Readers' Letters: Immigrants should be integrated and welcomed into our rapidly aging society

After all, these are desperate people, who are demonised by being labelled as a statistic in the political football between Labour and the Tories, largely to ward off the rise in popularity of the immigration-obsessed Reform UK. They are largely the innocent victims of the far too many conflicts being waged in a war-torn world.

Only the Lib Dems come out of this situation with any credit, stressing the need to balance any legal action with “a compassionate approach to people” as human beings.

Immigrants comprise mostly young and youngish people in search of a better life. They should be integrated and welcomed into our rapidly aging society. After all, the vast majority of immigrants make a positive contribution and that's a statistic worth bearing in mind.

Ian Petrie, Edinburgh

Tragedies ignored

Our broadcast media rightly continue to report on the plight of Israeli hostages in Gaza. We learn their names, we hear their families interviewed and we learn details of their lives.

The Palestinians, since they were evicted from their land 80 years ago, have been subjected to brutality, massacres and the destruction of their homes. Over the years we have not learned their names, we have not met their families, they remain anonymous. I wonder how many Scotsman readers even know of the atrocities that they have been subjected to. Have they heard, for example, of the massacre by Israeli troops and their Lebanese allies of 1,500-2,000 Palestinians in the Lebanese camps of Sabra and Shatila on 16 September 1982.

I expect not, because if it was reported at all it was only briefly. They were not given a human face by our media. Is it any wonder that the violence continues when such double standards apply? Tragedies affecting Americans or Israelis have names – 9/11 or 17th October. Who knows about 9/16? Precious few because it was a massacre of helpless Palestinians by the UK's and the US's glorious allies in the Middle East.

David Currie, Tarland, Aberdeenshire

Ignoring facts

Another dose of apoplectic outrage and manufactured grievance from Stan Grodynski (Letters, 10 February). Apparently, “the interests of the people of Scotland” are being betrayed and Scotland’s economy is being “destroyed” by Westminster. What utter garbage.

He protests about the imminent closure of Grangemouth but totally ignores the reality that INEOS pulled the plug on their refinery thanks to the anti-fossil fuel attitude of our intrepid Scottish Government (controlled by Mr Grodynski’s beloved SNP) who are supported by the appalling Greens on this fanciful “journey to net-zero”.

Mr Grodynski goes down another emotional rabbithole by referring to the 1980s miners strike, complaining of “the decimation of mining communities”. These pits had become financially unviable, yet Scottish secessionists would have us believe that they should have been kept open indefinitely on the life-support of taxpayers’ money.

The separatist movement has proved time and time again that it has no understanding of business, industry or economics. They are doing far more to destroy our prosperity than even smug Keir Starmer and his clueless chancellor.

Martin O’Gorman, Edinburgh

Unblock beds

We are told that there are queues for hospital beds partly because of delayed discharges – that there are patients who no longer require medical treatment but continue to occupy expensive beds in a hospital because there is no “care package” for them.

A few years ago, a friend took a dizzy turn on Sardinia. She was airlifted to a hospital and given a full check-up. It turned out that there was nothing amiss beyond dehydration, so she was transferred from the hospital to a nearby care facility, where she remained until her insurance company’s representative arrived to take her home to Edinburgh.

Accommodating those not needing medical care in hi-tech and expensive medical wards with their medically qualified staff is surely unnecessary and should not be tolerated. If delayed discharges are to be a constant feature in hospitals, surely the provision of dedicated care home premises could be a partial solution to them?

On a much smaller scale, in an Edinburgh hospital I was told on the morning ward round that I could be discharged. At 8.30am. I continued to occupy a bed on the ward until 4.50pm because the pharmacy had not processed the prescription for my take-home medication.

Avoiding this kind of bottleneck would also help to free up beds for those actually requiring them.

Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh

Wrong focus

On social media, Humza Yousaf repeatedly posts about the terrible tragedy that is the current conflict in the Middle East.

Yet Holyrood's remit is exclusively domestic; his role as an MSP is to focus on healthcare, public transport, education and other matters of vital importance to his constituents. Foreign affairs are wholly reserved to Westminster, and if this is Yousaf's overarching area of interest, he should have attempted to become an MP, not an MSP.

Many question his competence and are relieved he's standing down as an MSP next year – presumably, this will enable him to focus 100 per cent of his energies on Gaza unhampered by any pretence of engagement in pressing Scottish domestic problems.

Martin Redfern, Melrose, Roxburghshire

Beware ‘friends’

Further to your 11 February editorial about President Trump's first three weeks in office there are two things worthy of mention. Firstly, Trump's close connection with the leader of Reform, Nigel Farage, whom he regards as a friend, is a cause for concern. Mr Farage must distance himself from Trump's policies if Reform is to appeal to centrist voters. So far he has not done so.

Secondly, there is the presence of the unelected plutocrat, South African-born Elon Musk, given sweeping power by Trump over Federal departments. The relationship between Musk and Farage may have gone from bromance to divorce but now seems in a state of flux. Musk may carry through with a supposed $100 million donation to Reform, but will want something in return. Mr Farage must make it clear that a vote for Reform will not be a vote for a special relationship with Trump or Musk, and a trade deal which will advantage the US over Britain, with the NHS in particular under threat.

William Loneskie, Oxton, Lauder, Berwickshire

Nothing to admire

Alastair GJ Stewart’s Star Trek analogy is clever but in spite of my agreeing with many of Donald Trump’s policies, I and many of my “Brit” friends do not like this man, and they are not slowly (or speedily) coming to admire his policies (Perspective, 10 February). Nor can they accept that he’s a convicted fraudster, rabble rouser, lacking integrity, morality and, as the airplane/helicopter disaster showed, he hasn’t a clue how, in all decency, to respond to a major catastrophe. Or to comfort those who lost family or friends in the crash. Trump’s vindictive moves against those who investigated him before the election, like the FBI – and threats of tariffs against Canada, and other nations which don’t bend to his will – brings out the dictator he’s always intended to be. Many feel he’s a serious threat to democracy. I agree. Remember, this man lies at the drop of a hat, promises are made to be broken, truth is a stranger. What is there to admire?

Doug Morrison, Tenterden, Kent

Save aid body

Working hand in glove with Elon Musk, his new “Efficiency Czar”, Donald Trump shot from the hip last week when he issued yet another Executive Order, putting a block on foreign aid, shutting USAID's Washington headquarters and announcing that many employees worldwide will be placed on administrative leave.

Set up in the 1960s under John F Kennedy, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) presents a different face of America to the world, the antithesis of Trump machismo. Employing around 10,000 people and with a budget of $40 billion, USAID is primarily devoted to providing medical aid and healthcare programmes to some of the poorest communities worldwide. Examples of its project delivery include anti-polio vaccines, early prevention of dangerous viruses (ie those with pandemic potential), maternal healthcare and child protection.

From first-hand experience I know that USAID does much more besides, having worked with USAID over a ten-year period. This included several visits to Serbia and pre-war Ukraine – both economies in transition. The work focus there was on State building, promoting the democratic process, economic development and strengthening business and job creation.

Donald Trump need to rethink his approach to USAID. The clear and present danger is he throws the baby out with the bathwater because of “perceived” inefficiencies! I say keep the best of the baby, deal with any inefficiency, but please ensure, this is “evidence-led” rather than purely “gut-based”!

Ewen Peters, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire

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