Readers of The National

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Letters With nearly 100 MPs stepping down, it's time for serious reflection

AS politicians enter a period of recess can we take time to reflect? Reflect on the political scenario we find ourselves in, awaiting a much-needed Westminster election. On reflection it has been a pretty rough time for the Conservatives, much of which has been self-inflicted, but unfortunately it is the country that has suffered the consequences. Yet what the country has heard from Labour has been a commitment to more of the same. No commitment from Labour to introduce a “Child Payment” like we have in Scotland across the rest of the UK in an effort to tackle the ever increasing poverty rates, which are a damning reflection on us all. And what about the cost-of-living crisis still crippling many households?

Letters Haudin yer wheesht and hoping for independence will not work

STAN Grodynski (Letters, Mar 25) would prefer that I “condemn the UK Government” than comment on “perceived SNP shortcomings”. I have been condemning the UK Government for the past 50 years but they just don’t seem to be listening! I live more in hope than expectation that the SNP might still be listening.

Letters Reducing pensions is a political decision, not an economic one

I LOVE Shona Craven’s articles and mostly wholly agree with them. But I take some issue with her article on the WASPI women (Claims of pension ‘theft’ were always misleading, Mar 26). The government did in fact “steal” our pensions, in my case about £50k’s worth, somewhat rubbishing the ombudsman’s announcement that the DWP failings did not result in “direct financial loss”. Of course they did.

Letters Council Tax freeze will save us money, but at what cost to services?

MY annual Council Tax bill has just arrived. I have mixed feelings over its contents. The freeze will save me some money but at what cost to local public services? The charges for the services of Scottish Water, regardless of my usage, have increased by 8.8%. A single person pays only 25% less than a neighbouring family with three wage-earners.

Letters WASPI women trusted the UK Government to honour our pension contract

I AM a WASPI woman and received my National Insurance number at age 16. From that point onwards I paid in to the system and still do! Born in 1954, my retirement age changed several times. For most of my life I thought it would be 60, but that changed to 62 to 64 and then Tory Chancellor George Osborne added on another 18 months, which took my retirement age to 66. The same cohort of women targeted time and time again. Never did I receive any official notification of these changes!