THE elites are crawling out of their privileged bunkers again. William Hague, the failed former Tory leader, has called the lockdown an economic disaster and calls for such a happening not to reoccur. Distorted murmurings indeed, but not surprising at all!
He seems to have forgotten priorities other than the economic health and welfare of society. Economies always recover, broken lives and premature deaths cannot! One can only surmise he is of the (let others) “take it on the chin” brigade and would support probably a “herd immunity” approach if the cases of Covid-19 were to spike again.
One has the impression that the initial financial support mechanisms for the economy and furlough introduced by the Chancellor were done through gritted teeth and against all distorted instincts within the Tory party which had brought in Universal Credit, the rape clause and the “bedroom tax”!
READ MORE: Ian Blackford hits out at PM over free school meals letter claim
It will now be becoming apparent to the additional 1.6 million people now on Universal Credit, with the five-week gap for the benefit to come through, that the support mechanism of the British state is callous and intentional.
The coordinated propaganda from No 10, ministers and former ministers about shopping to save the economy being put before health and welfare in this crisis, is the leitmotif of this government at Westminster.
The Chancellor revealed his cynical base instincts recently when he “rejoiced” to the nation that Nandos would soon be open for takeaway!
To borrow an old quote, “What a parcel of rogues in a nation!”
John Edgar
Kilmaurs
I TAKE issue with the some of the Wee Ginger Dug’s comments in Tuesday’s National (Scotland isn’t ‘safe’ in this insane right-wing UK, June 16). We can we do without rhetoric masquerading as facts in his column.
He states: “There were no clashes between protesters in Glasgow on Sunday”. Reported in most papers, including The National, was the fact that protesters wishing for the removal of the Robert Peel statue “overtook the police and began running towards George Square”.
READ MORE: Wee Ginger Dug: Scotland isn’t ‘safe’ in this insane right-wing UK
There is no doubt that the in-situ demonstrators retaliated and that that clashes ensued, with missiles being thrown by both sides. At least the so-called Loyalists are loyal enough not to break the law by hauling down statues and defacing many others ones. Some of these statues have no or only tenuous links to a variety of perceived historical injustices.
In no way do I condone the views or actions of the Loyalist Defence League, but we will only win our arguments (and our independence) with accurate and well-balanced journalism.
Ian Mackay
Hamilton
I DO not think the group of people who have been gathering in George Square to “protect” the Cenotaph should be referred to as “loyalists”. This masks their real identity as far-right extremists.
The word “loyal” generally has positive connotations and one can be loyal to a cause whether it is right or wrong. The Nazis could be called “loyalists” because they were loyal to their far-right National Socialist ideology.
However, no-one would be crass or insensitive enough to use the word “loyal” to describe the Nazis in a positive light.
Those who hold far-right views in Scotland are loyal to white Anglo-Saxon Protestant superiority and the Hanoverian line. The fault line in their thinking is that although they may be white and they may be Protestant they are not, for the most part, Anglo-Saxon but Celtic.
However, no matter how repulsive we may find right-wing ideology, we have to remember that these Scots are our compatriots, even if they swear allegiance to a foreign power, and we must impress upon them that love is stronger than hate.
Solomon Steinbett
Maryhill, Glasgow
LIZ Truss’s plans to make changes in order to “protect single-sex spaces”, and to end the expected reform of the Gender Recognition Act, will make life harder for all women, including trans women, and many men too.
We reject anything which requires women or men to look a certain way in order to carry on with our daily lives. If legislation around access to single-sex spaces is changed, then any woman who does not “look feminine” will be at risk of harassment and exclusion from women’s spaces. We note also that (presumably) trans men would be forced to use women-only spaces.
We cannot imagine any safe, acceptable ways in which any of this could be policed.
READ MORE: Scottish Greens hit out at PM for scrapping plan to make gender change easier
This proposal is an attempt to create confusion in people’s minds between trans women and sex offenders. We all remember similar attempts in the recent past to confuse the distinction between gay men and child abusers. That campaign did nothing to stop the abuse of children, because it was founded on a lie, and the same applies here.
Trans people have been using toilets, changing rooms and domestic violence facilities for as long as these things have existed.
The UK Government must stop pretending that attacking trans rights will defend the rights of women.
Josie Smith and Stella Hervey Birrell
I READ that the Orange Order are planning “virtual” marches throughout the summer marching season. PLEASE let this not be a hoax.
I have seen the cartoon depiction of a fat Orangeman in full regalia on a treadmill whilst telling his wife to “play the sash again!” and thought it was hilarious. The mere thought of this LIVE is just too much.
Go for it guys, you know you can do it.
Jim Mc Gregor
Kirkintilloch
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