Royals should pay own way
I am sure that many of you will be very concerned about the child poverty issues in our town highlighted in last week`s East Kilbride News (Child poverty figures still rising, pages 6-7).
As we continue to live through one of the toughest periods of austerity our country has ever had to endure, where we have local people who many of us all know queuing up at the several food banks across the town, we also have workers either receiving no rise in their pay packets or just a paltry amount to address increasing costs, while many employers also continue to erode individuals terms and conditions, but expect much more productivity from them.
What really sickens me is that the Queen and her family now want to refurbish Buckingham Palace, and surprise, surprise who do they want to pay for it, but us, to the tune of £369 million which is supported by this outof-touch Tory Government who have agreed to pay for it.
With properties in our own town of East Kilbride maturing, many are in now need of new roughcasting and roofs, where local people like myself have to find several thousands of pounds to have this work carried out and don’t just expect some other hard-pressed people to pay for it. We either have to dig into savings or borrow against the value of our assets to foot the bill, so why should the Queen be any different? She is also one of the richest individuals in the world.
The so-called ‘Royals’ could easily raise the revenue required by opening the palace to the public all-year round, as the Queen only spends around a third of her time in the building. But the ‘Royals’ have so far refused to extend its public opening.
I would encourage as many people as possible, if they are likewise-minded, to sign up to the online petition, which to date has collected some 85,000 signature’s UK-wide; that these welloff ‘Royals’ can afford to fund this refurbishment themselves, instead of taking the food out of the mouths of our children who are much more in need than them. Archie Buchanan SNP Councillor East Kilbride South ward
Hairmyreshospital
People waiting six months for cateract and nine months for surgical operations must be roaring with laughter, with fury in their hearts, at MSP Linda Fabiani’s placatory on Hairmyers Hospital (Political Column, page 22 in last week’s East Kilbride News).
My experience in the hospital has been good but you have to get in to experience it Government have more to do than debate the cost of Toblerone bars. Hugh McLean via email
Asignofthetimes
Had to laugh at last week’s story about a closed sign being put in the wrong place at East Kilbride railway station (Car park mix-up confuses motorists, page 12).
Never mind arriving in a train on time. We can’t get parked up to get it! ‘Commuter’ via email
LestWeForget
May I thank those who organised the Remembrance Weekend services in the area (Salute to fallen heroes of war, pages 18-19 in last week’s East Kilbride News).
Given the turbulent events in the world throughout 2016, the services were both a timely and sombre reminder of the consequences of real conflict and the debt to which we owe those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Name and address supplied