Sir, – Having read Mr Mitchell’s letter on NHS reform it saddens me to see the privatisation rhetoric being banded about. The funding method we use is robust and fair to all citizens, we just spend less than the other countries he mentions.
Without bureaucracy socio-economic systems cannot exist and Mr Mitchell’s payment model would actually increase bureaucracy and staff required to administer the funding system. The costs to the more affluent would increase and these would be swallowed up by administration.
In studying systems one learns about counterintuitive behaviour and this counterintuitive situation exists when private enterprise enters healthcare, which is obscenely apparent in the US.
If we want health care we need to pay for it. So less whining and more appreciation for our healthcare system, including its bureaucrats, may be the order of the day.
David Bashforth.
Bleating energy bosses need to reset their moral compasses
Sir, – More pleading from the oil, gas and energy sector and its representatives for the government to stop any more windfall taxes on them at a time when they all are making vulgar profits.
They say that further taxation will reduce investment.
They see profiting from investment as their gravy train for the future just like the past and they want this to continue at our expense. They also prioritise profit and lining their own nests as being of more significance that helping ordinary people to feed their family, heat their homes and effectively manage their debt levels.
They speak about transition to renewables.
They need to transition to having a highly-visible social conscience.
We the public are sick of their moaning and profiteering. Our economy will never meet society’s needs as long as there are policies and businesses which keep the status quo to make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
We have been conned by their brash selfish behaviour for far too long.
It is time for revolution against this social inequality. Company philosophies and values must change to reflect the voice of the general public and address the crises realities of the 21st Century.
Much of today’s crises have been caused by the oil, gas and energy sector being managed to benefit the business elite, not their customers.
Its aboot time for them to ken fit “we are a’ Jock Tamson’s bairns” means.
Dr Don Carney. Meadowlands Place, Westhill.
Could Johnson be country’s saviour?
Sir, – As the cost-of-living crisis deepens and calls for government aid increase, my thoughts are that we have just got rid of the person who would already be working to turn the tide. Yes, none other than Boris Johnson, banished by parties and porkies, and although a man I have never supported, has the rare ability to get things done.
Quite apart from Brexit, he steered the country through the worst health crisis of modern times, the furlough scheme that safeguarded millions of jobs then setting up the vaccine task force headed by a Tory venture capitalist ensured a swift and plentiful supply of vaccine, saving many lives.
Only a handful of our leaders have had this gift – in modern times just Thatcher, Blair and Johnson. I very much doubt if either of our PM candidates possess such talent. For the sake of many I hope on this occasion to be proved wrong.
Ivan W. Reid. Kirkburn, Laurencekirk.
Westminster waste of Scots MPs’ time
Sir, – Gavin Elder’s letter of August 12 tells us “no point in any Scottish MPs going down to Westminster every week and making snide remarks to all the other politicians.”
I wholeheartedly agree with him. Little point in Scottish MPs attending when they are, assiduously, ignored on any given topic. In regard to “snide remarks” – isn’t that the specialty of Boris Johnson and Jacob Reece-Mogg, to name but two?
We elect our Scottish MPs to represent our best interests. In the main they do that well but, given they are ignored, is there any point of them being there in the first place?
There is, of course, a solution, one which around 50% of the Scottish electorate are now taking cognizance of.
Ron Campbell. Richmond Walk, Aberdeen.
Energy price rise needs action now
Sir, – The time it is going to take for the new prime minister to get his/her feet under the table and deciding what to do about the energy price increase is still a month away and the £400 being paid in October at £66 per month for three months then £67 for the next three months is still going to leave households in debit, as another price rise due in October will be eaten up between now and the start of the £400 grant.
Don McKay. Provost Hogg Court, Torry.
‘Partygate’ for local wildlife big success
Sir, – The sun shines and the sky is clear – a welcome heat wave in the north-east. I continue to feed wild birds and hedgehogs which are welcome visitors to my garden – gulls excluded.
Spike the hedgehog arrived early last Wednesday and found the cupboard bare so I had to dash out with some diced chicken, topped up later with hog pellets when my first visitor had left after a long draught of water.
The next morning, copious hedgehog poo on the grass was evidence of riotous celebration. Someone suggested leaving beer out as well.
If good enough for 10 Downing Street, why not beergate at Mar Place? Don’t hedge your bets with Hogwarts, try partygate for hogs in Keith.
Bill Maxwell. Mar Place, Keith.
FM short on detail over independence
Sir, – I attended the Iain Dale chat with Nicola Sturgeon on Wednesday. No wonder he described her as one of the most impressive politicians he has interviewed.
If Liz Truss ever wants to improve her “attention-seeker” barbs she should watch the Vogue section of the podcast and see how the FM neatly positioned her in the magazine’s “classified ads”.
In general it was a masterclass in skating over the questions and perpetuating myths and grievances ably assisted by Dale obligingly tugging his forelock and lacking the detailed knowledge required for any follow-up questions.
Strikingly Ms Sturgeon was allowed to brush off border issues as “the same as Norway and Sweden” and solvable by “planning” as opposed to years of hard-nosed negotiation with the UK and EU.
Most of the audience loved it and I was left wondering what their reaction would have been if Iain Dale had winkled the truth out of her.
As someone who is willing to consider independence on the right terms it was depressing to come away thinking that, after 15 years, we are miles from a definitive, accepted, way forward based on facts and agreement.
First of all, independence should be proposed by a government that has shown it genuinely has improved the country as far as it can. It hasn’t.
Next, it should have a worked-out plan agreed with the UK and other stakeholders which resolves major issues like pensions, currency, debt, transition timescale and cost, borders and trade. It hasn’t.
This plan should be independently verified and demonstrate that things can, and will, get better. It doesn’t.
And lastly, all of this should be put to the people in a joint Scotland-UK proposition, and voted on.
It really is high time this whole situation was either shelved, or the hard yards put in by both governments to agree the above in a clarity act.
Or at least, after the advocate general’s decision which points to the SNP using the next general election to win the right to hold a referendum, the pro-UK parties should make the passing of a clarity act a manifesto commitment.
Allan Sutherland. Willow Row, Stonehaven.
City’s fallen behind
Sir, – On reading the Aberdonian (Evening Express, August 10), I have to say the “vision of Aberdeen beach 1950s” was far better than the “new one” of 2022 – so much easier on the eye.
A proper prom going straight into sea – far better. Moreen Simpson spoke of the old oil rig to be sited off Aberdeen beach that never happened. A fast boat etc was going to ferry punters there. In the so-called heyday of Aberdeen oil, businesses had to do little.
Now fast forward to 2022 and Dundee is light years ahead of Aberdeen.
If Inspired or Aberdeen City Council think that is not so, they should get out more often.
Michael North, Lang Stracht, Summerhill.
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