Opinion Matrix: End the ‘hateful’ Old Firm ‘poison’
Thursday’s opinion columns covered the “poison” of the Old Firm rivalry, the state of Scotland’s railways, and flights undertaken by Scottish Government officials.
Scottish Sun
Columnist Bill Leckie said he wanted to see an end to the “poison” that sullies the Old Firm rivalry.
“If only Celtic, Rangers and the legions who live their lives through them could somehow bring a fresher, cleaner to how they behave each other”, he wrote.
“Because the one they’re poisoning the planet with right now stinks like rotting fish smothered in horse dung.
“And yes, it IS the planet they poison, not just this little country. Let’s never forget that these giant twin institutions are one of our most-visible exports, a product consumed by tens of millions around the world.”
He insisted that in his experience the atmosphere around the Rangers v Celtic fixture has never been as “hateful, vile, petty and sinister”.
“Tell me why fans can’t make a personal choice to support their own team rather than abusing the opposition, to see a victory as something to be enjoyed rather than an excuse to ram it up the other lot. Tell me why they can’t sing songs of praise for their own heroes rather than acting like savages towards the other side. Fact is, there is no reason.
“So, could 2020 be the year when, from boardrooms down, these two global brands finally clean up their act? Man, what a joy it would be if it was. But if not? Well, they’re both heading off to spend the winter break in Dubai.”
The Times
The newspaper focused on the annual introduction of higher train fare rises, saying the grumbling has been exacerbated by a sharply deteriorating service: thousands of trains cancelled as a result of a chaotic introduction of new timetables (for the second time); a strike in one region lasting a full month and disruption across several others; and the inability of some operating companies to run even two thirds of their services on time.
“What is clearly wrong is that those paying more each year should be offered services that are getting steadily worse. Fewer than half of passengers, according to surveys, are satisfied with the value for money of train tickets.
“Overcrowding continues to make commuting a daily struggle. And the arbitrary cancellations, failure to communicate with passengers and repeated laterunning of many services leaves those who depend on the railways to get to work furious, frustrated and in militant mood.”
Daily Record
The newspaper’s leader column also picked up on the railways theme, hoping for changes at the start of a new decade.
“The Scottish Government is under pressure to bring the service into public hands but on its own that’s no guarantee of improvement.
“More of us use the railways, and the travelling public and visitors demand a reliable, affordable service.
“The year ahead must come with improvements, and evidence the tracks are being laid for a network we can all rely on.”
The Scotsman
The leader column concentrated on the growing cost to the environment of the travel undertaken by Scottish Government transport officials, which it said “will no doubt cause some embarrassment” within their Victoria Quay and Buchanan House.
The paper said that Scottish Government transport staff were criticised for taking almost twice as many international flights last year as they did five years ago when they should have been “leading by example”.
New figures also revealed Transport Scotland officials took nearly 200 domestic flights, despite the Scottish Government’s target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 75 per cent by 2030, compared with 1990 levels.
“At a time when First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has declared a climate emergency and set the country a “world-leading” target of net-zero emissions for all greenhouse gases by 2045, it is not unreasonable to expect senior civil servants to set a good example to both their own staff and private sector partners,” the paper said.
“The 200 or so flights a year which Transport Scotland staff are racking up may not amount to a hill of beans in the grand scale of things, but it does leave the government open to accusations of talking the talk without walking the walk when it comes to environmental issues.”