Sir, – That both Celtic and Rangers have qualified to claim their share of the riches on offer in the Champions League gives the impression that the game in Scotland is on an upward trend.
If only this were true, but in reality the gap between the Old Firm and the remaining clubs in the SPL is getting steadily wider.
The dismal performances of Scottish representatives in the Europa competitions and embarrassing defeats of certain of our so-called big clubs by the Glasgow giants are a sharp reminder of the gulf in class.
While delighted that Scotland is so well represented at Europe’s top table, the downside is that so few home-grown players are involved, though in keeping with the qualifiers from south of the border it bodes ill for the future of our national team.
Not only are the Old Firm teams packed with those from foreign lands, so too are many of the other clubs in the SPL. Aberdeen’s revival this season has occurred with only a single Scot in the starting XI.
While to the younger fan this is normal it is not for those of my vintage, who remember the glorious days from the 1980s when a Dons team full of home-grown, some even home- town, talent was more than a match for established European giants and the names Leighton, McLeish and Miller among the first to be pencilled into the Scottish team.
We may well ask where are the players to come from to represent our country in future years?
Despite the extensive academy system so few graduate to become established first-team players, with the positions they could have developed and flourished in being occupied by experienced players from countries beyond our border.
I dread if the day comes when, to become eligible to play for Scotland, all that is required is for your granny to have owned a Scottish terrier.
Ivan W Reid, Kirkburn, Laurencekirk.
Road to nowhere in traffic gridlock
Sir, – I am not one who normally writes to the newspapers but as one of many frustrated motorists stuck in a recent chaotic state of affairs in the Highland capital, I feel that it deserves a mention in your excellent paper.
The incident that led to such gridlock appeared to be on the southbound lanes of the Kessock Bridge leading to its complete closure with the emergency services in attendance.
I wondered if the civic authority had ever considered a contingency plan for such an occasion?
I was redirected from the north side via Muir of Ord (no signage at Tore) and eventually came into the city hoping to exit eastbound via the harbour road and stadium road, thus missing the city build-up, but was thwarted by the police not allowing any exit south or eastbound past the stadium.
It would be useful to know if there is a laid-down traffic plan to allow a smoother routing around the city for eastbound and southbound travellers in the future.
Donald Shanks, Findhorn Road, Forres.
Too much gassing about CO2 effects
Sir, – Here is the answer of Professor William Happer to the question “Is CO2 good or bad?” at the international meeting for Applied Geoscience and Energy Convention, Houston, on August 30.
“Currently, we have observed no negative effects from rising CO2 or global warming.
“…fewer weather and climate-related problems…agricultural productivity is higher… credible models ascribe these improvements to rising levels of CO2 and warmer weather.”
Can Roy Turnbull find evidence doubting Prof Happer’s scientific credentials or reliability? The imperative for universal collaboration in testing the unproven hypothesis that increasing man-made atmospheric CO2 tensions is agreed. Are they responsible for worsening adverse weather and global warming to which Roy Turnbull’s “bailing out the leaky boat” analogy is relevant?
The realistic problem is that most of the big CO2 emitters have fixed policies preventing the curbing of man-made CO2 output.
These nations are avoiding the huge costs and industrial damage from net-zero-style policies.
Finally, the report (August 31) of hailstones in Spain bigger than golf balls does not sound like evidence of global warming.
Could it, rather, suggest a pesky, entirely unexplained, anomaly of the planetary overheating process for so long, but almost certainly unnecessarily, feared by Roy Turnbull?
Dr Charles Wardrop. Viewlands Road West, Perth.
Independence for the Northern Isles?
Sir, – The SNP and Greens’ decision to abandon the development of the Cambo oilfield west of Shetland will cost the economy and jobs for the islanders. Although they originally belonged to Norway the population might consider rejoining their former countrymen and then develop the oilfield on their own.
If the SNP want independence from the rest of the UK why not independence for the Northern Isles?
The byword used to be “it’s Scotland’s oil” – maybe it should be “it’s Shetland’s oil”?
Allan McIntosh, Whinhill Gardens, Aberdeen.
Fix prices instead of windfall taxes
Sir, – Who fixes the price of crude oil and natural gas? Is it the oil company or the country of production?
Recently BP is quoted as stating they are making a profit at $40 a barrel.
At one time the price of natural gas was pegged to the price of a barrel of oil (as gas equivalent).
Instead of imposing a further tax on the vast profits of the oil companies, if I were the prime minister or going to be the next one I would – for all oil and gas produced in the UK whether from onshore, offshore or any other part of the United Kingdom for which the UK Government has granted a licence – fix the price of oil and gas (equivalent) at $50 a barrel.
This price would be for at least the next two years or until the price of domestic and commercial energy – that is, but not limited to, electricity, gas and heating oil – reduces in price to pre-pandemic levels and to about the same price as in 2018-19 when the price was still quite high but manageable.
Ronnie Williams, Dales Court, Peterhead.
Johnson’s ‘legacy’ open to question
Sir, – In yet another move straight from the Trump playbook, “Bodger” Johnson embarked on a whistle-stop farewell tour of the kingdom to celebrate his “legacy” as PM.
