Letters: It’s time to take on the outlandish claims of Scottish nationalists

SIR – The SNP MSP Emma Harper has suggested that a hard border between Scotland and England would create jobs (report, May 2).

Just as we were recovering from this silly assertion, Alex Salmond now argues that, in the event of independence, Scotland should refuse to take on any share of the UK national debt (report, May 4).

What voters in Scotland desperately need is an authoritative economic assessment of the likely costs of independence – not this ridiculous and misleading posturing.

Dr John R Drummond
Cellardyke, Fife

SIR – Though I am married to a Scot, I find it astonishing that we English maintain such a high degree of affection for Scotland in the face of the nationalists’ hostile rhetoric.

There is no acknowledgment of the support that Scotland receives through the outdated mechanism of the Barnett formula and other pro-Scotland policies. Nor is there any recognition of the world-beating security, covering the entire UK, provided by our Armed Forces, GCHQ and the security services. What does the SNP intend to replace these with, and at what cost?

I hope the Scots are sensible enough to reject the party’s populist negativity.

Jeremy Lane
Black Bourton, Oxfordshire

Watch: Scottish party leaders make their final pitches to voters in TV debate

SIR – Boris Johnson plans to spend billions of pounds on Scotland in order to “save the Union”.

Does he not realise that, if you pay a blackmailer, she will only come back for more? All he is doing is encouraging waverers to vote SNP in the hope of even more goodies.

Michael R Jolley
Ormskirk, Lancashire

SIR – While I agree that the potential break-up of the Union is something that the whole of the UK should be able to decide on (Letters, May 4), I fear that a majority of English voters would be happy to see Scotland go.

The referendum question would need to be carefully worded, too. “Should we preserve the Union?” may prompt a different response from “Should Scotland be independent?”

A C H Irvine
Grantham, Lincolnshire

SIR – Scotland is similar in size to South Carolina. If South Carolina broke away from the US, where would it figure on the world stage?

The US is a country of 50 states, covering 3.8 million square miles with a population of 328.2 million in 2019. By air, Washington to San Francisco is 2,435 miles, Washington to Austin, Texas is 1,318 miles, and Washington to Anchorage, Alaska is 3,356 miles.

The UK effectively has four “states”, covering 93,638 square miles with a population of 66.65 million in 2019. The distance from Aberdeen to London by air is 398 miles. If a country 40 times larger than us, with five times as many people, can make it work, why can’t we? Let’s all pull together.

D A Glass
Leiston, Suffolk

Vaccines and travel

SIR – Julia Sharpe (Letters, May 2), writing about summer travel, thinks it would be shameful if the young were disadvantaged yet again “in favour of the vaccinated elderly”.

As one of the latter, I wish to point out that the young have many years ahead of them to travel. We too may miss out on another summer without travel at a time in life when every day is a blessing. We have also endured lonely hours to “save the NHS” for those who needed it, some paying the ultimate price.

Those who are still waiting for a vaccine are in the low-risk category and will not have to wait long. I suggest looking at the bigger picture.

Ann Jackson
Maidstone, Kent

SIR – Boris Johnson has said there is a “good chance” he will scrap social distancing rules on June 21 (report, May 4), but will this also be for MPs?

Since March 2020, ministers have ruled by diktat, with a socially distanced parliament reduced to a cipher, using video links and proxy voting. We need MPs back in the House and talking, so that they can hold the Government to account and restore a working democracy.

Michael Staples
Seaford, East Sussex

Watch: Daily politics briefing. - May 5

Flat owners trapped

SIR – Shame on our MPs for passing the incompetent and incomplete Fire Safety Bill (Letters, April 30).

Huge numbers of flats across the country require urgent remedial treatment, and the £5 billion allocated by the Government to assist these essential repairs is totally inadequate.

Many flats have already been declared unsafe and owners are having to fund 24-hour “fire watch” services so that they can live safely in their own homes. It is not only poor-quality cladding that poses a risk, but also the use of inappropriate materials for balconies and general insulation. Even quite recently completed buildings have not been equipped with adequate fire breaks, or sprinkler and alarm systems. These faults must be rectified.

Leaseholders who bought in good faith are now trapped in their properties – unable to sell or insure them or move out. They face crippling financial bills, possible bankruptcy and even homelessness. The Government must urgently address the full cost of this disgraceful situation, and also ensure that the construction industry foots some of the bill.

Patrick B Osada
Warfield, Berkshire

Driverless disparity

SIR – I consider it utterly ludicrous that we should consider allowing self-driving cars on the roads (report, April 28) when we still have drivers on trains.

