Readers' Letters: Use road dualling money to end bed blocking crisis

Scottish government figures show that between 2020 and 2023 there were 22 deaths on the A9, 15 on non-dual carriageway sections. All excess. The cost of dualling the rest of the A9 is estimated at about £4 billion, with completion in 2035.

Perhaps if the Scottish government spent some of this money on building and funding care homes and adequately funding social care we could save a huge number of excess deaths by removing the bed blocking crisis. Compared to the cost of dualling the A9 this seems a far better use of Scotland's funds to save lives. Unfortunately, I don't think we will be asked how we would like to spend our money to save lives.

(Dr) Gordon Scott, Edinburgh

Turnabout

It's amusing to observe the cyclical nature of history. Back in 2023, Keir Starmer dealt Boris Johnson a decisive blow by exposing his bias towards Christopher Pincher, who had been accused of sexual assault. Starmer pointed out that Johnson was fully aware of Pincher's behaviour and asked how he could have promoted him. Now, Peter Mandelson, the former British Ambassador to the United States, has become Starmer's Pincher. The leader of the Labour Party knew about his associate's ties to Jeffrey Epstein prior to appointing him to his position.

However, even after this information became public, the Prime Minister allowed Mandelson to resign on his own terms rather than expelling him.

This scandal will be the final nail in the coffin of Starmer’s rule. Even before the scandal, he was setting historic records for public distrust, and now we are witnessing the rapid collapse of the Labour Party. Resignations of chief of staff Morgan McSweeney and communications chief Tim Allan are unlikely to remedy the situation. Bookmakers have already started taking bets on the next prime minister.

I wonder if Starmer remembers the history of those who were in his shoes? After all, Liz Truss once lost a longevity race to a lettuce, so perhaps the time has come to launch a new competition?

Iain Brocklebank, Glasgow

Tough choices

Never mind Keir Starmer’s future, what about Anas Sarwar’s future? Emergency press conference, Scottish Labour MPs and MSPs thrown into shock and disarray. The emergency press conference saw Scottish Labour Leader Sarwar flanked by a Saltire depicting the message: “Scotland’s choice”.

Don’t let anyone be deluded, this press conference was all about Anas Sarwar’s endeavours to enhance his chances of becoming Scotland’s first minister, but his actions have only served to split Scottish Labour and earn Mr Sarwar some new enemies from within. Mr Sarwar’s actions have effectively hung Scottish Labour out to dry with their loyalties now all over the place, some with Mr Sarwar, some with the PM.

And what has Mr Sarwar’s actions achieved at Westminster, throwing the PM and the Cabinet under the bus and all to no avail. Because if recent opinion polls regarding the Holyrood election are to come to fruition, Scottish Labour is sitting in third place.

Moving on to Mr Sarwar’s backdrop, "Scotland’s choice”, yes, it is Scotland’s choice, but should Scotland vote for a majority of pro-independence parties at the forthcoming Holyrood election, will Scotland’s clear choice for a second referendum be granted, or will the people of Scotland’s choice be ignored by the Westminster Labour government?

Catriona C Clark, Falkirk

Who’s kidding?

Anas Sarwar spoke the words many thought when he called for Keir Starmer to resign as Prime Minister. Sadly, his words backfired, as Starmer's Cabinet lined up behind him, demanding he should stay. Even Andy Burnham called for the party to unite behind the Prime Minister.

Who is kidding whom? It's blatantly obvious that the government, far less the Labour Party itself, are as disunited as ever. What would make them to come together is an election victory at the Gorton and Denton by-election on 26 February, which is unlikely, to say the least.

Mind you, miracles can happen, as the standing ovation given by the Labour MPs to Keir Starmer before he addressed them demonstrated. How that was stage-managed is another question altogether.

Anas Sarwar was right and had the courage to say so, unlike many of his colleagues. What is stated in public is very different from what is whispered in private.

What was obvious on Monday is still obvious on Thursday and that is that Sir Keir Starmer must go.

Ian Petrie, Edinburgh

Missed chance

For years Scottish pro-UK parties have failed to put forward compelling policies to defeat the SNP in elections which they win due to frustration and disillusion with UK governments and no viable alternative.

Anas Sarwar had the five years to change that, got himself and his party on the wrong side of the gender and energy industry debates, hasn't done the hard work of policy development, and voters have little idea what Scottish Labour stands for.

So now, looking for a quick fix to polls pointing to a 2015 general election-style wipe-out on May 7, he's calling for Keir Starmer's resignation as a way of wooing back deserters to Reform, the Lib Dems and the SNP, trying to show leadership and “independence” from Westminster.

Does he think the Scottish electorate came up the Clyde in a Ferguson's ferry boat?

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire

Knives out

In May 2015 Charles Kennedy described the loss of his longstanding constituency as “the night of the long sgian dubhs”. He faced a party revolt, led by Menzies Campbell, “Ming the Merciless”.

Sir Keir Starmer is now facing his own night of the long sgian dubhs, but this time it’s very different. Unlike with Charles Kennedy, there is no obvious successor. The knives may be out, but no one is clearly waiting to take his place, and that leaves a vacuum where authority should be. His party is also fragmented in such a way that it would take weeks or months before a leader – and likely a weak leader – would emerge.

The world is in turmoil, and now isn’t the time for fragmented leadership. It is a moment that demands stability, clarity and cooperation – for all parties to pull together rather than drift into internal chaos.

Judith Campbell, Portree, Isle of Skye

Stay sharp

The wettest rugby test Scotland ever played was back in 1975 at Eden Park in New Zealand. It became infamously known as the “Water Polo Test”. Last Saturday in the Eternal City ran Eden Park a close second in the water polo stakes – the ensuing defeat only the more painful as this was to Italy, an improving side, but no All Blacks.

The consensus among rugby pundits that the defeat was down to poor basics, especially at set-piece, left Scotland looking a literal washout. Pre-tournament dreams of an elusive Six Nations’ Championship title disappeared in Rome at first time of asking. Truly, “it never rains but pours” for Scotland!

Now we face the Auld Enemy, who travel north this weekend on a deserved high after trouncing Wales. While our recent Calcutta Cup record is well in credit, the odds on a home win are not short: if the team goes off half cocked, we’ll lose, and possibly heavily. To beat the odds, an 80-minute performance is needed, and, unlike Rome, our set-piece must fire on all cylinders; our defence must be totally unyielding; and our attack razor sharp – otherwise we’ll be the ones “sent home tae think again”.

How the Scottish support – and Gregor Townsend – need this one!

Ewen Peters, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire

Spring forward

We seem to be surrounded by doom and gloom. Chaos at Westminster and Holyrood, the royal family in disarray and, above all, perpetual grey skies and rain. What have we done to deserve all this gloom?

But take heart, look around us and see the first signs of spring, snowdrops appearing, the first signs of a return to the cheerful season of spring.

So, cheer up everybody, better times are coming, let us all rejoice!

Sandy Macpherson, Edinburgh

Deadlier than male

Jenny Lindsay writes that men “should confront their darkest core predatory urges” (Perspective, 9 February).

So tell me Ms Lindsay, what proportion of so-called “crime novels” (let's call them what they are, murder porn) are bought by women or borrowed from libraries by women in comparison to men?

The voracious appetite for murder in all forms of media has reached the extent we even have the obnoxious concept of the “cosy murder" genre for the Bearsden, Kilmacolm and Morningside set, where it doesn't matter how many characters get sent for premature dirt naps in gruesomely inventive ways, just so long as none of them ever cuss or have rumpy pumpy.

Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire

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