Readers' letters: Labour conference was a propaganda coup for Reform

Speaker after speaker could not stop themselves from making reference to Nigel Farage and Reform. And when it came to the PM’s speech, it was more of the same.

But it was Kier Starmer accusing the SNP, Reform and the Tories of wanting Britian to fail that I found offensive. Putting the SNP in the same bracket as Reform and the Conservatives is not only offensive, it is a contradiction of reality. After all it is the SNP here in Scotland that are promoting policies of social justice, equality and who are welcoming migrants, policies both Reform and the Conservatives oppose.

The PM’s speech was laced with missed opportunities. A call to scrap the two-child cap on benefits could have lifted many children and families out of poverty and given Kier Starmer a life-line which he badly needs.

Catriona C Clark, Banknock, Falkirk

PM’s straightjacket

Where would the Prime Minister be without Nigel Farage? His biggest obstacle in doing the right things to get the UK back on the straight and narrow – U-turning on net zero, curbing legal migration, rowing back on woke, anti-semitism and gender lunacy, reforming benefits and getting people into work – is his own party membership; MPs, MSPs and councilĺors actively working against him.

His unsaid message to the conference this week was “Look, if we don't sort this out not only will the country collapse before the next election, you are going to cause a Reform government you’ll all be out of a job and the Labour Party will join the Tories on the scrapheap.”

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Taxing issue

I am in the process of selling a second property that we had purchased as a buy to let as an investment to help fund retirement

We expected to pay the Scottish Government an element of our gain to help fund our schools, NHS etc. However, it appears that our gain is based on a straight price to sell the property minus the cost of buying with some allowances.

As we have had the property for a number of years on paper we have gained a reasonable sum but also during that time Inflation has reduced the purchasing power of our pound considerably. On that basis, it feels right that in our calculations there should be an offset percentage to take into account annual inflation on the value of our pound.

I shall be writing to our local MSP to suggest that some consideration should be given to introduce such a calculation for those having to calculate capital gains in the future.

Of course, that would reduce our governments’ capital gains income. However it might help focus minds as to the impact of inflation on the purchasing power of ordinary working people and pensioners.

A Lewis, Coylton, South Ayrshire

What a carve up

What a fascinating article (Scotsman, 1 October) about 12,000 year-old carvings discovered in the desert in Saudi Arabia. I am rather unsure how they were dated, as they are carved in stone and it isn’t possible to be very precise about such things unless there is an organic residue which can perhaps be carbon-dated. Nonetheless, very interesting.

There is a lot of speculation about the history and origins of the Sphinx, for example. One theory is that its body is actually worn by the action of water, meaning that it is at least 10,000 years old. If that is so, then the carvings in Saudi would give some weight to the theory, as they show “camels, gazelles and other animals” in just the same way that wall paintings in the middle of the Sahara show that it too was once a verdant space. Clearly and demonstrably, these are evidence of great climate change thousands of years ago with no human involvement.

It is such remains as these which demonstrate the utter nonsense which is the current fad for “climate change”, claiming that it is a new phenomenon. It has happened ever since the dawn of time and the remains of civilisations in South America as well as the Middle East show their collapse from the same cause many hundreds and thousands of years ago.

Peter Hopkins, Edinburgh

Clear for take-off

Ian Petrie is not happy that another runway will be built at Heathrow and also at Gatwick because they will create more greenhouse gases (Letters, 2 October).

Do those of a green disposition not realise that there are over 41,700 airports in the world and another 15 mega-airports under construction? Australia, Ethiopia, India, Philippines, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam and five in the United States. The one in Saudi Arabia will cost £2.3 billion.

I am sure that supporters of stopping climate change will be able to help negate all the additional greenhouse gases created by the construction and increased flights at these additional airports by eating less meat, buying an EV and heat pump and obviously not flying. Me? I am off for a tender steak whilst sitting at my warm gas fire.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow, West Lothian

Emissions test

It’s too early for panto season and too late for April Fools’ Day – yet that didn’t stop First Minister John Swinney from spinning another fairy tale.

Having presided over some of the most astonishing, bill-inflating energy policies in recent memory, Swinney now sets out his stall for an election waffle-fest. His latest fabrication? That energy would somehow be cheaper in an independent Scotland – despite offering no evidence when challenged. He’s not just being fanciful – he’s being economically incoherent.

His government’s obsession with wind turbines- and the colossal infrastructure needed to prop up a volatile, intermittent energy source – has driven up bills for consumers across the UK, not just in Scotland. With no guaranteed customers for his over-deployment of wind energy, Swinney is sitting on top of a volcano of constraint payments ready to erupt and blow our electricity bills into the stratosphere.

He and his Big Energy cheerleading English counterpart, Ed Miliband appear locked in a bizarre race to see who can silence communities and devastate our rural environment fastest – while doing nothing for energy security and everything for unaffordable electricity.

Swinney should be careful. He’s spinning faster than the turbines he’s so keen to spear into our cherished land and seascapes. With factoids flying and his trousers perpetually ablaze, it’s only a matter of time before voters ask whether he’s failed his emissions test.

Lyndsey Ward, Communities B4 Power Companies, Beauly, Highland

We need ships

Alexander McKay (Letters, 1 October) highlights the need to maintain our Scottish shipbuilding skills by continuing to build British warships in Scotland. Here’s why we must continue to maintain and ensure our modern Royal Navy must be capable of meeting fire with fire: back at the beginning of the year two Russian warships sailed the length of the English Channel. They were shadowed throughout their journey by HMS Somerset.

Scotland’s warship construction skills are needed now and will be long into the foreseeable future.

Doug Morrison, Tenterden, Kent

So predictable

Why did Scottish politicians not foresee that constantly vilifying Israel, and by default the UK Jewish community, would lead to the violence we have seen in Manchester?

Holyrood has been particularly anti-Israeli. Humza Yousaf and Ross Greer have been very outspoken, with John Swinney and even Anas Sarwar not far behind. Actions have consequences. This might not have happened in Scotland but how would any of these politicians know that? This incident ought to change minds at Holyrood. Sadly it won't.

Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

Condemnation

The attack on Jewish worshippers in Manchester on one of the holiest days of the Jewish calendar must be unreservedly condemned by all people. Jews should not be blamed for the actions espoused by the Israeli government. Let us work in unity and courage to extinguish the flames of antisemitism, Islamophobia, bigotries, harassment, gender stereotyping and intimidation from our midst.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London

Begging bowl

You couldn’t make it up. East Lothian SNP councillors want His Majesty’s government to pay for the restoration of the status quo ante regarding toilet facilities in schools. It was their SNP government, led determinedly by Ms Sturgeon, that dreamed up the notion of having mixed sex (‘gender neutral’) toilets in the first place, in contravention of existing equalities legislation. Yes, MSPs from Labour and the Liberal Democrats supported this measure, but the initiative and the driving force behind it came from the SNP and its Green allies in government.

When are legislators going to become personally liable for the costs incurred by legislation that is judged illegal? Why should the taxpayer always have to pay?

And when is the SNP going to admit that Scotland needs the support of His Majesty’s government within the UK to maintain its standard of living?

Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh

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