Readers' letters: Labour are the new Conservative party

Tuesday evening Sir Keir Starmer whipped Labour peers to abstain on a vote to give free school meals to all Universal Credit families.

Last evening Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves gave a speech at the Resolution Foundation saying a Labour government would cling to fiscal “rules” that would include a promise to only borrow to invest, while committing to reducing the national debt as a share of the economy.

What this means is if there were another financial crisis, a Labour government would do nothing apart from bailing out the banks - because the taxes that supposedly fund government would fall, rendering the government powerless to act.

It means when there’s another pandemic, a Labour government wouldn’t help the NHS, businesses or citizens, but let the bodies pile high and the economy crash.

This is economic illiteracy of the highest order and is no different from the austerity ‘treat-ment’ George Osborne cruelly meted out.

‘Fiscal discipline’ and ‘smaller government’ mean gutting health, social care, education, social benefits, criminal justice, and so much else that makes life tolerable for the many. But that’s what the Conservatives and now Labour represent.

Just as the Conservative party has become the UKIP party, Labour has become the Conservative party. Their allegiance is not to the people but to the City.

Scotland didn’t vote for the Conservatives and Labour has a single Scottish MP. Scotland’s direction of travel is out of a union that has become a cruel joke.

Leah Gunn Barrett, Edinburgh.

Scottish MPs are shaming themselves

Watching Prime Ministers Question was painful. I am constantly embarrassed by the Scottish MPs shaming themselves and worse, shaming Scotland by their shocking behaviour.

Its hard to believe they are adults. Its bad enough that Ian Blackford is still there representing Scotland but Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanney are like out of control schoolkids.

It’s time they were reined in, all three of them, for their bad behaviour. They don’t speak for all Scottish people when it comes to Indy ref 2. In fact, I think they are making it easier for the No campaigners.

Mr MacAskill says Scotland is energy rich, so does this mean he is counting oil in this? Ms Sturgeon does not include oil now as she doesn’t want it in a Green Scotland.

They need to all talk from the same hymn sheet. I would throw all three out for good. The First Minister seems to be losing control of her MPs in Westminster.

Mrs Susan Smart, Penicuik.

Alba antics

The cheap antics of the two Alba MPs to get some publicity at Westminster by refusing to obey the speaker underlines the "loony left" of Scottish politics illustrated by two disgruntled ex-SNP members who were eventually escorted out of Parliament.

This type of absurd and bizarre behaviour has no place in UK politics and the good name of Scottish politics is tarnished by the association.

Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen.

Desalinastion plants

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) issued its first water scarcity warning this year. Scottish Water has asked its customers to use less water.

Desalination plants are a proven technology and small ones could serve local areas. Wind turbine owners in Scotland were paid £1bn over the last 10 years to switch off turbines, so cheaper electricity could provide desalination plants.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow.