The outcome of the Scottish Government’s consultation on Electricity Infrastructure Consenting in Scotland left many like me somewhat bemused: it had an ‘eau de parallel universe’ quality once inhaled. Numerous community groups and individuals stated very clear disagreement with the principles of the policy objectives, and presented cogent arguments that insufficient weighting was given to the rights and needs of communities. The disregard for communities appears blatant: the message seems to be that the collective voice of local democracy is something to be ‘unhitched’, not harnessed. To illustrate a snapshot of this indifference, let’s take the issue of public inquiries for onshore wind farm planning applications. There was a majority disagreement on the proposed ‘examination’ process to replace the public inquiry process which is currently automatically triggered if a council objects. Instead of embracing the option of supporting communities to deal with public inquiries, the option has been completely removed! The Scottish Government has single-handedly decided to disregard the consultation responses, and moved to take forward the new reporter-led proposal. They can dress it up how they like. It’s still a frog in a blender. Would the Scottish Government like to advise communities clearly and honestly on what exactly they wish them to do? People are very tired of both witnessing and engaging with the increasingly Sisyphean effort involved in responding to consultations (only to be ignored). Perhaps we should all “trip the light fandango” off in search of other lands where the exercise of local democracy is a tolerable and valued endeavour? Failing that, those prudent savers with means might be best to focus on investing their dwindling savings in Scotland’s “leading renewables sector” and get in bed with the Deil himsel’. Mary Howley, Dunoon, Argyll & Bute Neoliberal Labour I’m outraged that Labour plans to cut £5 billion from the welfare budget, cuts that will impact the most vulnerable people in society. Such a move is disgusting and cruel. Did it occur to Labour that this £5bn is entirely spent into the economy by those who receive it? Isn’t “growth” supposed to be a Labour priority? The poor don’t have the option to save their money – they spend it on essentials like food, clothing, transport and shelter. It’s the wealthy who sock their money away. These cuts will shrink economic activity. Why not tax wealth instead of punishing the poor and disabled? The UK undertaxes wealth by £170bn per year, which contributes to the high levels of inequality. From 2011-2020, income was taxed at 32.9 per cent whereas wealth was taxed at 4.1 per cent. There are tax code changes Labour could make that won’t harm the vulnerable. I suggest Liz Kendall, Rachel Reeves and Keir Starmer read Richard Murphy’s 2024 Taxing Wealth report, which contains easy-to-implement policies for raising an additional £197bn in revenue. What’s required is a commitment to increasing equality and fairness, a commitment Labour lacks. I didn't expect much from a Labour government and I didn't vote for it. Nevertheless, even I’m shocked at how heartless and cruel this government has turned out to be. English Labour is “Labour in Name Only”. It’s neoliberal to its core. Leah Gunn Barret, Edinburgh Healthy workforce As the UK’s body representing occupational health (OH), the profession that exists to keep people healthy whilst they work, we understand the need to encourage people off benefits and into employment. We welcome the UK Government’s recent pledge to do substantially more to support those with ill health to stay in work. However, it is vital that both the Government and employers up their game to provide high-quality support for those coming off benefits as they rejoin the workforce, with many of these individuals having a variety of health conditions, Helping people to work is a win-win situation. For the vast majority of people being in good work is beneficial for their mental health, provides a source of social support and a routine to their days, and of course improves their financial status. Achieving the Government’s laudable aims requires explicit recognition of the benefits of OH in government workforce policies; incentives for employers to provide OH services; investment in growing the OH workforce to meet rising demand, and employer education on the return on investment of OH to drive wider adoption. Failure to provide universal access to OH will only prolong the challenges that the nation currently faces in bringing people into the workforce. If we are truly serious about keeping Britain working, we must ensure that OH professionals are part of the solution, supporting and protecting individuals in employment. Professor Neil