Scots have no right to oppose wind farms - your views

"And there is no right of appeal other than through judicial review, which is financially dangerous and out of reach of the average person”
Wind farms are an increasingly familiar sight in ScotlandWind farms are an increasingly familiar sight in Scotland
Wind farms are an increasingly familiar sight in Scotland

Scots have no right to oppose wind farms

Scots are right to question why we do not have the same rights as the English to veto a wind farm development that has no local community support.

Insensitively sited wind farms are objected to in droves by local people and councils as well as statutory consultees such as RSPB and Nature Scot but the Scottish government ploughs ahead overturning these democratically-made decisions.

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And there is no right of appeal other than through judicial review, which is financially dangerous and out of reach of the average person.

The lure of community benefit is a sop mopped up by distant communities which are not affected by the development, while the opinion of people living in the shadow of the turbines, are ignored.

No wind farm should be built unless it stands the test of local democratic support.

Graham Lang, Scotland Against Spin, Ceres, Fife.

SNP show true face with latest saga

It is hard to disagree with MSP Annie Wells, who lays into the SNP’s historically inept handling of charges of alleged sexual misconduct.

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She asserts, with some reason, that leading figures in the SNP, including the First Minister, Peter Murrell and Angus Robertson, among others, have very serious questions to answer.

Ms Wells’ charges are particularly concerning, as, there had been she claims serious concerns about the latest MP – who has since given up his ministerial post – ‘’for years.’’

That the SNP leader at Westminster would take the complainant to his office, where apparently the MP accused of the offence was already waiting beggars belief. It looks as if it is all about concealment and covering up.

Just when you thought this kind of incident in the SNP was a thing of the past, up pops another. Anyone with a genuine complaint of being harassed and operating within the SNP goldfish bowl will not be reassured.

Alexander McKay, New Cut Rigg, Edinburgh.

Salmond inquiry missing legal advice

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Yet again the SNP fail to produce evidence relating to legal advice on the Salmond inquiry.

"Honest" John Swinney confirms that minutes of meetings on the progress of the SNP's case in the judicial review attended by the First Minister, the Permanent Secretary and legal counsel "cannot be found"!

Regardless of whether this is sheer incompetence or part of an ongoing cover up, such revelations would be astounding if they had not become entirely predictable.

In terms of questionable credibility this is up there with Nicola Sturgeon s claim that she "forgot" another related meeting.

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Whether the public are "more inclined" to believe Salmond or Sturgeon is not the telling question. Are the inquiry committee and the country being told the truth?

A recent poll found that only 35% believe that Ms Sturgeon has been "entirely honest" about the Salmond affair.

While that is hardly a ringing endorsement, you would have to wonder why even a small proportion can believe her claim about a meeting in which she was told that her lifelong "bestie" and the former First Minister of Scotland was facing allegations of sexual harassment.

And how many people would find it credible that an administration would lose or misplace documents of such critical importance?

Utter incompetence or insidious dishonesty? Take your pick. Would either characterisation describe a party we want to see running our country?

Colin Hamilton, Braid Hills Avenue, Edinburgh.

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