“DON’T poke the bear for he may bite you”; words that I heard as a child and couldn’t quite marry with the defeated and caged animal I had seen at Calderpark Zoo. Today it resonates for more pressing reasons.
The causes of the conflict in Ukraine are many and we in the West, unquestionably in my mind, have to take our share of the blame in our quest to push our sphere of interest and control ever eastwards. We may be reasonably close to Russia geographically but we are largely ignorant of its culture and history, save that it will always fight like a savage bear to defend its interests.
The lack of any serious peace process in the last 1,000 or so days is a shocking indictment of the political class at a time when no sane person believes that war solves anything other than the interests of those who benefit financially.
The actions of, inter alia, President Biden, Keir Starmer and others in agreeing to the use of their countries’ weapons in targeting sites in Russia have simply escalated the conflict to a dangerously new level ("British-made Storm Shadow missiles shot down by Russians", The Herald, November 22). Is it worth doing that if the purpose is principally to destabilise the next US administration? Are we really reduced to that level?
So what lies ahead? Full-scale war? Years of attrition and sabotage? Increasing proxy wars across the globe? Whatever the answer there seems to be little chance of meaningful lasting peace. What price on President Trump being able to deliver this?
We the people do not want war. We seldom do as our graveyards are full of the young boys we sent away and who paid the price and I don’t want my own boys to follow that blood-soaked path.
Britain wasn’t prepared for the pandemic and we are far less prepared for a war. We are a small crowded island and an enemy could cripple us with a handful of carefully-placed nukes. Blitz spirit would count for little in a nuclear wasteland.
What civil defence structures are in place to protect and help us? The Swiss have bomb shelters for their entire population but who amongst us knows where our nearest one is?
Ours is not to think and ours is definitely not to complain and challenge the UK Government. There are penalties for those who dare.
All I can do is plead with our leaders, elected by a whopping 20% of the electorate, to stop sharpening their sticks and resist the temptation to poke them through the bars at the bear on the other side. He will bite at a time and place of his choosing.
Fraser Kelly, Glasgow.
• I WAS pleased to see your Letters Pages today reaffirming my faith in the general good sense of people and their opposition to the ongoing horror in Palestine and Lebanon.
Whilst the globetrotting Keir Starmer squeaks about Ukraine one of your correspondents rightly points out that the carnage is miniscule compared to that in Gaza over the past year and even proportionally that in just a few weeks in Lebanon. Terrifyingly the ultimate lame and clearly senile duck occupying the White House wants to go out with a bang and most of our politicians don't seem to understand that this means a direct Nato confrontation with Russia, something we have been told for years wouldn't need to happen because of the billions of pounds which have been poured into our non-independent nuclear "deterrent".
The Prime Minister pledges that he is prepared to participate in such a confrontation. We already know his selective interpretation of human rights (Ukrainians are human, Palestinians aren't) but in this situation I'd seriously rather have one of your letter writers in charge.
Marjorie Thompson, Edinburgh.
Read more letters
- So Trump wants to make the US isolationist? Oh please, bring it on
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Be under no illusion: Russia is out to expand its empire
Honouring Slater is an insult
I FIND it utterly astonishing that Lorna Slater was honoured at your Scottish Politician of the Year event, winning the ScottishPower Green Champion Award ("Labour bags Politician of the Year award for third successive time", The Herald, November 22) given her disastrous handling of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The chaos she unleashed on Scotland’s drinks producers, hospitality, and retail sectors is well documented, with countless hours of senior management and staff time wasted navigating a poorly conceived plan that lacked proper consultation with businesses. This mismanagement undoubtedly affected productivity, output, and growth across Scotland and the UK during the DRS saga.
On top of this, taxpayers now face the prospect of covering the costs of a £200 million lawsuit from Biffa, which claims Ms Slater’s mishandling of waste contracts caused significant financial damage. If the case is successful, it will be the public who must bear the cost of her incompetence: another stark reminder of the wider consequences of her failings.
Ms Slater’s refusal to take responsibility for the failure of the DRS, choosing instead to repeatedly blame Westminster, is as frustrating as it is disingenuous. The reality is that this scheme collapsed due to her own inability to plan, consult, and implement effectively. It is galling that she has never once apologised to businesses for the chaos she caused, particularly during one of the most challenging periods in recent history for SMEs.
To celebrate her at your awards is an insult to every business leader, employee, and entrepreneur who bore the brunt of her mismanagement. Recognition should be reserved for those who lead with accountability, humility, and an ability to deliver results; not for those who create chaos and deflect blame.
