Scotland must have a referendum on assisted dying

The Herald Scotland

5 hours ago

In a similar dynamic, it will soon become socially unacceptable to seek end of life care. That is what inevitably will happen. Everyone should seriously think about that. Is this what happens when politicians of a certain ideology gain control of the legislature? Was this proposal in any manifesto? Is the decision really democratic? Surely an issue of this nature and seriousness should have been subject to a much more rigorous test? A referendum on the issue should perhaps have been called so that the people can decide following full rigour and debate.
Hopefully those who are for assisted suicide or are unsure could be persuaded in the right direction when all the ramifications are put before them. Once this issue comes back to Holyrood, can MSPs at least please consider a referendum in Scotland?
Gerard Quinn, Bishopbriggs.
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Why SNP could not favour Falkirk
I note that the foreign owner of Alexander Dennis claims that the Scottish Government (SG) is not helping his business ("FM told he 'did nothing' over bus jobs", The Herald, June 20). This is despite the Scottish taxpayer having handed out £90 million worth of loans in order to assist him in that endeavour. He seems to think that the SG should go further and direct any orders for buses to his Falkirk base in order to keep it afloat.
Unfortunately the SG is not a procuring agency. It merely provides finance for a net zero emissions bus fund from which the bus companies can draw money when ordering buses. Under Scottish Public Finance Manual rules the SG can provide the finance, but it cannot become involved in the actual procurement process. This is to avoid accusations of favouring one company over another for political reasons. Ministers can still say they would like to see a Scottish company get the order, but they can't get involved in that decision.
By contrast Manchester City Council runs its own buses and as such it is therefore free to choose where to place any bus orders. Indeed Andy Burnham's administration ordered 116 buses from China before opting to add a further 160 from Falkirk. That's somewhat surprising given that Mr Burnham was claiming to be a strong supporter of the Falkirk plant only last week.
You could argue that the SG could simply make it a stipulation to buy Scottish as a condition of any funding provision. But that would have put it in breach of both the UK Internal Market and the World Trade Organisation rules which prohibit discriminating on the grounds of nationality when awarding a contract which has public funding.
In any case most bus companies in Scotland are privately owned. As such they have a legal duty to their shareholders to procure buses in a way that benefits the former rather than politicians. Lothian Buses is one exception as it is publicly owned. However when it buys buses it is governed by local authority "best value" rules which means it is obliged to buy from the company which represents best value for the local taxpayer.
These rules were first set out in the 2003 Scottish Local Government Act which was enacted by a Scottish Labour First Minister. It's somewhat ironic therefore to find Anas Sarwar now demanding that the SG find a means to bypass the very rules that his own party introduced.
Robert Menzies, Falkirk.
Excluding pupils the best option
Rebecca McQuillan reports that the NASUWT welcomes Scottish Government guidance on behaviour in schools, since this prescribes "an escalating set of consequences including things like detention and, when absolutely necessary, exclusion" ("If Scots classrooms are in chaos, teachers need the option of excluding worst-behaved pupils", The Herald, June 19.)
I remember when in Rothesay Academy in the late 1970s, a girl who was guilty of persistent truancy had to suffer an escalating set of consequences. First she had to write "lines". ("Ah quite like dain' them.") Then came detention, which no doubt prevented her from playing solo flute at the chamber orchestra rehearsals.
These measures having failed to affect any improvement in behaviour, she was finally excluded from school. I'll bet that made her think twice about playing truant again.
Robin Dow, Rothesay.
Fergus Ewing (Image: PA)
An example for Fergus Ewing
I refer to the plans of Fergus Ewing to run as an independent candidate for Inverness and Nairn at the next elections for Holyrood ("Veteran MSP Ewing makes Branchform jibe at SNP after independent election bid", The Herald June 23). He has felt that at times he has not been able to balance the needs of his constituents with those of the SNP.
I would take this opportunity to wish him the same success as The Herald's occasional correspondent Dennis Canavan with regard to standing as an independent for the Scottish Parliament. Mr Canavan was of course an MP from 1974 to 1999. He was rejected as an official Labour candidate for the 1999 elections to Holyrood. However, undaunted, he stood as an independent and was as a result expelled from the Labour Party. He secured almost 55% of the vote in the 1999 election, the highest of any MSP in that election. He retired as an MSP before the 2007 elections.
Mr Canavan served his constituents well and their esteem was clearly confirmed when he chose to stand as an independent.
I believe that Fergus Ewing will succeed with his intention of being elected as an independent. The Scottish Parliament would be a lesser place without him. I have no doubt he applied his mind to what his mum might have thought.
Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.