Letters: It is wrong to try to pin the blame on UK politicians

Similar wide variations occur across the UK, so I can understand Nicola Sturgeon and the UK Government considering differing approaches on lockdown and resourcing that are regional or situation based, but why Scotland vs rUK?

What astounds me is the attempts to blame it all on politicians, and UK politicians at that. Undoubtedly there have been screw-ups, but little is made of the Herculean efforts to build the Nightingale hospitals, including one in Glasgow that will probably not be needed, arguably because the politicians’, experts’ and NHS strategies and efforts are working.

On Channel 4 last night (April 21), Professor Dame Anne Glover, the Glasgow-based former scientific adviser to the EU, opined that experts had been advising on the basis that this was a flu epidemic, did not advise lockdown earlier than it was carried out, and did not strongly propose mass testing.

Tellingly, she said it is the experts’ job to advise the politicians, but that politicians do not always want to hear. But in the case of Boris Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon they have by and large been following a strategy based on their experts’ advice.

Who can imagine either leader attempting to force us into a lockdown that the estimable Jason Leitch, for example, said wasn’t yet required, and in the face of public and press outrage?

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven.

HAVING watched the excruciating performance of UK Heath Secretary Matt Hancock on Tuesday evening’s Downing Street briefing, I feel that I must agree wholeheartedly with the views expressed in Neil Mackay’s article ("Sturgeon must stop following UK and act to protect Scotland", The Herald, April 21).

Surely the present UK Cabinet must be one of the most incompetent on record. Despite the Tory Party being in government now for some 10 years it is utterly depressing that the leadership of the UK is so manifestly weak. It is tragic that a time of such national crisis we look in vain for Government ministers who can at least give a much-better impression that they know what they are doing. Instead the last few weeks have been characterised by missed opportunities, strategic mistakes, confusion, a failure to learn from the experience of others and a chronic inability to be honest with the public. I would absolve the Scottish Government from this criticism. Of course there have been mistakes and problems, but at least they are being tackled with an honesty and transparency sadly lacking elsewhere.

What a contrast with New Zealand. In today's edition you quote Helen Petousis-Harris, a vaccine expert at the University of Auckland ("New Zealand wins praise for containing virus and sets sights on elimination", The Herald, April 22) who very succinctly summarises the misery being endured in the UK. “The country (New Zealand) has managed to avoid the confusion and half-measures that had hampered the response in many other places…New Zealand got everything right…decisive action, with strong leadership and very clear communications to everybody.” What a contrast with Westminster.

A glance at the membership of Boris Johnson’s Cabinet helps explain why the UK is in such a dreadful situation with a shockingly high death rate. Mr Johnson has surrounded himself with a team of sycophantic young Brexiters with virtually no track record of successful ministerial responsibility. His vindictiveness on taking office has seen most of the Tories of experience and ability such as Jeremy Hunt, languishing on the back benches or, like Dominic Grieve, driven out of politics altogether. It is not decisive leadership on the part of the UK Government that is pulling us through. Rather it is the hard work, dedication and sacrifices of the devoted members of our NHS together with all those others support and care workers who are doing their best at great risk to their safety and emotional well-being.

Eric Melvin, Edinburgh EH10.

I WOULD have thought that if the Tory Party had any real sense of duty to the British public it would have invited the experienced Theresa May back into power as acting PM while Boris Johnson is hors de combat. I doubt, however, she would accept, having been stabbed in the back by the very same people.

The one good thing about the Covid-19 pandemic is that for the generation to come at least, the records of the time-line from the initial whistleblowing of Dr Li Wenliang until we find ourselves back to normality will be embedded in their psyche. We will not, I pray, have to require drills and exercises between pandemics, as next time we will be fully prepared. Won’t we?

What will be the date we stop clapping frontline staff every Thursday evening? I understand that Mr Johnson likes to quote the ancient Greek historian Thucydides. He would be better referring to Bertolt Brecht, who said: “Unhappy the land that is in need of heroes.” Thank goodness we still have so many ordinary people who can become valiant and heroic. The ordinary people of the UK have shone while our leaders have proved wanting.

It is, however, a lesson in preparedness that only 20 years after the signing of the Treaty of Versailles to formally end the “war to end wars” we were at war with Germany yet again. It is within the grasp of humanity to learn nothing.

Questions have to be asked, therefore, if the World Health Organisation has the power and capacity to effectively force the containment of another such viral outbreak to within its own zone? Perhaps there is the need for a newly-drafted international health treaty with robust penalties on all nations where they fail to act decisively and swiftly.

Bill Brown, Milngavie.

RECENT news of a significant number of deaths in Scottish care homes is deeply shocking. I have no doubt that the Scottish Government, just like the UK Government and others around the world, is doing its absolute utmost to minimise the terrible impact of the virus. But I would hope that, rather than cutting off journalists asking important questions at her daily coronavirus briefings, Nicola Sturgeon allows her decisions and those of her administration to be fully scrutinised.

Martin Redfern, Edinburgh EH10.

IT is clear that this country will be facing immense economic and social challenges throughout the years ahead. There is already a widespread recognition that much has to be done in order to restore public expenditure to a level appropriate for any enlightened country. For instance, no longer must those essential workers we celebrate each Thursday evening be refused decent levels of remuneration. No longer can we be indifferent to the consequences of 10 years of austere Conservatism for those at the margins of society referred to by David J Crawford in his letter of 21 April.

There needs to be a debate on the redistribution required to create a far less unequal society. That means that those of us who are in receipt of generous salaries and pensions must face up to the consequences for us of any such redistribution. This is not only a matter of sourcing the resources needed. It is a matter of demonstrating that we, the more fortunate, must admit that our relative prosperity is difficult to justify while child poverty, being one example among so many, is such a scandal.

I quote the recent words of the Bishop of Kensington. We must “learn the capacity to sacrifice our own desires for the sake of the wider community”, recognising that “maybe coronavirus is giving us a crash course in a different moral universe – one that might just be the saving of us.”

John Milne, Uddingston.

I WORK in construction in England and have done for four years due to the lack of work in Scotland: in England and Wales with the exception of TFL Projects in London, all construction work is still ongoing, builders merchants and manufacturing companies which closed initially have all now re-opened and operating sites have re-written their safe systems of work to ensure they are working safely within the Government's guidelines on social distancing, as is the case in Europe in Spain, Germany and Sweden as an example.

In Scotland this industry is currently at a standstill unless it is essential work; the construction of the Louisa Jordan hospital is one example. How come this £43 million project was delivered safely while all other construction work in Scotland is on lockdown?

A lot of construction work can be achieved with simple social distancing measure Ts. so why is the Scottish Government not looking to give this industry the same advice and support issued by the UK Government?his would be one industry that could start to support the Scottish economy immediately as well as many of the self employed who will not benefit from the UK Governments wages support schemes. The last thing the Scottish workforce needs now is further contraction of an already seriously diminished market.

On whose advice is the First Minister basing her Government's guidance when the industry is operating normally everywhere else?

John McWilliams, Coatbridge.

THERE appears to be growing unease in some countries about the part played by the Chinese government in allowing the initial spread of coronavirus.

The US state of Missouri is suing the Chinese government for "lying to the world’’ and "silencing whistle-blowers". The Chinese Embassy in Australia has accused Aussie politicians of joining in US orchestrated anti-Chinese rhetoric.

The last thing the world needs at the moment is a witch hunt and blame-pinning exercise, but anyone following events from the start would, I am sure, agree that the Chinese authorities have at the very least serious questions to answer.

At the end of the present nightmare, a thorough investigation is needed and lessons learned.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh EH6.

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