLennan.
Christine McLellan, Church Road, Duffus, Elgin, Moray.
Scotland now witch-friendly
Sir, — All Scotland will have sighed a huge sigh of relief when our devolved government apologised on our behalf for the centuries past treatment of witches.
However, it is thanks to the same government that we are now the most witch-friendly nation in Europe.
Our modern-day witches are free to marry, to drive and park anywhere, to be elected to high office and so on. They even have their own magazine.
We need to be proud — witches, wizards, demons or zombies, the SNP welcomes you. We’re all Jock Tamson’s bairns, and we all have a vote. Let’s use it.
Alan Sim, Hammerfield Avenue, Aberdeen.
Thoughts for Kyiv from Inverness
Sir, — On Sunday, I was a volunteer at the Inverness half marathon. The poem below tells the rest…
I stood there by the River Ness along with several folk,
This afternoon was special; words, emotions didst evoke,
Though brief, we stood and cast our thoughts from Inverness to Kyiv,
Respectfully, there came applause before those folk took leave.
Today, the thirteenth one of March, two thousand plus were near,
Half marathon then made its start, spectators stayed to cheer.
I couldn’t help though, thinking on, the clapping having ceased…
Of fellow humans just like us, whose normal life had ceased.
But for the blessed grace of God could we be in “that place”,
And, by the evil hand of one, could devastation face,
Two thousand miles, or less from here, reality strikes home,
The vulnerability of all, laid bare by one, alone.
Roger G Cope, Feddon Hill, Fortrose.