Blair Bowman, Edinburgh.
Flynn's lack of political nous
THE SNP Commons leader Stephen Flynn, having previously savaged Tory politician Douglas Ross for being both an MP and an MSP, has now retreated from his intention to do precisely the same, stating "I got it wrong" ("Stephen Flynn ditches plan to seek dual mandate to become MSP", heraldscotland, November 22). Indeed he did, according not only to opposition politicians but many significant figures within his own party. Previously, he was guilty of shocking double standards and rank hypocrisy; now seemingly, he's merely admitting to a stunning lack of political nous and gross stupidity.
Martin Redfern, Melrose.
• I WELCOME Stephen Flynn’s decision not to stand for two parliaments. I hope now that all second jobs will be outlawed for those wishing to stand for Westminster or Holyrood, or who get remunerated from the public purse as a “working” peer. I suspect, though, that those who wish to ban “double jobbing” would not have that in mind, when they have a nice little earner in the City or the law courts or get a retainer from a trade union or charity.
GR Weir, Ochiltree.
Time to devolve employment law
AS ever, when The Herald does a week-long series on a single issue space it does it well. I have in mind the latest articles this week about legal aid, a devolved subject ("Beyond breaking point: Scotland's legal aid crisis", November 18-21). Employment law meantime is a reserved matter to the UK Westminster Parliament; I am with the excellent Roz Foyer of the STUC as reported often in The Herald and wish Angela Rayner would devolve it to Holyrood. I am a member of the Labour Party that promises that devolution of powers runs through our DNA.
I am delighted that my party is tackling various areas of workers' rights and when enacted workers can only hope that employers act in good faith and comply with the spirit and letter of the law.
But that is where we come unstuck. Whilst these rights will exist in principle what happens when the wheels come off the wagon and employees have to revert to the Scottish employment tribunals? There they will find that the SNP Government refuses to extend legal aid, a deliberate choice. What this means in practice is those who may just have lost their job and have limited or no savings face a David vs Goliath situation where David is the inevitable loser. The giant employer has expert lawyers available to them and costs of fancy lawyers do not hold back recalcitrant employers.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has made it clear he will act differently to Keir Starmer where appropriate and in Scotland's interests So let's devolve employment law now and let Scottish Labour march into the Scottish elections promising improvements in employment law and workers' rights alongside legal aid protection to safeguard the right to pursue disputes.
Douglas McBean, Edinburgh.
Bonnyrigg Rose an easy target CRAIG Fowler in his piece on Bonnyrigg Rose (“Bonnyrigg’s steep punishment is as ridiculous as it is pointless”, Herald Sport, November 18) is bang on. It’s unbelievable the SPFL has punished the community-led club with a six-point penalty because of its sloping pitch, when it has already spent over £220,000 to make the ground suitable for Scottish League 2. It was granted a bronze licence when it entered the league two and a half years ago but has been downgraded to entry level. Not good enough, say the league bosses. They don’t explain the reasons behind the change and there is apparently no appeal.
They, and Bonnyrigg, want a level playing field. Fair enough and Bonnyrigg would prefer a synthetic pitch to allow hundreds more children to play football seven days a week, like Spartans in Edinburgh, while providing a surface for the club to train and play. The club was working towards its goal, although it is not the richest club around. Out of nowhere, when on the pitch the club is improving year by year, comes the points deduction mid-season. The league should be in business to support such community clubs, not punish.
You can’t help feel the league is picking the easy targets, not clubs higher up the pyramid with surfaces deemed almost unsafe or unplayable. They delay their pitch renovation plans without sanction.
As Craig Fowler says, football in League 2 is “about enjoying football in its purest form”.
I went along in 2016 to the Bonnyrigg-Dumbarton Scottish Cup tie after over four decades without visiting a junior ground. It was a revelation with 1,552 fans around the same park graced by Sean Connery and Pat Stanton. It is history.
And if you want to watch football with virtually all Scottish players, go along to League 2 matches.
David Henderson, North Berwick.
Laughter the best medicine
I WAS recently looking at TV listings and it dawned on me that great comedies like Blackadder and Porridge are no longer being produced or offered. This inspired me to look into scientific research into the benefits of laughter.
A 2023 paper lead-authored by Caroline Kramer concludes that “spontaneous laughter is associated with greater reduction in cortisol levels as compared with usual activities”.
Where does cortisol come into it? A 2020 study led by Carol Jones states “cortisol has been indicated as a factor in numerous chronic conditions” including weight gain, skin changes, mood swings, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus.
Bring comedy back.
Geoff Moore, Alness.
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