Skewed logic
COLIN Hamilton’s qualified support for major reform of the House of Lords and the introduction of proportional representation for Westminster elections (Letters, 28 April) is welcomed and I presume he agrees that these objectives are more critical to progressing UK democracy than whatever policies political parties adopt to encourage internal discipline.
That said, his apparent preference to believe “revelations” contained in a “secret dossier” and presumably other material that has miraculously been exposed by the mainstream media in the lead-up to the election on 7 May, such as the contents of a “leaked memo” at the Scotland Office, rather than the straightforward words of the UK’S most trusted political leader, perhaps may sway others to sincerely question who is wearing a “blindfold”.
Furthermore, Mr Hamilton, along with other anti-snp scribes, would seemingly also prefer to believe an Institute for Fiscal Studies report that has effectively been discredited by all of the major UK political parties than apply some basic common sense.
Is it plausible that more than £100 billion could be invested to stimulate UK growth over the next five years without achieving any additional economic growth?
Is it likely that a Westminster government borrowing slightly more to increase targeted spending and pursuing progressive tax rises, allied to a considerable reduction in expenditure on nuclear weapons, will add to austerity in comparison with the
implementation of policies promoted by the other main political parties?
Thankfully, increasing numbers of the Scottish electorate appear neither to have limited vision nor skewed logic. STAN GRODYNSKI Longniddry East Lothian house at least two families. The priest has a very big house and he could do with a housekeeper.
Then there is the local village hall. What about the town hall? Multiply that by the number of communities in Scotland and we clearly have room to shelter these unfortunates.
But do we have the will? Will we pass by on the other side? GEORGE MCGEEHAN
Girvan South Ayrshire
When it comes to total private and public sector investment the UK’S record on this is appalling, coming in 32nd out of the 35 most advanced economies in the world, a significant concern when it comes to the future prospects of the economy.
There needs to be a radical change in mindset and a focus on increasing both public and private sector investment, through modest public spending increases and additional borrowing.
This will see the deficit and the debt being cut, but on the back of sustainable economic growth.
Without such an approach the fragile foundations on which the economic recovery is currently based will quickly crumble.
ALEX ORR Leamington Terrace
Edinburgh people using this legislation, people who love each other and want publicly to declare their love and, by so doing, marry.
Has the committee considered why on earth any couple, of any gender, would want to be married by a church that doesn’t respect them?
Does anyone in the Kirk wonder why the numbers being married by the church are plummeting, why numbers married by Humanist Society Scotland are likely to overtake those getting married in the Kirk this year and why 70 per cent of the people who marry do so without involving religion?
Instead of worrying about hypothetical legal questions, perhaps deciding to show everyone equal respect might be a start. ROSS WRIGHT Albert Drive
Glasgow