Readers’ letters: Energy transition will require painful sacrifices

Fredrika Klarén is incorrect in claiming that an energy transition can be sacrifice-free (Perspective, 7 August).

The point that electric cars are cheaper to run is only true provided politicians do not tax electricity in a similar manner to petroleum or diesel. Holyrood will not cut the NHS budget to cover the loss of income once there is a massive shift to electric cars.

The claim that “electric vehicles run on energy that can be produced locally” takes no account of dunkelflaute weather conditions.

Politicians do not tax electricity for powering cars in a similar manner to petroleum or diesel (Picture: John Devlin)

No Green politician ever includes the cost of back-up power to keep the lights on when discussing theprice of wind energy.

The claim that “the transition to electrification is not about asking people to accept less. It is about giving them more control” fails to note that the biill comes with a £1 trillion Scottish debt. That will certainly hit the economy hard and results in high energy bills. Just evaluate the annual cost of 15,000 units of energy at 28p per unit.

Finally, there was no mention of the fact that the majority of cars are now manufactured in China, hence there is no strategic advantage for the Scottish economy.

Ian Moir, Castle Douglas, Dumfries and Galloway

Another layer

Stephen Jardine (Scotsman, 8 August) tells us that Edinburgh needs a mayor.

It already has local government, Holyrood, Westminster and not that long ago, an EU parliament – why would it conceivably need another layer of government, funded by the tax-payer, of course?

If the city’s problems are not being dealt with adequately, what does this say about the existing layers of control?

William Ballantine, Bo’ness, West Lothian

Nice to have

I think the possibility of travelling by sleeper to Paris or beyond (Your report, 5 August) is an exciting prospect. However, more mundane projects should take priority.

The promised upgrade to the Aberdeen-Central Belt line needs to be done. The line north of Dundee has Victorian semaphore signalling and it is single track to the south of Montrose, which causes delays.

Let’s focus on what needs to be done rather than what would be nice to have.

MJ Salter, Banchory, Aberdeenshire

Self-absorbed

The irony in Nicola Sturgeon popping up from her new home in London to plug her book at the Edinburgh Festival is simply breathtaking! No passport required and of course lower income tax rates in London for her earnings.

However, this irony is usurped by her own narcissism and self interest as she declares that JK Rowling is “that woman is obsessed with me” and that “she seems to be at war with me”. The simple and undeniable fact is that the only woman who is obsessed with Nicola Sturgeon is the woman herself.

Lower taxes

Alex Orr (Letters, 8 August) repeats the mantra that most Scots pay less income tax than taxpayers elsewhere in the UK. A whole £48 a year a less, in a tax rate designed to give an SNP sound-bite that can continue ad-nauseam. It almost implies we should be proud of that fact that most Scots earn less than the average income across the UK because that is the point at which that “lower tax” ceases.

I suggest it would be much better to grow the economy and provide well-paid jobs so that the sound bite becomes history. A thriving economy where job creation and risk-taking are encouraged so that the total tax take grows because that is what is important. It is the total tax take that will sustain strong public services and help those in need.

As we saw last week, the imposition 48p tax rate has had the opposite effect – it actually reduced the total tax take by an estimated £22 million. Not what the Scottish government intended! Thank goodness John Swinney has finally recognised the need to grow the economy, albeit 20 years too late. Then we can perhaps stop wittering on about Scots paying less income tax and say Scots earn more than elsewhere in the UK – even if they must ‘sacrifice’ £48 more in tax to do so. As a side benefit, we will have even more of the broad shoulders that Mr Orr seems to value.

Brian Barbour, Haddington, East Lothian

Back the police

In September 2022, armed police officers intercepted a vehicle linked to a serious firearms incident the previous day. When the officers approached the vehicle, its driver tried to ram his way out of the interception. One officer fired a single shot through the windscreen, leading to the driver’s death. It subsequently emerged that the driver, 24-year old Chris Kaba, who had a long history of serious crime, was the main suspect for the firearms incident.

Rather than being congratulated for protecting his comrades and the public, the policeman was put through 47 months of hell. He was prosecuted for murder and acquitted, his identity was revealed to the gangster’s associates who reportedly put a price on his head, and then he was subjected to police professional misconduct proceedings.

This persecution of police officers and indeed soldiers doing their duty must end. The establishment must re-learn what the public know implicitly: those who guard us while we sleep deserve our unequivocal backing.

Otto Inglis, Crossgates, Fife

Not funny

It will be to the whole of Scotland’s eternal shame if the Edinburgh Festival Fringe does not withdraw Amanda Knox’s so-called comedy, and to the eternal shame of anyone who goes to see it if it is not withdrawn.

Steve Hayes, Leven, Fife

Write to The Scotsman

We welcome your thoughts – NO letters submitted elsewhere, please. Write to [email protected] including name, address and phone number – we won’t print full details. Keep letters under 300 words, and in the body of the email – no attachments – and avoid ‘Letters to the Editor/Readers’ Letters’ or similar in your subject line. If referring to an article, include date, page number and heading. No poems.