Covid Scotland: Who will be to blame if we lose this war? - Readers' Letters

Imagine… it is 1939, war is declared, conscription is introduced, restrictions brought in, civil liberties reduced, families separated, night time curfews, blackouts, rationing, bombing. People die but defence is working, the Battle of Britain is won.

People queue to receive their booster vaccination at Leith Medical Centre

Two years later, MPs revolt, there are protests about civil liberties and the effect on the economy, people increasingly switch on the lights at night, sneak in an extra ration card, decide air-raid shelters are for wimps, when asked to fight say their freedoms are being infringed, assert the right to choice, talk about conspiracy – is there really a war or has it been invented, gas masks make you infertile – night clubs are a human right, we are all guinea pigs in a vast deception.

Meanwhile, the war falters, more battles are lost. More are injured, more die, medical facilities are overwhelmed. Dunkirk is just the beginning of withdrawal, desertion, defeat, our forces overwhelmed.

Remind you of another time, another place?

Trevor Rigg, Edinburgh

Vaccination vital

With unvaccinated people said to be 14 times more likely to die on average according to news coverage, it can only be right that those who have made a choice not to get the vaccine have to suffer the consequences in terms of limiting their freedoms before those of us who have done the right thing.

This goes against my usual views in terms of freedom of choice. However, these are times where we need to get people putting wider society first. Not being vaccinated where you able to is a selfish act that puts you and others at risk and may see other people unable to get access to healthcare when they badly need it.

Enough of the softly softly approach. It's time to call this out and take action first on those choosing not to get the vaccine when they can.

J Lewis, Edinburgh

The party’s over

We are told that Sue Grey, who is charged with looking into the breaching Covid rules at Number 10, is a formidable civil servant of impeccable integrity.

Would it shorten her investigation, thus freeing her for more important work, if she were asked to list the days in which the Prime Minister’s aides did not break Covid rules?

Dr Francis Roberts, Edinburgh

Tory funding spin

Jane Lax (Letters, 20 December) obviously didn’t notice that Tory MSP Stephen Kerr deleted his false information that the Scottish Government is spending £350 million on independence. Angus Robertson’s department will receive £350m towards, culture and events, the National Records of Scotland, Historic Environment Scotland, external affairs and some Covid-19 funding.

Also, it is the UK government that is increasing National Insurance by ten per cent next year while Scotland was the only part of the UK to offer 100 per cent relief last year to the retail and hospitality sectors. This was done without any consequential funding as the UK Chancellor removed rates relief for those businesses.

Before Daniel Johnson makes outrageous claims that Nicola Sturgeon is keen to find a new grievance on Covid funding (Evening News, 20 December), he should speak to the Labour First Minister of Wales and the Unionist leaders of Northern Ireland who make exactly the same points about Tory spin over so-called extra funding that needs to be repaid.

Until Scotland has the borrowing powers of a normal country, our government can’t properly protect health and fully compensate businesses for their losses when required.

Mary Watson, Edinburgh

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