Your letters to the Helensburgh Advertiser: November 14, 2019

Also featured in this week's letters page are your views on limiting the public sale of fireworks, a message of thanks to those involved in Helensburgh's Remembrance Sunday commemoration, and a call for people with diabetes to make sure they get their free flu jab.

To have your say on any topic of local interest, just email your views to editorial@helensburghadvertiser.co.uk or get in touch via the Send Us Your News section of this site.

Please remember to provide us with your name and address, and try to keep your contributions as brief and to-the-point as you can.

We also require a daytime contact telephone number in case we need to check any details at short notice, though this will not be published.

Happy writing!

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Yet another election but the same result. It is a definition of stupidity to do the same thing over again and expect a different result.

For the first time in more than 40 years, I will probably not vote because we have no candidates of merit. The same old faces, the same old empty promises.

I understand that to stop Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister I have to vote Conservative, but I just can’t do it.

Tory members are furious that they have again had Gary Mulvaney imposed on them against their wishes. His self-interest cost the Tories another councillor from Helensburgh at the last council election.

The Tories won that election, and members expected Mr Mulvaney to assume the hard won position of council leader. He declined because he didn’t have the time for that part-time role, but now he wants us to believe he can fit in being a full-time MP.

The Liberal Democrats have gone again with Alan Reid whose lies last time stole the votes from the Tory challenger which would have ousted the SNP.

Mr Reid’s council colleagues have had no confidence in his ability to take on a senior role in the council, but think he can be an effective MP this time – after selling out to the Tories last time he won.

The SNP now consider this a safe seat for them and are happy with the poor quality of the challengers.

There appears to be no serious attempt to rid us of our current hapless MP, the “man in the brown suit”, and his rallying cries of “close the base!” and “build the border!”.

Anne Baird, West Princes Street, Helensburgh

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READ MORE: Your letters to the Advertiser: November 7, 2019

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Without detracting from the contribution the Labourparty has made to progressive policies in Scotland, such as the founding of our National Health Service, I do think that criticism of the SNP government by Geoff Riddington (Advertiser Comment, November 7) is obscured by his slavish paean to his Labour roots.

The Right to Roam legislation fortified the existing common law position.

In 2007 the Labour-Liberal Democrat Scottish Executive proposed that the Vale of Leven Hospital be neutered. Thanks to the election of an SNP cabinet secretary for health, Nicola Sturgeon, the Vale was saved.

Your readers may recall that the current Cabinet Secretary for Health, Jeane Freeman, recently planted a tree at the Vale to recognise new investment there. Jackie Baillie MSP attended in recognition of same.

It was the SNP government who introduced free prescriptions and abolished repayment of tuition fees by a graduate endowment, previously enacted by the Labour-Liberal Democrat coalition at Holyrood.

As for land reform, the community right to buy, introduced by the SNP and recently extended to urban property, is coincidentally highlighted in the Advertiser by the community intention to buy the former Red Cross premises in Helensburgh.

As for the introduction of a form of land value taxation, I attended the recent Scottish Land Commission Conference in Edinburgh, where the Cabinet Secretary for Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, confirmed that her officials are examining a report on land value taxation, commissioned by the Land Commission, and an announcement will follow.

Within the SNP there is a developing model of annual ground rent, which will provide funds for a Universal Citizens’ Income to vanquish the poverty visited on our people by successive unionist Westminster governments, whether Labour, Conservative or Liberal Democrat, over the past 20 years.

Graeme McCormick (Convener, SNP Dumbarton Constituency Association), Redhouse Cottage, Arden

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READ MORE: Your letters to the Advertiser: October 31, 2019

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I MUST protest at Geoff Riddington’s outrageous attempt to re-write history (Advertiser Comment, November 7).

Far from the Labour Party having a “commitment to free personal care for the elderly”, the Labour party in fact fought tooth and nail to block this policy being introduced in Scotland.

It was the persistence of the Liberal Democrats which saw the introduction of free personal care for for Scotland’s elderly people. We threatened to bring down the coalition Government in Scotland if Labour didn’t agree to introduce this.

