Readers Letters: Another day, another disaster for Labour as Mandelson sacked

Hot on the heels of Angela Rayner leaving her post comes the loss of Peter Mandelson.

The unions are in revolt and Rachel Reeves is being torn apart between the unions and the management's priorities. Keir Starmer is looking increasingly isolated and his reshuffle was simply the same as that of the SNP, same faces, different positions and little hope of a better outcome, as we in Scotland know to our cost. In our current febrile political atmosphere with Gaza, Ukraine, increasingly out of control immigration, breakdown of law and order, assassinations in America and even the burning of a Labour MP's office, it really is time for a change of government.

Order has to be restored urgently. Labour cannot do this. Even in Scotland the SNP finds itself in a similar position except failing ministers are never sacked.

Peter Mandelson, who has lost his position as Britain's Ambassador to the United States, and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in happier times. Picture: Carl Court/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

At least here in Scotland we have an opportunity shortly for a new government. Can Westminster be far behind?

Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

Rethink Labour

Now that death is no longer the penalty for sheep stealing, and an HGV driver may earn £2,000 a week, for what does the word "Labour” actually stand in the name of a political party whose female officers dress as expensive mannequins and, in most cases, all of its office bearers are millionaires. I mean, which maltreated sector of the working class does Labour now represent? Indeed, is there a working class in the definitions of yesteryear? Surely everyone now gets a fair shake?

The answer to these simple questions must surely confirm what we already know, which is that socialism died with the collapse of the Berlin Wall, when the scales fell from the eyes of the economically oppressed, and they all simply got on with getting rich.

Labour is now simply a duplicate of what was once the UK “natural party of government” – the Conservatives – whose aim has always been to make themselves rich and all others prosperous in their creative wake.

I suppose the answer lies in that word “creative”. What does Labour actually create?

Malcolm Parkin, Kinnesswood, Kinross-shire

Focus on home

Being a nationalist First Minister of Scotland is fraught with difficulty.

First you have to berate Israel and, in doing so, make many Jewish residents in Scotland uncomfortable. Shortly after this, you have to manoeuvre a few minutes with Donald Trump, only possible with the permission of the dreaded UK Government and under the wing of the UK Ambassador in Washington, Peter Mandelson, currently in the news. In those few minutes with Mr Trump you have to argue the case for lowering US tariffs on Scotch whisky imports to the US. And that is after your own party had increased whisky taxes on its own people not so long ago.

Would it not be better, Mr Swinney, to forget about trips abroad and simply concentrate on the day job? Leave Gaza to the people in the UK who have the knowledge and the remit to do anything of even mild importance. Concentrate on the A9, et al, and ridding your administration of crippling incompetence.

Then, maybe, just maybe, you could convince some unconvinced Scots that nationalism is the best way forward.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Whisky galore

I note that John Swinney has entered the international circuit these days, apparently repeating his call for a cut on the USA tariff on Scotch whisky.

It appears that President Trump, in his usual unpredictable style, has decided to impose 10 per cent tariffs onwhat is often referred to affectionately as the “cratur”. This could well be another of Donald Trump's attempts to disrupt international trade.

But just how much rffect does this latest attention-seeking action by Trump have on world trade, or indeed the Scotch whisky industry? Fewer than a quarter of Scotch whisky distilleries, and the resulting malts/blends, are Scottish owned. Multinational Diageo is the largest owner, while many famous brands of whiskies are owned by Japanese companies.

“Honest” John has surely found a new role for himself as some sort of international spokesman for Scotch whisky, even if it will have little effect on matters concerning the future of Holyrood.

We can only wish him well!

Robert I G Scott, Ceres, Fife

Degree of caution

Proposals to merge universities as a response to funding shortfalls are not new (Letters, 11 September).