Greenberg, President-elect of the Society of Occupational Medicine, London Over-diagnosis I don't know if, like me, Alan Woodcock (Letters, 21 March) listened to BBC Radio Scotland’s Morning Call on Monday about the proposed welfare reforms. Halfway through, Mhairi from Greenock called to say to say: “I very much welcome what Wes Streeting has said [about over-diagnosis of mental illness]. I have a bipolar disorder and if it wasn't for my job I’d be dead by now.” This was in marked contract to the callers and experts on this and many other programmes who said that if people don’t get their benefits they could die. She went on to say she had been hospitalised several times but had received great treatment and support, and in her view “too many people are written off with perfectly manageable conditions and I don't understand it. If only there was as much help available to get you back to work as get you onto benefits the country would be in a better place”. The government is looking to cut the forecast £70bn welfare budget by £5bn by 2030. That’s seven per cent. I’m pretty sure that at least one in 14 – or even more – benefit recipients can either be encouraged back to work or have their payments justifiably reduced or stopped. And the poor, seriously disabled or ill souls who suffer now from a lack of resources can not only continue to receive help but hopefully receive more. Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire Ripe for review There is no doubt the benefits system in the UK needed to be reviewed as we need to get more people back to work and ease the tax load on those who work and fund the benefit system. This is a good opportunity for the Scottish Government to take a fresh look at the range of benefits being paid out in Scotland as there is no proper audit or checks on benefit fraud in Scotland to accurately estimate its true level. Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen Pariah nation Unsurprisingly, but shockingly, President Trump offers his full support to Israel for their ongoing massacre in Gaza (Scotsman, 21 March). If any other country than Israel had perpetrated these actions, there would be an outcry. Comparisons with Rwanda have been made. As it is, the loudest and largely unreported protests have come from outraged Israelis within the country itself. Surely they are the ones, to whom President Trump should be offering his full support. More than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, far too many of them women and children. Benjamin Netanyahu has made little secret of his aim to empty Gaza, not just of Hamas, but also Palestinians, in a repeat of 1948’s Nakba, perhaps even worse. Israel is way beyond the state of being a pariah nation, while it is the beleaguered Palestinians, who deserve our full support. Ian Petrie, Edinburgh Gravy trains Former SNP MPs Alyn Smith, David Linden and Martyn Day, were thrown out by the electorate at the general Election in July 2024. Keen to get back onto the Political Gravy Train, they are going to seek election as MSPs next year. Other gravy trains include the Climate Gravy Train, the Diversity, Inclusion and Equality Gravy Train, the Local Authorities Gravy Train, the Civil Service Gravy Train, the Quangos Gravy Train, the Special Advisors Gravy Train and the Consultants Gravy Train. Taxpayers fund these people so I am sure that readers can suggest other gravy trains which need to be derailed. Clark Cross, Linlithgow, West Lothian Off course It is hard to believe that Turnberry’s distance from a railway station, the nearest being five miles away at Girvan, is a significant factor in its long absence from the Open Championship circuit (Scotsman, 20 March). Having its nearest railway station five miles from the Old Course has never stopped St Andrews being blessed with the Open every five years or so, albeit at the cost of not a little traffic disruption. Jane Ann Liston, St Andrews, Fife Bunker plans I find it incredible that two Americans, Todd Warnock and Mike Keiser are allowed to submit a plan for Coul Links virtually identical to one rejected on environmental grounds (Scotsman, 20 March). They must not be allowed to destroy a Site of Special Scientific Interest like Donald Trump in Aberdeenshire. We already have more than enough of American-owned golf courses in Scotland. Colin McAllister, St Andrews, Fife Write to The Scotsman We welcome your thoughts – NO letters submitted elsewhere, please. Write to lettersts@scotsman.com including name, address and phone number – we won't print full details. Keep letters under 300 words, with no attachments, and avoid 'Letters to the Editor/Readers’ Letters' or similar in your subject line – be specific. If referring to an article, include date, page number and heading.