Fortunately Labour backed down, did a U-turn and agreed to the Liberal Democrat demand for free personal care for the elderly.

Alan Reid (Liberal Democrat candidate, Argyll and Bute), Fairhaven, Dunoon

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READ MORE: Your letters to the Advertiser: October 24, 2019

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May I make some observations on Brendan O’Hara’s column in last week’s Advertiser?

He correctly states that, in 2016, Argyll and Bute voted unequivocally to remain in the EU. He didn’t mention, of course, that in 2014 Argyll and Bute voted unequivocally to reject independence.

I agree with his statement that “there is no form of Brexit that will benefit the people of Argyll and Bute economically, socially or culturally.” To cut ourselves off from our largest and closest trading partner (the EU) is completely illogical.

However, at the end of his article it seems that he has given up the fight against Brexit – perhaps because the SNP see Brexit as the means through which they achieve their goal of independence.

The irony is that his argument against Brexit applies equally to Scottish independence – it will cut us off from our largest and closest trading partner (England).

In this election, the only candidate standing unequivocally behind Argyll and Bute’s expressed position – in Europe, and in the UK – is Alan Reid of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

Andrew Nisbet, Rhu

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READ MORE: Your letters to the Advertiser: October 17, 2019

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I WISH Jane Kerr well with her campaign to ban the sale of fireworks to the general public (“We’re only voice pets have, pleads owner”, Advertiser, November 7).

However Jane will not find it an easy task.

For decades Animal Concern, various other groups and the emergency services have argued that fireworks should only be owned and used by licensed, trained experts in licensed public displays at specified and advertised venues and times.

This would allow pet owners, people with PTSD and those with a fear of fireworks to avoid these events.

It would also save the huge sums of public money currently spent each year by the emergency services in dealing with the disruption, damage and injuries caused by misuse of fireworks.

Poll after poll has shown that the majority of the public want a ban on the open sale and use of fireworks yet our politicians have been unwilling to take action.

The power to ban fireworks is reserved to Westminster and I urge people to ask candidates in the General Election if they would support legislation to restrict fireworks to licensed public displays only.

Meanwhile the public should dial 999 and ask the police to respond to any incidents where fireworks are being misused.

John F. Robins (Secretary and campaigns consultant, Animal Concern), Cardross

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READ MORE: Your letters to the Advertiser: October 10, 2019

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ON behalf of Helensburgh Community Council, may I say a sincere thanks to all members of the public, the Navy, HMS Neptune Band, the Helensburgh Clan Colquhoun Pipe Band, Helensburgh First Aid, humanitarian organisations, youth organisations, Police and Fire Services and Veterans’ Association who participated in this year’s Remembrance Sunday commemorations.

It was particularly rewarding to see the various youth organisations who were on parade – Army Cadets, Sea Cadets, Police Scotland Youth Volunteers, Guides, Scouts, Rainbows, Cubs and Brownies.

The Community Council would also like to thank the staff of Victoria Halls for their support and the staff of Argyll and Bute Council’s amenity services team for the preparation of the memorial site.

A special thanks goes to the volunteers who helped with the refreshments after the parade. We would importantly highlight the unsung, supportive contribution of Michael and Anna Curley, of the Deli in the Square, who once again provided the buffet for dignitaries after the commemoration, as in previous years, free of charge. It was a great co-operative effort for the town.

Norman Muir (Convener, Helensburgh Community Council)

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READ MORE: Your letters to the Advertiser: October 3, 2019

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Diabetes Scotland is urging everyone with diabetes to take up the offer of a free a flu jab.

Flu can cause blood sugar levels to rise – a natural response to fighting infection. But a serious infection can cause blood sugar levels to rise so high that they become dangerous for people with diabetes.

The vaccine, to which every person with diabetes is entitled for free, is the most effective protection against flu. Without it, flu can develop to pneumonia or bronchitis, which might require hospital admission.

It can take up to two weeks for a flu jab to work. That’s why it’s essential that everyone at high risk of serious illness from flu gets vaccinated as soon as possible to eliminate the risk of life-threatening complications.

Angela Mitchell (National Director, Diabetes Scotland)