China acts always and understandably in its own interests, and so should we. The then Home Secretary Stella Braverman, acting under advice, banned Mr Tengbo on the grounds that he was a risk to national security, and the court rejected his appeal. That is no panto joke and is more than enough justification for me, if not for Carlos Alba.
Alan Fitzpatrick, Dunlop.
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Consequences of green decisions
THE UK population have been told that they should ditch gas boilers which are used for hot water and central heating and buy electric heat pumps which are at least four times more expensive to install than a gas boiler and far less efficient. Cooking by gas is on the Greens’ hit list.
These diktats will require lots of additional wind electricity which will not be there when needed. Have politicians, led by the nose by the green brigade, ever thought of the consequences of their decisions? My price for electricity next month will be 24.31p per kWh and for gas 6.25p per kWh. Even the gas daily standing charge is better: gas 31.78p, electricity 64.16. So electricity for cooking, heating and hot water will cost four times as much as gas.
So where, pray, do you politicians with your large mostly-unearned salaries and gold-plated pension schemes think people will find this money? Certainly not from the winter fuel allowance.
Clark Cross, Linlithgow.
The season of ill will?
THE season of goodwill has taken a bit of a knock this week even without the usual tiresome political drivel we are constantly subjected to. First we had Neil Mackay’s rather wild over-reaction to some injudicious comments made to a class of small children by Dr Paul Chamberlain (“Dear religious folk: Sorry, but Santa is just as real as your ‘god’”, The Herald, December 17). Having been a primary teacher for 38 years before retirement I am willing to concede that a guest speaker making unfortunate remarks might not be a unique event, however it is rare enough not to get too concerned about. This was followed in today’s letters (December 18) by two slightly tame replies from George Rennie and Michael Watson who make the mistake of taking him seriously.
The pile-on about the Christian celebration of Christmas from less charitable members of the atheist and humanist community and the defensive replies from less relaxed Christians has become a predictable piece of seasonal knockabout and is now as much an annual tradition as a children’s Nativity service.
I recently did some research into December celebrations for a newsletter article I was asked to write and, frankly, there is something for everyone without feeling the need to have a go at each other.
Personally I had a lovely time on National Peppermint Latte Day on December 3 and am now off to prepare for the Winter Solstice on the 21st and, more importantly, get the cakes in for Dalek Remembrance Day which falls on the same date.
We can all celebrate something at this time of year. Just let us be charitable enough to let others have their fun as well.
Robin Irvine, Helensburgh.
What if?
COVERAGE of the Christian religion in your Letters Pages over recent days prompts me to ask: if Jesus returned to Earth next Wednesday what do your readers think would happen to him?
John Jamieson, Ayr.
Personality complex
DRIVEN by some Pavlovian instinct I decided to once again to tune in to Sports Personality of the Year last night (December 18), even though the fare has become thinner and thinner over the years as the BBC coverage has shrunk I started with low expectations but could hardly believe what I was seeing and switched off after 10 minutes. At one point I thought I had mistakenly tuned in to an episode of Strictly when I saw the three female presenters channelling their inner Tess/Claudia as they kicked off proceedings.
Surely the BBC could find one decent male presenter … Andrew Cotter, Gordon Smart, Steve Cram?
I have made previous observations on the BBC’s diversity policy which seems to have allowed the pendulum to have swung too far in favour of so-called minority groups (two of which were included in last night’s line-up).
I have no criticism of the three presenters who have the relevant ability and experience to merit selection but surely a male voice would have added a bit of balance and helped to improve the overall production.
I dread to think of the reaction if three white men had taken to the stage.
Keith Swinley, Ayr.
Keely Hodgkinson after receiving the award for BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2024, alongside Alex Scott (left), Gabby Logan (second left) and Clare Balding (background) (Image: BBC/PA)
Do us all a flavour
THE fact that Helen McArdle speaks of “ultra-processed” food in her recent article (“Could 2025 be the watershed year for ultra-processed food?”, The Herald, December 14) shows that she acknowledges that a lot of food is normally processed to the extent of being cooked in one way or another.
Far be it for me to defend “junk food”, but monosodium glutamate has been unjustifiably demonised. Since it is less poisonous than sodium chloride (common salt) it is probably frowned on because of our Western puritanical suspicion of anything that works, especially if it is readily available and inexpensive (available in Oriental food stores coyly labelled “seasoning salt”).
What’s wrong with flavour enhancement? It’s why common salt is commonly used. To be wholly consistent the apostles of non-enhancement ought to urge Michelin to award formal approbation to restaurateurs who make the taste so disagreeable as to minimise consumption.
I doubt that obesity can be legislated against, and fear that there can be no alternative to the exercise of self-discipline.
Though I was never a great fan of George W Bush, I can’t help but sympathise with his saying to his mother: “I am president of the USA – and I am not going to eat any more broccoli.”
Robin Dow, Rothesay.