Readers' Letters: How would a Badenoch government pay for a UK 'iron dome''?

If Ukraine had an effective air defence shield it would be well on the way to winning the war with Russia as Vladimir Putin would eventually give up

The fact that it hasn’t means more hardship for the people of Kyiv, so it seems welcome that the Tories are pledging £10 billion over ten years to create a Britannia Shield missile defence to protect “critical national infrastructure” from the type of drones and missiles that are getting through in Ukraine. How would Kemi Badenoch pay for the shield along with more childcare, more prison places etc? When pressed on this she said it would be through cuts, “especially welfare”. This is important as Ms Badenoch has pledged to keep the pension triple lock and prioritise getting young people into work ahead of, in her words, pensioners earning £10-12,000 per year. Moreover military experts consider £10bn will not touch the sides for a layered missile shield and it would be obsolete after ten years.

One general suggested the figure needed is £80bn for a multi-layered system, other experts claim the UK already has a defensive missile system.

UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to build a £10 billion air defence system named 'Britannia Shield', which was initially described by party officials as 'in essence, a British Iron Dome' (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

So how much of this is politics to create clear blue water from rival parties and how much is desperation? The Tories remain less popular than they were during the last election when they recorded their lowest ever vote share. Leading pollsters see an appeal to core Tory voters but this won’t attract Reform or Labour voters, they argue.

It feels a bit dishonest, rather like the late former Tory and best selling author Jeffrey Archer, of whom Kemi Badenoch said he “always had my back” and was “a wonderful person”.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Good news?

I have some good news for the SNP which may not be quite what the SNP think is good news. It's not just the vote in May when almost 44 per cent more Scots voted for unionist parties than for the separatists, but a recent posting on X by John Swinney, praising the SNP's NHS performance which was shot down in flames by users. Having a good friend who is in dire need of an operation, you can imagine how concerned he was that he will have to wait anything up to 18 months for it. What a disgrace.

Now, the SNP's own old guard is pointing out that the party of wannabe foreigners still haven't a clue about how they would finance a separate Scotland. With their party conference looming, there will be long faces among the faithful, especially those who can read the runes. The question they cannot answer is how they would finance a separate Scotland with no lovely Barnett formula, no UK pensions, and no banking or finance industry either. Oh, and I almost forgot – no oil and gas.

And Mr Swinney claims Scotland would keep on using the pound, which would result in “cripplingly high borrowing rates”, according to economist Professor Ronald MacDonald.

Scotland would have to raise £35 billion to set up its own bank when it has a deficit of 10.9 per cent compared to 4.2 per cent for the rest of the UK. Even former SNP MSP Alex Neil comments that this would make the SNP independence campaign “die on its feet”. Too true.

The good news is that we are past “Max Nat” and voting proves it. Like Alba, the SNP is fading fast. That is good news for all of us.

Andrew HN Gray, Edinburgh

No to nationalism

I am sure that many members of the SNP, if questioned, would probably be able to give a valid answer for their commitment to the party. There would, I am sure, be lots of emotional posturing about historical matters, especially the parts played by heroes such as William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. But I expect there would be little regard to the fact the UK played a key role in more recent conflicts such as the 1914-18 World War, and later the stance taken against Hitler in the Second World War.

What is of importance these days is that the UK remains together; there is no place in this modern age for petty Nationalism in any of its constituent parts.

And let's face it, some of the same folks who are critical of the UK and the Westminster government are most likely to be first in the queue for state benefits. They should remember the old saying about whether one gets “owt for nowt”! Do they really believe an independent government in Scotland would have the resources to provide all the current state benefits: unemployment allowances; sickness benefits; state pensions and so on?

It is surely high time any thought given to re-establishing borders between the historical parts of Great Britain was dismissed without further consideration. Such divisions belong to a long distant past. The concept of “nationalism” has caused more harm than good.

Robert I G Scott, Northfield, Ceres, Fife

Wind problems

The problem with the Leader in The Scotsman of 8 October (“UK must rise to North Sea challenge”) is that it does not explain why there is any need for the Berwick Bank project.

The Scottish grid has 18Gw of wind power plus a further 5GW from gas, hydro and nuclear to meet a maximum demand of less than 5GW.

Where is the justification for the construction of the 4GW Berwick Bank project ? The Scottish grid can only export around 8GW of electricity to England and Northern Ireland, meaning there is already 10GW of overcapacity plant to meet grid demand.

The National Energy Supply Operator (Neso) forecast an £8 billion Constraint Payment debt by 2029. Surely the SNP should scrap the Berwick Bank project and reduce the 2029 Constraint Payment debt for Scottish consumers?

Ian Moir, Castle Douglas, Dumfries & Galloway

Water falls

According to reports, Scottish Water, an apparent shining example of public ownership, has been losing 453 million litres of water per day – over 30 per cent of its daily supply, as against the average water losses in England of 19 per cent. This is appalling for water that has been collected, treated and distributed, all at a cost to bill payers and the environment, and it is not helping farmers who need water for their crops.

In England, 100 per cent of sewer outflows are now measured by the water companies. In Scotland, monitoring has improved recently to only 34 per cent of outflows. The Scottish Greens are silent on this but you can imagine the furore if it was a private water company.

Scottish Water, with limited reliance on bore wells, might be expected to have better quality than English water. After all, we were all brought up to believe Scottish water was the best in the world. Unfortunately, water quality in England is typically 99.97 per cent compliant with standards, whereas Scotland’s water lags, albeit only slightly, at 99.88 per cent

So the argument should not be “private ownership bad, public ownership good”, but how can we get the best outcome for customers who pick up the bills?

Scottish MSPs are remarkably quiet on the performance of Scottish Water, seemingly content to live with the rose-tinted view we were all brought up with. It’s a bit like Education, where we once believed we led the world, only to see us falling year on year in the PISA tables, while the Education Secretary – an oxymoron, perhaps – defends the SNP’s performance.

After 20 years of SNP in government, don’t we deserve better? And Perhaps Andy Burnham needs to take off his rose-tinted “everything was better in the Seventies” glasses before he takes us back to the past.

Brian Barbour, Haddington, East Lothian

Head space

Ahead of World Mental Health Day tomorrow, Mental Health First Aiders at Independent Living Fund Scotland are highlighting the importance of prioritising mental wellbeing at work and reminding people that support is available all year round.

Stress, burnout and anxiety can affect anyone, and these challenges often show up in the workplace. Sometimes, simply having someone who will listen without judgment can make a real difference.

There are also simple steps we can all take to protect our wellbeing at work. Take regular breaks, get some fresh air, stay hydrated and try to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Make sure you are getting enough sleep to give your body time to recover outside of work. Check in with yourself and be honest about how you are feeling. If you need support, seek it early rather than waiting until things become overwhelming.

Just as importantly, look out for those around you. A simple “how are you?” or “are you OK?” can open the door to an important conversation and remind someone they are not alone.

Mental Health First Aiders play a vital role in the workplace. They are there to listen, provide support and help signpost colleagues to appropriate sources of help. By encouraging open conversations about mental health, we can help create workplaces where people feel valued and supported.

World Mental Health Day is an important opportunity to raise awareness, but mental wellbeing should be a priority every day of the year.

The message is simple: look after yourself, look out for others, and remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Emily Cridge, ILF Scotland Mental Health First Aider, Livingston, West Lothian

Native state

In his letter of 1 October, Alan Gall suggested the Switzerland team which beat Scotland had only four “native” Swiss players. In fact a simple check would reveal the whole starting 11 was born in Switzerland.

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