Sir, – Nicola Sturgeon is not the “embodiment” of the nation.
What she is, as Euan McColm presumably knows perfectly well, is the democratically-elected head of the Scottish Government.
As such, for the time being she speaks for Scotland as does any other elected head of government for his or her country, and since she has a far higher level of electoral support than any of the recent prime ministers of the United Kingdom, or indeed than any other elected leader in Europe, her right to do so stands on very firm ground. She is also an internationally respected figure with a long record of competent service.
What, by contrast, is Liz Truss, besides a sign of the complete political bankruptcy of the Westminster system?
A nonentity with absolutely no achievements to her credit, who if successful in her bid to become leader of the Tory party will perform the unbelievable feat of continuing the sequence of each successive prime minister proving worse than the last.
For her to talk of “ignoring” a politician of 10 times her stature is simple impertinence.
But the issue is not merely what one silly politician says about one much smarter politician. Ignoring Scotland is precisely what Westminster governments have done for years.
We did not vote for the Tories, nor for Brexit, but we got them nonetheless.
We have voted consistently for a party whose whole raison d’être is to reclaim our independence, but the Westminster government proposes to ignore our right to hold a referendum on the issue.
Nicola Sturgeon does not ignore the fact that some Scots still remain committed to the Union, but she endeavours to convince them that they are mistaken – what else would Euan McColm expect?
And if he thinks that those unionists are a “majority” in Scotland, he will soon be proved wrong.
Derrick McClure, Rosehill Terrace, Aberdeen.
Peatland policy in Scotland is based on a misunderstanding
Sir, – I was pleased to see the view expressed by Rhoderick Noble (Letters, August 11) about peatland in Scotland. Peat is partially decayed organic matter which is largely saturated with water.
Something which is saturated with water cannot absorb any more. So, while the surface layer may dry out in summer, that will quickly change in winter, and rainfall can then only do two things, which is to either lie on a flat surface, or run off. If it lies on the surface and pools form, that will of course kill the vegetation underneath, and the water will gradually oxidise the peat. If the pools dry out, then the peat will get exposed, and you are left with something that looks like environmental damage, and which can potentially lose CO2 to the atmosphere.
There are two important forces at work here. The capillary action referred to by Mr Noble which holds the peat together, and gravity which pulls water on the surface to a lower level. Moving water always has the potential for erosion, especially if the substrate is so easily eroded, as peat is.
Your readers should also be aware of another important phenomenon. Good-quality peatland with an unbroken surface is almost impossible to photograph in a landscape because there is no obvious point of focus in the picture. The easiest way to frame a peatland picture is to include an erosion scar or some such feature. It follows from this that most pictures of peatland in Scotland show erosion, and we then think that most peatland here is eroded, and we have to do something about it. It isn’t.
Peatlands in our landscape are important, but we must not over-claim their value.
If you want a better understanding of peatlands in Scotland, learn or re- learn what capillary action is, remember what gravity does to water, and go out and try to take landscape photographs of peatland for yourself.
You too will come back with coverage of the erosion scars which are actually just one stage in the long life cycle of peatlands, but which occupy a very small proportion of the whole resource, a resource which is already saturated with water and which has limited potential for absorbing more.
In Scotland, public policy is based on a misunderstanding of how peatlands actually work, but there is so much money being thrown at peatland schemes that no one wants to say anything about it.
Victor Clements, Native Woodland Advice, Aberfeldy.
IndyRef2 debate a waste of legal time
Sir, – How gratifying it is to learn that Lord Stewart QC, advocate general for Scotland, has published a written submission on behalf of UK ministers. He argues that any prospective bill which would legislate for another referendum on the subject of Scottish independence is outwith the terms of the Scotland Acts, and therefore not within the powers transferred to the Scottish Executive, now apparently government, on its inception.
One can sense that the recent submission made by Lord Advocate Bain, on behalf of the Scottish Government to the Supreme Court was done under what could be construed to be SNP duress, and may not represent her own views on the matter in hand.
It is so obvious that the whole matter of the SNP’s legal right to try to stage another referendum on independence is under scrutiny at the highest levels – one could argue that they are merely wasting valuable legal time in their never-ending quest for so-called independence.
We can only await the findings of the UK Supreme Court on this matter later in the year.
In 2014 the electorate of Scotland gave their answer to this matter of becoming independent of the UK. Surely that is how it should stand for at least another generation – circa 30 years?
Robert I G Scott, Northfield, Ceres, Fife.
SNP has mandate for a referendum
Sir, – Your correspondent Euan McColm in his “Sun Queen Nicola” article (Press and Journal, August 12) is factually incorrect – whether you agree or disagree that Liz Truss’s comments were insulting.
His fundamental flaw is stating that the first minister has “ignored the views of the majority”. His retrospective counting of votes eliminated by the electoral process is more than a little skewed.
I wonder what type of electoral system Mr McColm is proposing we use if he is not happy with the present D’Hondt method. The AMS proportional system may not be perfect but it is far superior to FPTP. The present SNP Government has a mandate for calling a referendum, the same as the Conservative Westminster government had a mandate for the Brexit referendum.
“Mandate: The authority to carry out a policy, regarded as given by the electorate to a party or candidate that wins an election.” – Cambridge Dictionary.
John Massie, Turfhill Court, New Deer.
Extended hours are out of time
Sir, – It is with real interest I read about and see watering holes (pubs, hotels, cafes with liquor licenses) not being able to open on certain days and hours.
As a 70-year-old it seems simple. Back in the day pubs opened Monday to Saturday, 11am until 2.30pm. Then they closed and opened again from 5 -10pm (latterly 11pm). On Sundays, if you wished to have a drink you had to go to a hotel.
Hotels twigged that this could be a real earner and introduced live bands. To have even later drinking hours, basket meals were served.
This meant the workers knew the shifts they would be working, etc.
Sadly now, with the allowing of super-extended hours, it is dog-eat-dog with so many losing out in pubs, hotels and in workers.
I struggle to remember pubs and hotels shutting down due to the economical climate. Can any other reader of my age remember closures?
It is high time those in power should realise that because hours open to serve alcohol are all new, extended licences should be restricted.
All might be good in theory but not in practice.
Just like many involved in supplying the public – buses, taxis, places to eat and drink – in busy times there are not enough but in quiet times too many. To provide a proper amount takes skill.
Sadly, in this world it seems sadly missing.
Michael North, Lang Stracht, Summerhill.
GP fine plan is a sickener
Sir, – So Rishi Sunak wants to fine us £10 if we miss a GP or hospital appointment.
At my own GP surgery you are lucky to get an appointment of any kind.
When you do manage to get through a non-medical receptionist seemingly does their best to keep you away from the surgery or give you a telephone consultation.
What happens if we miss any appointments when it’s beyond our control? The bus is late or my electric car loses power?
What planet are our politicians on?
Then again they and Mr Sunak don’t depend on the NHS like the rest of us plebs.
T Shirron, davidson drive, aberdeen.
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