SHOULD England win Euro 2020, or even the next World Cup, footballing success will not cover the growing cracks in UK society.
While many already wealthy UK citizens have exploited the coronavirus pandemic to their great financial advantage, many others in the UK have relatively become much poorer. Of course the Tory Government at Westminster is highly adept in the “dark arts” of misleading propaganda and creative distraction, but as long as some in the media remain faithful to facts and not fiction even the wizard of untruths and his devoted tricksters cannot mask reality and fool the public indefinitely.
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The vaccine procurement that was claimed to be a great British success story founded on the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine was actually substantially dependent on supplies from India, and now those aged under 40 must rely on vaccines produced by other companies in other countries.
Of course the repeated “world-beating” claims and the success of the NHS roll-out (in spite of the Tory government’s earlier efforts to run down the NHS ahead of privatisation) distracted from the UK Government’s many many failures, which have resulted in one of the highest Covid-19 death rates in the world with the premature passing of more than 150,000 UK citizens.
Furthermore, the deceptions and distractions have not saved the UK economy, which has still suffered the largest contraction in GDP among G7 economies – so state pensions, for example, will continue to lag or fall further behind those provided by our neighbours (the UK has the lowest pensions relative to average salaries in north-west Europe based on the latest OECD figures), while Tory donors and cronies bank more of their “coronavirus bonuses” in offshore tax havens.
Football will not be “coming home” to Scotland this year, but sooner or later the chickens will come home to roost for this Tory UK Government. We can only pray that the extensive relaxation of restrictions on July 19 doesn’t spawn another coronavirus mutation more infectious and deadly than the Alpha (Kent) or Delta (India) variants.
Stan Grodynski
Longniddry, East Lothian
IT was pleasing to read Alex Orr’s interesting detail on the truth regarding the alleged “football coming home”. (Letters, July 6).
Amusing indeed how history is often amended to suit the desire for fame and glory.
To add to Alex’s letter, I might be excused for pointing out that it was William McGregor, a man born and raised in the village of Braco, who first lifted the English game from its crude roots by the formation of the English Football League, the first organised football league in the world.
READ MORE: I wish the England team well playing the Scotland-born game of football
I look forward to the English team coming home, with or without the Euro trophy, for a visit to the Braco Lodge Park and a kickabout where many generations of local youngsters honed their skills.
Perhaps if they did so the “football coming home” message might then bear some truth, or be quietly forgotten.
Tom Gray
Braco
I DON’T know why so many nationalist columnists and correspondents, and others, have all but fallen down and worshipped the England football team in the last few days.
There’s no criterion except footballing performance that makes them any better than any other team. France has more black players and deserve to be held up as a beacon of righteousness more than the English do.
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Have we forgotten that if England, God help us, win the final, it’ll be everything but the actual words, “Just think how much better everything would be done if there was nobody in the world but the English to do it” non-stop for the next God knows how long, even if they get beaten afterwards?
It’ll be used as a political propaganda weapon, among other purposes, to weaken support for nationalism here. Why is anyone writing for The National inviting this? I thought that was the job of Unionist hackery.
Forza Italia!
Ian McQueen
Dumfries
I STARTED to watch Wednesday night’s semi-final with the honest intention of supporting England simply by reason of the straightforward decency that Gareth Southgate and his team exemplify. Within five minutes of listening to the over-excited Anglophilia of the ITV commentary I had changed sides.
The most preposterous moment came when some buffoon said something like “and these are goals we will watch again and again.” If previous experience of 1966 is reliable, I fear he may be correct and my grandchildren will be afflicted with this story long after I am gone. In fact there was one memorable goal, and that was the excellent Danish direct free kick. The two English goals were an own goal and a soft penalty on the second strike.
I dread still hearing all about the Wembley victory over Italy in the comfort of my long-forgotten grave.
KM Campbell
Doune
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