So much for the promises made by the SNP to give all primary school pupils free lunches by 2022, as the programme has slipped yet again. It would appear that the SNP have broken all promises made to reduce poverty in Scotland as the figures are getting worse not better. The Scottish electorate should not be regarded as fools as they are carefully adding up all the SNP failures when considering how they are to vote in the 2024 elections. Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen.
Merry Christmas!! We are raising money to weaken the SNP, take indyref2 off the table and get pro-UK information out to all Scots. So far, we have:
The UK Government should scrutinise the gender reform legislation and do so in a pragmatic, business-like way that can’t be an excuse for more SNP grievance. Even if it concludes that the legislation is compliant it will pave the way for proper and legal scrutiny across all devolved areas including spending and external relations – something that has been sadly missing until now Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Kincardineshire.
It is not just antibiotics that are in short supply, the whole problem starts with a shortage of GPs (your report, 28 December). The faults in the NHS begin with the triage or computerised appointments systems whereby patients in need who are unaware of the consequences of their symptoms can easily be put off. We really need more medically trained frontline staff at the entry point to the system but therein lies the first problem. Too many cases are being missed simply due to pres-sure. Mr Yousaf ultimately has responsibility to correct this but seems unable. Nicola Sturgeon needs to step in, but perhaps having been a health secretary herself she is loathe to. The result is precisely what we are all experiencing right now: stasis. Something or someone has to change. Gerald Edwards.
Green MSP Gillian Mackay complains about the “quite frankly misogynistic behaviour coming from mostly within the Scottish Tory ranks” at Holyrood. Is this what is known as gaslighting? Or is it merely projection? At least the Tories haven’t promoted a policy where biological males can access women’s safe spaces – the policy for which the Scottish Greens are the primary cheerleaders. We can only hope that either Westminster or the Supreme Court will ensure that the Scottish administration is obliged at least to modify the Gender Recognition Reform bill by adopting some of the amendments that were rushed through last week with unseemly haste. Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh.
Wrong priorities Now it transpires that Holyrood will not be introducing free school meals for all primary children, as promised. Yet there is cash for so-called embassies abroad, while much money is lost on botched ferries, and much time for gender recognition. You really wonder at the priorities of these people! William Ballantine, Bo’ness.
By focusing on independence, Scotland ignores the world – Chatham Hou...