After winning a general election precipitated by a Labour Government's loss of a vote of confidence occasioned by the SNP voting with the Tories, Margaret Thatcher's attention turned to the universities. In 1981 Aberdeen was hit very hard with a 23 per cent funding cut. Its Principal decided a merger with the local Robert Gordon Institute of Technology would be a good thing.

Unfortunately the Robert Gordon Principal first learned about this from a journalist, not official channels, and the proposal was still-born.

Creating a super-university by mergers of institutions in the Central Belt, as suggested by Ian Godden (Letters,11 September), faces a very big problem; overcoming the deeply engrained competitive ethos of universities. For more than a century they have been fighting with their rivals for the best students and staff and the biggest research grants, stimuli, I would say, as drivers of excellence. And prejudice might come into it as well.

Toilet roll holders at the Glasgow University department where I used to work were decorated with graffiti which said "University of Strathclyde degrees, please take one".

Hugh Pennington, Aberdeen

Show strength

Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, the respected military expert, considers it is time to invoke Nato Article 5 in response to recent drone attacks on Poland. This after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed Poland invoked Article 4 to consult Nato allies on how to respond. De Bretton-Gordon argues that Nato no-fly zones in Ukraine are required to “de-escalate” Russian aggression from an emboldened Vladimir Putin fresh from his visit to China where he and President Xi presented a new world order to the Western powers.

It’s only a month since Donald Trump was seen clapping Putin on the red carpet as he welcomed him back on the world stage in Alaska. Since then Putin has pressed home his advantage over Ukraine, showing no sign of doing a deal with Volodymyr Zelensky. Meanwhile Trump has not followed through on responding with punitive sanctions on Russia. No action means no gain and Putin’s ramping up of missile and drone attacks on civilians going unpunished.

This further escalation is potentially very serious, with Tusk warning that Poland is at its closest to open conflict since the Second World World War, saying “a line has been crossed and it’s incomparably more dangerous than before”.

With Trump stepping back, Putin is testing the resolve of European allies to respond. Now is the time to ensure missile and drone defences are strengthened and show Putin they won’t get through next time otherwise he will escalate the Ukraine conflict to include its Nato neighbours.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Bright sparks

Tony Blair famously said, in 1999, of the role of Prime Minister, “you are in power but not in control”, referring to the perceived lack of real authority held by his office.

I was reminded of that this week when weak current premier Sir Keir Starmer was unable to transfer Green zealot Ed Miliband, his Energy Secretary, to the Housing portfolio, and so we Britons remain lumbered with the highest energy bills in the western world.

John V Lloyd, Inverkeithing, Fife

Own goal?

Another unelected person becomes the latest UK Minister of State for Investment. Following the resignation of Poppy Gustafsson from this post, the Prime Minister appointed Jason Stockwood as the Minister of State.

Like his predecessor, Stockwood joins the UK government as a non-member of both the Commons and the Lords. Like his predecessor, he will receive a life peerage.

As I write this the only information on www.gov.uk about Jason Stockwood is that he was appointed on 6 September. But by 7 September a football club’s press release told UK voters: “Grimsby Town Football Club (GTFC) can confirm that co-owner and vice-chair, Jason Stockwood, has recently been appointed as the UK’s minister for investment and will shortly take his seat in the House of Lords. To avoid any potential conflict of interest, and to ensure the club remains politically neutral, Jason will be stepping back from his day-to-day responsibilities at GTFC while he serves as a minister in the UK Government.”

The claim that the UK is a democracy is a joke.

E Campbell, Newton Mearns, East, Renfrewshire

Earn your place

So John Swinney says he welcomes migrants. Scotland always has, but that’s because they have applied to come and their skills have been assessed to make sure they contribute, rather than just take.

So why does he say the same about those coming illegally? They do not speak the language so can't work so will be on benefits. If they learn the language we do not have proof of their “skills” so can't employ them to fill the gaps in doctors, nurses and care workers which we do need. Perhaps he can explain his reasoningmore fully.

Elizabeth Hands, Armadale, West Lothian

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