Gerry Woods
Havant, Hampshire

Extreme golf

SIR – During my golfing days in Rhodesia (around 1964) I played at Victoria Falls, where the pro offered hand towels inscribed with the local golfing by-laws.

For example, if an elephant trod on your ball, it could be replaced without penalty; if wild pigs bit a chunk out of your ball, it could be replaced without penalty; if lions appeared, you could retire beyond the three-minute delay without penalty.

There were 10 such rules, but I am afraid I can’t remember them all, and I gave my towels away as presents.

Mick Wood
Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

Political police

SIR – When police and crime commissioners (Letters, May 2) were introduced in 2012 we were assured that they would be independent (presumably this meant non-political) and cheaper than the county council police committees they replaced.

From the outset, political parties have fielded candidates and canvassed for their election, and on taking office these commissioners quickly built up their own little empires – on top of their own salaries ranging from £70,000 to £100,000.

What good have they done for policing? How much money have they saved? How independent are they? Can anyone answer these questions before we vote tomorrow?

Christopher Whitfeld
Blandford Forum, Dorset

Income tax sting

SIR – Sam Brodbeck (Money, May 1) compares American income tax rates with “our highest rate – at 45 per cent for income over £150,000 a year”.

In fact, the highest marginal rate of UK income tax is currently the 60 per cent applying between £100,000 and £125,140 – the result of 40 per cent direct tax and the reduction of the personal allowance by £1 for every £2 of income above £100,000, until the allowance becomes zero.

Christopher Johnson
Maidenhead, Berkshire

Worth the weight

SIR – I keep a number of old keys (Letters, May 3) on my key ring, because their sheer size and weight make it almost impossible for it to go missing from my trouser pocket.

Gordon Moser
Barkingside, Essex

SIR – My father saved empty cardboard boxes up in the attic “to keep the come-in-handy in”.

Joanna Sharpe
Pitton, Wiltshire

SIR – While clearing an elderly uncle’s house we found a box labelled “All the razor blades I have used since 1975”. He was always very well turned out.

Tom Gadsby
Cublington, Buckinghamshire

SIR – When clearing out my late father’s bungalow a number of years ago, I accidentally loosened the panel at the side of his bath. Inside were a dozen pairs of old shoes.

Pam Haycock
Slindon, West Sussex

Creepy-crawly culprit for box plant balding

SIR – Camilla Tominey’s balding box plant puzzle (Comment, May 1) is solved by an excellent article – with remedies – in this month’s edition of the Royal Horticultural Society’s The Garden: it’s box blight or attack by the box moth caterpillar.

I commend RHS membership: it gives free advice upon receipt of samples of plant mysteries.

Peter Saunders
Salisbury, Wiltshire

SIR – The caterpillar of the box hedge moth is a recent invader from overseas and a big problem at the moment. I recommend spraying hedges with TopBuxus XenTari insecticide, which is available online.

It won’t help areas already stripped by the grubs, but will prevent further damage.

Guy Newman
Chalfont St Giles, Buckinghamshire

Years of inaction led to the crisis in social care

SIR – Sir Andrew Dilnot and Jeremy Hunt (Comment, May 1) are by far the best qualified to point out the deficiencies in government policy regarding social care.

Sir Andrew’s report has been ignored since it was published in July 2011. Mr Hunt became health secretary a year later and occupied this key policymaking Cabinet position until 2018. Am I alone in wondering why he did nothing in more than five years, but now feels qualified to criticise his successor?

The Dilnot report is not a political football; its findings point out the discrimination being perpetrated on the elderly. Lack of action by Mr Hunt, and his successors, has cost my 97-year-old mother everything that she and my late Battle of Britain pilot father built up in their years together following the Second World War.

Dr Michael A Fopp
Soulbury, Buckinghamshire

SIR – Sir Andrew Dilnot and Jeremy Hunt want taxpayers to pay for everyone’s lifetime social care costs in excess of £45,000. They complain that, under current arrangements, 50,000 dementia sufferers have to sell their homes every year to cover their cost of care. What they don’t mention is that nobody has to sell their home for as long as their spouse is still living there. The local authority must foot the bill if one partner has to go into a care home. Only when the home is no longer needed by either party does it have to be sold.

I struggle to see why it is unreasonable to expect people to draw down capital they no longer need to pay for care they now require. Nor do I understand how it can be justifiable to require taxpayers to fund other people’s care costs so they can leave bigger bequests to their children.

Peter Saunders
Hastings, East Sussex

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