Burngrange remembered
I write to thank everyone involved in last Saturday’s very moving memorial service held in West Calder to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Burngrange mining disaster where 15 men lost their lives.
The service co-ordinated by the West Calder Community Development Trust brought together people, young and old from across the community to remember those who gave their lives in such a dangerous and hard industry.
The presence of relatives of the deceased men, so many school children and The West Calder and District band made the event very poignant and memorable.
Whilst the shale and coal mines may be gone events like this ensure that the culture and heritage of the industry remain engrained in our communities. Well done to the organisers and everyone who turned out to support the service. Neil Findlay, MSP Lothian (Labour).
Concern over pensions UK Chancellor Philip Hammond MP has recently been quoted as predicting that after 2020 it will no longer be possible to maintain the ‘triple lock’ on state pensions.
This is the commitment that annual pension increases will be determined by the highest of - price inflation, earnings growth and 2.5 per cent. It is easy to understand the Chancellor’s prediction when we consider the obscene amounts of our money being spent by the UK Government - whilst we remain part of the Union - on ‘vanity’ projects such as renewing nuclear weapons that can never be used and on pursuing military adventures around the world in a vain attempt to pretend that we are still a ‘world power’. Contrast this with the commitment by the SNP that in an independent Scotland the triple lock will be maintained indefinitely. And before anyone asks “how could you afford that”, it has to be pointed out that once Scotland was a nation again, after independence, we would no longer be paying our share of the enormous cost of Trident renewal and no longer paying our share of the huge cost of upgrading the Houses of Parliament.
In addition, tax receipts from North Sea oil - although currently less than a few years ago - would be retained in Scotland instead of, as at present, disappearing into the black hole that is the London Treasury without ever touching the sides. The moral is quite clear- if Scots wish to protect the value of their state pensions, the only way is to vote for independence next time.
Anyone wishing to be kept informed about pensions and the case for independence is invited to contact pensioners for independence at pensionersforindependence@gmail.com. Peter Swain, By email.
Confusion on policies Are there two SNP factions?
It seems that there is one which says it is prepared to work with Labour in a progressive alliance at Westminster and another which sneers at Labout for being the third party at Holyrood and has encouraged the puerile slogan of ‘Red Tory Scum’. Presumably, given this sneering at Labour, the SNP MSPs must believe that the Tories are a preferable option. Progressive?
Then there are the London-based SNP MPs who continually tell Parliament how wonderful everything in Scotland is, while in Scotland the SNP are apologising for their failure in, among other things, the NHS and education. Would the real SNP stand up. A further plea is on behalf of those who are sick of constitutional issues.
Can we have this separation referendum and get it off the agenda one way or the other ?
Perhaps then the SNP can get on with the governance of this country and poor Nicola will be able to end her globetrotting and save on her expenses. Carol Houghton, Sycamore Drive, Whitburn.