RECENTLY we’ve seen two significant, and related, events. The last coal-fired power station in Britain was closed. This makes the UK the first G7 nation to phase out coal power. Prominent SNP, Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrats hailed this as a great day. Reform is the only major party which regards this as an act of huge and wilful self-harm by our governments.

Other countries are reconsidering their rush to Net Zero. Germany recently dismantled a wind power site to expand an open cast coal mine. Meanwhile Scottish Power has sent a leaflet to Scottish customers telling them how to prepare for “planned electricity power outages”. It state that “planned emergency power cuts are unlikely and would only happen when all other options have been considered, or there is a need to deal with a major energy supply shortage”.

This may be the first time since the miners’ strikes and the three-day week in the 1970s that electricity customers have been warned to prepare for planned outages. Those of us who remember those days will not look forward to this brave new world with enthusiasm.

Helen McDade, Pitlochry.

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No, we along the A9 will not chill

I’M afraid that Mark Smith ("It may be time to admit the truth and stop the dualling of the A9", The Herald, October 19) displays his ignorance about the A9 accident causation; a fairly typical central belt journalistic narrow-mindedness; and a total lack of empathy for people who live along the A9.

A recent report by a senior police officer to Highland Council revealed that a disproportionate number of the serious accidents have involved foreign tourists in general and Americans in particular. Suggesting drivers should just chill does not cut it.

Local people like myself who live near accident black spots are definitely not chilling. We are aghast, yes at broken SNP promises, but we have seared in our memories the horrendous sound of metal hitting metal and the frequent blue lights and sirens heralding the arrival of our emergency services to clear up another unspeakable mess.

The rising cost of the A9 is well known in construction circles to be largely due to the coming together of political and procurement incompetence. We knew locally from leading civil and structural engineers long before Covid, that maintaining the fiction of the original 2025 deadline was a political lie.

How many more lives have to be lost on the A9 before smart-alec journalists accept that they might be a little too clever for their own good?

Ian Gibson, Newtonmore.

Intimidation from Dame Esther

"WILL you force me to fly to Dignitas to die alone?"

Dame Esther Rantzen's most recent remark, in a letter sent to Wes Streeting for daring to declare his distaste for a law on assisted dying, is nothing short of psychological intimidation. Should her sense of entitlement, which derives from her position as a respected and iconic broadcaster, upon which she has traded for several months now to capture the headlines on this topic, dictate that the law she would like to see on the statute books must come to pass?

Everyone has great sympathy for the terminal condition of stage four lung cancer that she is suffering from and no one would wish to see her ending her days in excruciating pain. But the door is always open to her to opt for palliative care where pain relief will be on offer to minimise any physical torment coming her way.

Furthermore, she would not have to die alone in a hospice where her relatives and friends could gather to be with her in her final moments when she is slipping into irreversible unconsciousness.

While she advocates what she considers the compassionate choice, she should take into account that she will be guilty of opening the door to major extensions of assisted dying despite the supposed stringent safeguards surrounding such a law in its initial stages, if such a law comes into force.

Dignity in death is important but it should be supervised with compassionate care under proper medical supervision in a hospice with access to the most effective pain relief medications to ease the patients' pain on their way out of life.

Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.

Dame Esther RantzenDame Esther Rantzen (Image: PA)

Don't stigmatise trans victims

THE split between Glasgow and Clyde Rape Crisis and Rape Crisis Scotland ("Glasgow Rape Crisis Splits from Rape Crisis Scotland over trans policy", heraldscotland, October 24) is certainly a heavy subject for many of us, especially as it raises questions about how we best support survivors.

In navigating this difficult terrain, it’s important that we remain mindful of the pressures faced by the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans women, as well as the concerns expressed by survivors of trauma. We can all agree that every survivor deserves safe spaces to heal, but the way forward need not be through division. Rather, it can be through fostering a spirit of growth and understanding.

The debate around trans women accessing rape crisis services has become overblown, often missing the real issue: ensuring that all survivors are surrounded by support and compassion. Using survivors as a way to attack trans people doesn’t help anyone.

This isn’t about imposing one group’s needs over another, but rather about finding ways to meet all needs in a way that honours everyone’s dignity. Let’s not feed into the notion that there’s no room for change or collaboration. In fact, embracing new ideas and exploring how we can serve survivors of all backgrounds better should be seen as a source of strength.

Heather Herbert, Aberdeen.

Inconvenient truth

SANDY Wright (Letters, October 24) airs the business of inept and unthinking public bodies who apologise “for any inconvenience caused".

Apologists need to tell us the truth, and apologise for THE inconvenience caused.

Gordon Casely, Crathes.

Maturity can come late

UNUSUALLY, I find myself in agreement with Jill Stephenson (Letters, October 24) on the age of maturity. I consider myself a late developer, not graduating until the age of 65 being evidence of that. I sometimes recall events of only two or three years ago and blush at my callowness; I think the age of 74 would be a suitable age of majority. For the record, I am 75.

John Jamieson, Ayr.

For the upper crust?

IAN Hutcheson’s dilemma in ordering a lunchtime sandwich (Letters, October 24) reminds me of the difference between a toastie and a panini. It’s about £2.

Steve Brennan, Coatbridge.