What's the point in holding inaccessible Commonwealth Games?

Ticket applications for the 2014 Games events at those major stadia were oversubscribed with sell-out crowds; the vast majority of those crowds will be unable to be part of the next event, and it is unlikely that the thousands of youngsters who could potentially have been encouraged into team sports such as hockey and rugby will be driven instead to weightlifting...

2026: The Inaccessible Games.

Steph Johnson, Glasgow.

• ALTHOUGH I was an enthusiastic volunteer at the last Glasgow Commonwealth Games I can see little point in hosting the downsized version in 2026.

It is impossible to grant this archaic sports festival any priority in the current financial climate: it is an extravagance we can't afford, with no social or sporting legacies.

The sports to be featured all have their own national, European and/or world championships; what will a Commonwealth title mean?

Allan McDougall, Neilston.

Read more letters:

• Glasgow is two cities: one for the middle-class and one for the rest
• Gordon Brown was one of the worst PMs Britain has ever had

Give Grangemouth Freeport boost

THE workers of Grangemouth refinery are fast becoming the first victims of the improperly managed “Just Transition” ("No promise of job elsewhere for Grangemouth workers facing redundancy", The Herald, October 18).

Despite the sterling efforts of Unite and the Keep Grangemouth Working campaign to raise awareness of their plight, it is becoming ever more obvious that the UK and Scottish governments are not going to devise a solution in time.

This issue has been on the political agenda since November, and was consistently highlighted at Westminster by Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey.

The formal political response through Project Willow only kicked off some months later and is expected to conclude mere weeks before the refinery is projected to close down; far too late to make appropriate transition arrangements for the affected workers.

The additional course funding at Forth Valley College is of course welcome, but the affected workers at the refinery are already skilled and highly qualified. A simple two- or three-day conversion course is unlikely to be sufficient to allow them to retrain for a suitable job: they will be looking at the technical postgraduate level courses which take a minimum 12-18 months to complete.

These workers are early and mid-career, and have families, mortgages and other commitments. What are they to live on while studying? Where are the jobs locally which may allow them to retrain on a day release basis? What assurances can be given to them about appropriate jobs being available once they have retrained?

The Scottish Government may yet be in a position to make a useful and timely intervention. At present the business case for the Forth Freeport is under consideration. Ineos has requested a significant amount of money to support the infrastructure investment in its transition activities (utility capacity and low-carbon hydrogen prep works), whilst conspicuously failing to request anything to support its workers. Contrast this with Babcock on the other side of the Firth, which has requested funding both for infrastructure (an upgraded energy system) but also for the upskilling of their workforce via the AGIC centre.

If the Scottish Government is serious in its commitment to protecting workers rights in the Just Transition, this represents a prime opportunity to refer the Freeport business case back for redrafting. This would allow for some of the available funding to be redirected into retraining and job retention for the refinery workers.

The workers of Grangemouth refinery do not have time to wait. The refinery is a key part of Scotland's industrial past and present; urgent action is needed to overcome the inertia and ensure it is part of a cleaner and greener future.

Amy Madden, Falkirk.

Dishonesty from Labour on tax

IT’S very commendable of Labour ministers to say that that they will not apply tax increases to working people. However, if they were being honest what they would say is that the tax increases that they are going to apply will not be applied directly to working people. What will happen is that tax increases applied to businesses, such as the heavily-trailed increase in employers’ National Insurance contributions, will, like any increase in costs, be passed on to working people by way of higher prices.

As usual, politicians seem to think that they can continue to insult the Great British Public with their misstatements without any comeback. Another prime example of this is that whenever they are criticised for withdrawing the winter fuel allowance they trot out the party line which infers that every pensioner will receive an increase in their pension of £900 per annum from April 2025 when in actual fact only one in eight pensioners will receive this amount. The other seven will receive significantly less.

Undoubtedly, the closing of tax loopholes is unlikely to affect “working people”. The highest rate of personal tax in Scotland is 48% which applies to income above £125,140. However with the right advice and planning it is possible to significantly reduce this. An excellent example of someone who gets the right advice and plans accordingly is the former Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who, in the tax year to April 5, 2024 declared total income of just over £2.2 million on which he paid tax of £508,308, an effective tax rate of around 22%. It has been suggested that the forthcoming Budget will tackle this apparent anomaly. We can but wait and see.

Alan McGibbon, Paisley.

JK Rowling's worrying stance

I NOTE with interest your article on JK Rowling's latest revelations ("JK Rowling reveals she turned down peerages twice after Badenoch offer", The Herald, October 22).

I am concerned that it glosses over the integral issue of transphobic sentiments present in our society, as can be traced in the remarks and actions of individuals mentioned therein.

In this era of progress and unity, it is crucial to unfold discussions that reinforce the respect, protection, and equality that the transgender community deserves. It is rather unfortunate that the article stayed silent on proffering any substantial critique of JK Rowling's worrying stance on transgender people, a subject that has seeded divisions among her fanbase and beyond.

Moreover, the presented view of the Cass Review is concerning. It's imperative to acknowledge that the review has been widely criticised for its inadequate methodology and subsequent policy changes. Those changes could have profound, potentially harmful impacts on youth experiencing gender dysphoria. The uncritical presentation of Ms Rowling's support for these controversial findings is a missed opportunity to shed light on the broader conversation of transgender rights and healthcare.

We must remember that it's not merely about taking sides on a debate. Rather, it's about ensuring the nuanced facets of the debate are addressed objectively and the voices of those directly affected by it are heard and not overshadowed.

Social discourse must move forward in the right direction, respecting all individuals' rights and fostering a society free of discrimination and prejudice. While articles like this are an essential part of public conversation, it is incumbent upon us as disseminators and consumers of information to ensure that those conversations are balanced, fair, and respectful to all.

Heather Herbert, Aberdeen.

JK Rowling (Image: PA)

Missed chance on care service

ROZ Foyer’s piece on why the STUC has withdrawn support for the proposed National Care Service ("Why we have walked away from the Care Service Bill", The Herald, October 21) comes as no great surprise. My surprise is that the STUC has been involved in the process for three years, a process that has been estimated to have cost £28 million.

The 2001 Regulation of Care Act (Scotland) had all the potential levers to make the changes to improve and make care services fit for purpose. But these being applied half-heartedly, while turning a blind eye to the serious faults in the care service (or should that be care industry?), has taken us to where we are. If Care Standards were rigorously applied, service users truly listened to and their care needs put first many care facilities would have been held to account, sanctioned and in many cases shut down. By regulators "keeping the buses running" over the past two decades they have been complicit in the spiralling crisis we are now in.

The belief that a new set of charters and guidelines will change this is both duplicitous and disingenuous. The vulnerable in our society deserve so much better.

Duncan F MacGillivray, Dunoon.