Sir, – I am not surprised that Royal Mail keeps having to increase the price of postage.
Courier companies are way ahead of them on deliveries.
I ordered a small item on Saturday June 4 to be tracked and delivered by Tuesday or Wednesday. Nothing arrived; so I contacted the seller and was told Royal Mail were having a few problems but it would be delivered by Monday June 13, eight days after the Royal Mail promise of a 48-hour delivery.
The package was tracked and in the Royal Mail depot on Tuesday June 7 but could not deliver until June 13.
Snail Mail not Royal Mail.
Don McKay, Provost Hogg Court, Torry, Aberdeen.
Deadly wartime effect of disease
Sir, – As a student of infectious diseases I have a particular interest in famines and wars, because the commonest cause of death in them used to be disease. This was the case in Ireland (1845-49) when the potato failed, and hundreds of thousands died of typhus and relapsing fever.
At least Willie Dunbar doesn’t blame Winston Churchill for their deaths. But to blame him for establishing concentration camps (in which hundreds died of typhoid, dysentery and measles) in the Boer War isn’t right.
He was there as a young newspaper correspondent until he was captured by the Boers, when he made his name by escaping from the POW prison in Pretoria. And the causes of the 1943 Bengal famine are still the subject of much debate; it is a gross oversimplification to say that they were entirely due to Churchill’s policy failures. After all the Japanese were just over the Bengal border in Burma, and our merchant ships were still being sunk by Axis submarines.
Hugh Pennington, Carlton Place, Aberdeen.
All we want is to run our country
Sir, – It would be easy and a bit lazy to dismiss Pauline Eggermont’s appeal for our continued faith in the status quo of the Union as the nonsensical absurdity that it appears at first sight when she claims the UK is “not broken”.
Her letter appeared on the same day as my news feed told me that the UK is to be the poorest performing economy in the developed world according to the OECD. In the same week that thousands of travellers were stranded because of lack of airport staff who left after Brexit and were not replaced.
The same week that a serial stranger to the truth was approved as UK leader by representatives of his party, a party last elected in Scotland in the 1950s. A week when I paid £120 to fill my tank.
I could fill a page with examples of how broken the UK is but let’s address the less obvious points. Her letter gives a clue as to what makes some Unionists’ hearts beat – glory, monarchy, security and world influence. In these words I hear echoes of exceptionalism and the kind of “British is Best” attitude that allowed Brexit to be foisted on an unwilling Scotland.
Her claim that an independent Scotland would be insular appears to be made with no trace of irony despite this. It is not hard to see in her words the fear of change – the cry of those who live comfortable lives, and it would be lovely to be able to say that we can have our independence and she can have all her concerns addressed with a positive outcome.
That is highly unlikely though, not least because independence is about change. There will be winners and losers but if we end up with a fairer, greener, more productive, healthier society, then I’m all for it.
In the end it is Pauline Eggermont’s right to be as British as she wants and still live in Scotland. All we are asking is for Scots to run their own country without “British” interference.
Your readers will recognise that Britannia no longer rules the waves, it waives the rules. We can do better without the drag of the corrupt, failing and out of date UK holding Scotland back.
Peter E Smith, Aigas, Beauly.
Twitter place for insinuations
Sir, – After reading Kirstin Innes’ latest elaborations on Boris Johnson, the recent no-confidence vote, Russia and the war in Ukraine I begin to wonder about her ability to distinguish between fact-based comment and private views guided by a profound personal dislike.
Does she really believe that the prime minister’s only engagement with the situation in Ukraine was a one-off photo shoot with President Zelensky?
If so, she may want to get herself informed about the timeliness and actual extent of the support given to Ukraine by the UK Government led by Boris Johnson. And does she really assume that President Zelensky doesn’t know how to spend his time?
His brief statement on the outcome of the no-confidence vote was part of a video conference hosted by the Financial Times. Hardly the “gigantic, trivial waste of time” Ms Innes talks about.
But the implied allegation that the president uttered his supportive notion merely in anticipation of getting more weapons in return really takes the biscuit. Baseless, fact-free nonsense like this is usually found on social media. Perhaps Ms Innes should save her insinuations for Twitter.