This at a time when we desperately need leadership that will challenge the outrageous profiteering of our energy producers. Little Brexit Britain is too small to have any influence but the “evil, socialist, undemocratic” EU seems to have a lot more clout, causing gas prices to fall with just a cough.
High on Bodger’s list of achievements, of course, is the imminent break-up of the UK. Coming as she does from his world-beating Cabinet of all the talents, we can be confident that his successor is supremely qualified to continue this important work.
Today we have our fourth PM in six years in Liz Truss, each having promised to clear up the mess made by their predecessors.
Medics may have to rethink the validity of the question “who is the current prime minister?” when assessing our cognitive powers.
William McLeod, Netherbrae, Turriff.
Highland clearance needs radical action
Sir, – In response to The P&J’s timely articles – “Now is the time to halt the Highland clearance” – what can be done now is to reactivate past successful policies.
These include:
Lochaber Housing Association, of which I was a founder member, again building small groups of four to six houses in the rural villages for local people;
A change in the allocations policies of both Highland Council and the housing associations to ensure local people are housed as the priority;
Lochaber planning committee had a policy of allocating either a site or a house in a three-house development for local people at an affordable price. This needs to happen again, instead of the developer giving a commuted sum towards an urban development.
And the need for radical action should include:
The council tax on holiday homes needs to be very significantly increased, 10-fold, and the proceeds used to build houses in the rural areas;
Planning consent required for a change of use from a home to a holiday home or to Airbnb;
A cap on the number of holiday homes within an area – some villages and townships on the west coast are now 50-90% holiday homes;
A two-tier housing market, such as in the Channel Isles, so that there is an affordable market for local people.
As the tsunami of capital continues into the Highland and islands from the Central Belt and south-east England, councils and the Scottish Government must act now or the indigenous young people from our rural and island communities will be forced to live in urban ghettos.
Dr Michael Foxley, Achaphubuil, Ardgour.
Overseas aid cash needed now in UK
Sir, – I think the time has come for the UK Government to sit down and have a rethink. All the years we have been sending billions of pounds in money aid to other countries when we could afford to do so must be considered again.
Inflation over 10%, and the cost of fuel, electric and gas rising by 80% very soon is putting families on the breadline, so the time has come – the overseas aid we send to these countries is needed here in the UK.
We are now a country in need of aid and on the brink of “heat or eat” for our population.
The billions of pounds we send in aid is no longer affordable – we are a country in need.
Don McKay. Provost Hogg Court, Torry, Aberdeen.
Is energy price cap still fit for purpose?
Sir, – What is the purpose of the energy price cap set by Ofgem, and what method is used to calculate the cap, as it looks like a target which energy companies are only too happy to reach?
How much would we be paying if Ofgem wasn’t there to set a cap and who pays their salaries – the public purse or the energy companies?
John Jake Wood, Ogilvie Park, Cullen.
Data collection is raising questions
Sir, – It would be good to know what kind of “data” Aberdeenshire Council want to collect from Stonehaven citizens using the Redcloak recycling centre and what use it will be put to, since all they collect – after a lengthy set of screens to bypass – is your name, address, registration number, the date you visited and whether you are dumping tyres?
Having spoken to the excellent staff, they are exasperated by the situation, and it truly is a disincentive to people using the service. It was set up, I suppose, to minimise the chances of users catching Covid but the only possible excuse now would be if it somehow prevented people getting hay fever from the garden waste skip cases.
Allan Sutherland, Willow Row, Stonehaven.
Threat to woodland should be rejected
Sir, – After storms Arwen and Malik, Aberdeen’s woodland faces a new threat.
The council’s planning committee will consider an application for housing at Tillyoch in Culter that would require the destruction of 40% of an ancient woodland.
It is hard to see what justification there can be for such environmental damage.
Thankfully the council’s professional planners have recommended refusal, as such destruction is at odds with the local and national policies that protect our natural heritage.
Let’s hope we can trust our councillors to do the right thing and give effect to this rejection.
Robert Brew, Bucklerburn Steading, Culter, Aberdeen.
Bus trip down memory lane
Sir, – Moreen Simpson speaking about the Culter bus brought back memories.
I had two uncles and aunties who had farms in Drumoak. When visiting in the early 60s, we caught the bus at “the Wallace statue”. The terminus where we got off was at “Pie-Jeans”.This is where Borsalino Italian restaurant is.
The country bus was different from the toon ones. The bus conductress (always seemed to be?) had a different ticket machine. Also upstairs, there were bench seats. If we were there early with time before getting picked up, we ventured into Culter and had a cup of tea at the Coffee Pot.
Of course, we stopped on the bridge and gazed at the Rob Roy statue.
There was little or no traffic passing, unlike nowadays. Those were the days.
Thanks, Moreen for getting my elderly brain cells working.
Michael North, Lang Stracht, Summerhill.
Age comes to us all
Sir, – Although the Queen suffers from mobility problems, she could have attended the Braemar Gathering in a wheelchair.
Unfortunately, the Queen is a “thran” and proud wifie who doesn’t like to be a burden.
In her 70-year reign, she has only missed the event five times.
We are all getting older and slowing down!
T Shirron, Davidson Drive, Aberdeen.
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