KEVIN McKenna’s article on the success of the University of Glasgow’s widening access programme (Disadvantaged Scots are finally able to get their foot in the door, November 14) was encouraging. However, once again Mr Mckenna decides to blame things on the Masons. He states: “We will only know that a revolution is under way in this area when our top law firms and the HR departments of our civil service, police and army look beyond the old school tie, the golf course and the Masonic Lodge for senior staff.”
I worked in the civil service in the west of Scotland for several years. Most of the senior staff where I worked were in fact from a Roman Catholic background (sadly, in the west of Scotland we know these things). Was there some sort of conspiracy in favour of Catholics? I don’t believe so. However, perhaps Mr Mckenna should investigate.
What next Mr McKenna? The Brexit shambles. The war in Yemen. Global warming. Are the Masons to blame? I can’t wait for your articles.
Douglas Morton
Lanark
I DID agree with Kevin McKenna’s piece about universities becoming more inclusive of poorer pupils, and lamenting that this is such an issue in today’s Scotland. It is so true that richer pupils would possibly struggle if simultaneously dealing with the multiple deprivations that poverty brings. Sadly Scotland still has a way to go in opening up all professions. The University of Glasgow is to be applauded.
Dundee University has provided extra places for students from poorer backgrounds (without taking a place off someone with better grades). This has been achieved by funding from the Scottish Government both for extra places and for an excellent summer school run by Dr John Blicharski and his access and participation team, available to promising pupils (featured in the National on February 3 2016, under the headline ‘Poor pupils win at Dundee’), and which has run since 1993.
Julia Pannell
Tayside
THE 356-page New West of Scotland: Health Needs Assessment Report, compiled in March 2018, raises some interesting questions concerning a surge in death rates across the west of Scotland. The areas cited as being affected are the Forth Valley, Argyll & Bute, Ayrshire & Arran, and Dumfries & Galloway.
All of the areas mentioned are in proximity to MoD military activity (nuclear), and a nuclear power station. In the case of the Forth Valley, we have decommissioned MoD nuclear submarines at Rosyth in the Firth of Forth, and secondary pollution from Grangemouth Refinery. In Argyll & Bute and Ayrshire & Arran, there is MoD Faslane nuclear submarine base,
and a nuclear power station just along the coast from Largs. In Dumfries & Galloway we have the MoD Dundrennan Test Range, where uranium-tipped shells are fired. There is also Beaufort’s Dyke, a deep water trench off the south west coast of Scotland, where live munitions, including chemical and radioactive weapons waste, was dumped in very large quantities (thousands and thousands of tonnes) by the MoD. A large area of the Solway Firth is sectioned off by the MoD as a test area.
I am not necessarily stating that an increase in death rates in the stated areas are a direct or indirect result of MoD activities involving nuclear and radioactive pollution, either air or water borne, or radioactive pollution from a nuclear power station, which can travel up and down the west coast in the sea currents, but is it a coincidence that ALL of the stated areas are in the critical MoD impact zones? The MoD do not have a good track of stopping radioactive pollution from their military sites. At the very least we should be considering what I have outlined as one possibility among many others.
William C McLaughlin
Biggar
JUST seen the report from the UN’s poverty envoy. We have to get out of this Union for the good of all in Scotland. What is going to happen to the care for our elderly, our children and their children’s health and future? Scotland can do so much better than relying on the Tories and Labour. We must choose independence sooner than later.
Keith Taylor
via email
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Tony Martin
Gullane
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