Readers' letters: Daniel Johnson is targeting the wrong party

"The UK government is breaching HSE obligations to provide fresh air for employees and customers”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Prime Minister Boris Johnson outside Bute House in Edinburgh

Daniel’s targeting the wrong party

Daniel Johnson suggests the Scottish government work with Westminster to help businesses recover from the pandemic, (News, July 19) as though Westminster knows the first thing about economic, let alone pandemic management.

The UK government is lifting all sensible Covid mitigations in England, exposing the UK population to this dangerous virus and variants as it pursues its deadly herd immunity via infection strategy.

It is absolving itself of governing by putting the burden of protecting against infection and illness on businesses and individuals.

Public health experts have said all along that there is no choice between health and wealth. The only way to open up the economy is to get Covid to low levels.

A Lancet study showed that countries that took an elimination strategy, like Australia and New Zealand, versus countries like the UK that haven’t, not only had better health outcomes but also stronger economies.

The UK government is breaching HSE legal obligations to provide fresh air for employees and customers by failing to mandate ventilation and quality air filters.

It hasn’t invested in inspectors to ensure workplace safety and isn’t providing free masks to all employees, something other European countries have done as a matter of course. And by failing to provide financial and emotional support to those who should self-isolate, they ensure the virus will spread.

By contrast, not only has the Scottish government achieved higher vaccination levels and lower death rates, it is maintaining face masks and social distancing because it recognises that minimising infection and reopening the economy go hand in hand.

If Daniel Johnson wants to help Scottish business, he and his party need to recognise our right to escape this toxic Union and once again govern ourselves.

Leah Gunn Barrett, Merchiston Crescent, Edinburgh.

No climate change act, no reward

The UK is responsible for 1.13 per cent of global emissions while China, Russia and India make up 40 per cent. China cannot be trusted, as shown by Hong Kong, the threat of war against Taiwan and the persecution of Uyghur Muslims.

Russia shows aggression in other regions. India is a space nation and is building coal-fired electricity plants.

Developing countries, including China, are demanding that they immediately receive their share of the $100 billion-a-year climate fund promised by developed nations.

India says this is insufficient and refuses to discuss its emission's targets until this $100 billion is dramatically increased.

Until developing countries produce legally-binding Climate Change Acts they should be refused a slice of this climate cake and seats at Cop26, then onwards until they do.

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow.

When the streets of Edinburgh ran clean

The claim by Edinburgh Council that the drainage system could not cope with recent adverse weather is not strictly true.

I well remember, while being brought up in the Denham Green area, a council cleaner would come round about every fortnight armed with a barrow, brush, shovel and a standpipe.

Having disposed of any rubbish, the cleaner would fix the standpipe to a water hydrant, turn on the water and make sure it did flow away.

When required the suction lorry would give the gully a final check. As a result of this attention, flooding was unheard of.

CJR Fentiman, Polwarth Gardens, Edinburgh.