Regina Erich, Willow Row, Stonehaven.
Census problem of ‘non-persons’
Sir, – Last year (2021) after the Census in England, Wales and Northern Ireland had been completed, some families resident in Scotland at that time, subsequently moved to England.
This year (2022) these families, now resident in England, were not eligible to be included in the recent Scottish Census.
Therefore there is no record of their lives in the UK during 2021 and 2022.
Who are these British “non-persons” and how might they be recognised?
Alison Innes (Dr), Lang Stracht, Alford.
World population is main problem
Sir, – In the heated debate over climate change nobody dares mention the elephant in the room. Today the world population is 8 billion. One hundred years ago it was 1.9 billion. Then 3 billion in 1960 and 6.1 billion in 2000.
By 2050 it could be 9.8 billion and 11.2 billion by 2100. Politicians spending trillions trying to cut greenhouse gas emissions while the population escalates is akin to trying to empty a bath with a tea spoon while the tap is still running.
Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow.
Charles should remain silent
Sir, – Following Prince Charles’s reported displeasure of the government’s scheme to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, surely Her Majesty should remind him, that if he wishes the monarchy to survive beyond his reign, to follow the rules that brought her so much esteem and affection.
During her reign she has concerned herself in service that has a positive affect on people’s lives, such as cutting the ribbon to open a new hospital, building or bridge. Monarchy giving opinions on political issues can fuel republican fire that can prove difficult to extinguish.
Already voices can be heard questioning why so much has been spent on the Jubilee celebrations when some in society struggle to afford food and energy. They owe their privilege to birth not to the will of the people.
Politicians have that role and can be removed as easily as they were elected. Her Majesty perfected the art of giving a lifetime of service free from giving opinion on controversial topics, private views were kept just that – more difficult for her successor as every careless word is eagerly devoured by ever present electronic devices.
Charles would be well advised to follow her example and reflect on the views of his father who when asked “ how long will the monarchy last” replied “as long as the people want us.”
Ivan W Reid, Kirkburn, Laurencekirk.
New stadium should be bigger
Sir, –I totally support the AFC stadium remaining at the beach.
However I urge the council and AFC to have the vision to accommodate surface contingency to increase the capacity of the stadium to 30,000 as an option for the future.
Let’s have real ambition.
Colin Brown, Dunnottar Road, Ellon.
Thumbs up for beach stadium
I wish to declare my full support for the potential beach location of a new Aberdeen FC stadium.
I agree with the majority who say a football ground should be in the heart of its city and community, but my main reason for supporting this is a belief that Aberdeen as a city desperately needs developed and a real injection of excitement.
This would be pivotal in improving our beach area while building on the connection from our city centre to the beachfront.
We are incredibly fortunate to have such a wonderful and unique beachfront, but we are yet to fulfil its full potential and this is a positive step towards doing just that. Personally, I feel that Aberdeen has fallen so far behind other cities in the country in terms of its atmosphere.
For the likes of tourists or even locals, including myself, there is a genuine lack of reason or urge to leave our homes and visit the city centre, therefore hearing about the plans to invest in a new stadium and also the masterplan regarding Union Street, among others, has filled me with a true sense of hope and a buzz for what potentially lies ahead.
As an Aberdeen-born resident in the Broomhill-Holburn area and an Aberdeen FC supporter, these plans have my full backing and undying support.
Bradley Sullivan
Get behind this project
I am writing to voice my support for the plans for a new stadium for Aberdeen Football Club at the beach as part of a wider scheme to regenerate the beachfront.
Aberdeen FC has been trying to find a new home for two decades and the fans believe the best location, within the city, has now been identified.
The club and its fans make a significant and positive impact on the bars, shops and other businesses in the city centre and keeping the club at the beach, close to its spiritual home, will be a welcome boost for them and our wider city centre as we recover from Covid.
With an overwhelming majority of fans backing this location, I would hope for support and co-operation with Aberdeen FC to design, build and deliver a stadium the club and the whole city can be proud of.
Joanna Wilson
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