Dog poo bags, Highland Ponies being made homeless and abolishing the monarchy are past week’s hot topics
Why do some dog owners think it is okay to bag up their dog’s mess and then just leave the bag there?
This was one of two bags close together on the Speyside Way path - why bother bagging if it's just going to be left.
I do pick up other people's litter but draw the line at other people's dog poo bags.
Who do they think will pick it up or should I give them the benefit of the doubt that they may have collected on way back?
Shirley Millar
Nethy Bridge.
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Figures are pie in the sky for higher household riches
Not surprisingly Grant Fraser follows the SNP lead and distorts the facts on the alleged benefits of independence ( Letters 23 October) as seen by the Resolution Foundation and interpreted by the SNP in their latest paper "A fresh start with independence".
The foundation did not ‘strongly suggest that Scottish households would be £10000 a year better off under independence’.
It said that that UK households would be better off by £8300 in the very unlikely event of the UK having the same levels of income and inequality as other similar countries.
The SNP paper applied that methodology to Scotland and other small European countries and came up with a pie in the sky figure of Scottish households being £10,200 better off one day in the far distant future if Scotland became independent.
But that begs all sorts of question as to how the SNP (assuming they would be running an independent Scotland) would achieve this matching of incomes with comparator countries and associated reductions of inequality .
Their record to date under devolution does not inspire confidence in their capacity to deliver on their promises.
A recent analysis in The Times newspaper suggests that of more than 100 "headline pledges" in Nicola Sturgeon`s 76 page 2021 Manifesto only 35 have been delivered in full.
Failings in the NHS and education are all too obvious - and even on their avowedly key areas such as those affecting children and young people The Times analysis suggests that they have kept only 5 out of 14 promises.
If the SNP is to persuade us of its capacity to run a successful independent country it must first show us that it can run a successful devolved administration and deliver on its promises .
On present evidence it has a long way to go.
Peter Mackay
Kincraig.
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‘Nasty gas’ keeps the lights on in UK
Dermot Williamson should not believe all the green fairy tales that the UK would get cheap renewable electricity if it were not for nasty gas.
Well ‘nasty gas’ kept the lights on in the last 12 months by supplying 30.7 per cent of our electricity.
I agree that the strike price of wind is cheaper than gas but that is before the green subsidies are added on.
The wind industry gets £billions of subsidies every year in addition to their strike price.
Constraint payments are expected to increase from £1.5 billion in 2024 to £2.4 billion in 2025. The CfD scheme has paid out £10 billion and counting.
For just one year 2023/2024 the RO sucked £4.6 billion from consumers.
The total cost to the electricity consumer of renewable electricity subsidy schemes since 2002 is £220 billion.
The UK is now the second most expensive in the world for electricity and is now 63 per cent higher than France and 27 per cent higher than Germany. Go green go bust.
Clark Cross
Linlithgow.
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It is the right time for the monarchy to be abolished
Irrespective of the king, head of the English church, praying with the Pope, head of the Catholic church, the sordid saga of Prince Andrew continues. Incidentally should not the long established Christian faith be well above any transitory monarchy?
With public opinion growing at the daily revelations of Prince Andrew’s alleged illegal sexual exploits, there is now strong reaction from Westminster and Holyrood, ranging from being pleased that he has given up his royal titles, to being a ‘disgraceful and disgusting prince’. The monarchy is becoming a relic of the past, serving no useful purpose in the 21st Century.
This extremely wealthy family receives millions of pounds each year, from the public purse (around half a billion) including tax breaks and a degree of legal impunity, which their subjects do not receive!
People of Scotland it’s now time to abolish the monarchy and become a fully independent republic.
Grant Frazer
Newtonmore.
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Highland Ponies need better looking after too
I am lost for words after reading the Strathy’s online article ‘Farewell to Highland Ponies as Badenoch A9 dualling compulsory purchase order start’.
Why are so many other species protected but absolutely nothing to help this rare and lovely breed of ponies? They are indeed a much loved, strong and wonderful feature of the Highlands. May a solution be found to save them.
Marina Glowacki
Fyvie.
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Royal intervention call
Please could the Strathspey and Badenoch Herald or the breeder Ruaridh Ormiston contact HRH King Charles re the loss of grazing land affecting the Highland Ponies by Kingussie.
After all his wonderful mother HRH Queen Elizabeth owned and bred Highland Ponies.
I'm sure if it's written well he could help in some way, given the amount of influence he has.
Beth Cross
Stoke Pound.