Just two weeks after getting the job, Andy Burnham is on holiday.
Well, he’s had a tough year plotting to oust Sir Keir Starmer.
But his early polling bounce has already faded, and his party is still on the low 20s in percentage, along with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and Kemi Badenoch’s Tories. (And all doing worse in Scotland.)
There was a recent rumour that Mr Burnham would instigate an inquiry regarding Jeffrey Epstein, though this was denied by No 10. (North or South, I wonder.)
Perhaps it was a story planted to deflect coverage from England’s politically controversial early release of prisoners scheme.
Though it would also have revived interest in stories about Peter Mandelson and friends, some of whom are still in the Cabinet.
We must all of us, regardless of politics, hope Mr Burnham is up to the job.
But his early statements are entirely about policy for England. Has he simply gone from being Mayor of Greater Manchester to being Mayor of Greater England?
GR Weir, Ochiltree.
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Prisons: public patience won’t last
The PM will receive heavy flak as he tries to devise a reasonable solution to prison overcrowding.
Survivors of brutal physical or sexual assaults, and the relatives of murder victims, can be excused for expressing horror at the release of inmates for such crimes.
Naturally they are fearful of repeated exposure to those perpetrators of such serious crimes.
Most likely those released will not have shown any signs of remorse for past conduct. Nor will they have been properly rehabilitated, to allow them to participate harmoniously in society.
Meanwhile, media coverage will have made the general public wary of the reintroduction of such criminals into the outside world, especially when they have not yet shown themselves able to restrain their violent impulses.
Promises have been made to fit those released with tags; monitoring will ensure that they don’t trespass where their victims live, or once lived.
How secure such promises will turn out to be, with an overworked and understaffed probationary service, we must wait and see.
The media will have a field day with every breach committed by every early released prisoner.
This will add to the criticism that the government is already receiving. Only time will tell whether this early release trial will be tolerated until the shortage of prison places is remedied. Meanwhile, there may be tragic incidents, as a result of the early release scheme.
Will the government's poll ratings plummet with every gruesome but predictable incident?
The predicament landed on the doorstep of the current government through no fault of its own.
The problem has been building since the prison estate was left unfunded, while money was spent elsewhere, in areas and services more palatable to public opinion.
Now we are living with our politicians’ bright idea to downsize the prison estate, leaving the country short of places to house our growing prison population.
The target for criticism is naturally the holders of the keys to Downing Street. However, the blame lies squarely with those who allowed our prisons to become run down.
Increasing prison accommodation will not be an easy task, nor will it happen overnight, especially with the UK’s poor economic circumstances.
How long will public patience last, with the horrific news stories which will likely emerge, in banner headlines and in graphic detail on our TV screens?
Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.
High street banks dismissive of elderly
Your article (“’Massive loss’ to Largs as town’s last bank closes”, The Herald, July 31) highlights yet another town losing banking services.
The article made the point that many vulnerable and elderly people - who do not want to bank digitally, and certainly don’t feel comfortable with computer banking - will be more susceptible to scams.
A situation banks must address. After all, it is the elderly who often have the savings that keep banks in operation. So why are these banks cutting off the hand that feeds them? Ultimately they are turning their back on those loyal customers.
Not only are bank branches closing at an alarming rate, access to ATM machines are becoming scarce, which compounds the issue of a lack of banking services.
In this current cost of living crisis, many find cash is the most efficient way to keep tabs on their spending, thus being more responsible with their resources.
Yet Banks are making this impossible and plunging many into financial difficulties.
Catriona C Clark, Banknock, Falkirk.
Old coaches: time to buy back?
It is interesting to see the idea of a sleeper service from Scotland to Europe being revived.
When the channel tunnel opened, sleeper links were included from Scotland, Wales and Cornwall.
A premium lounge for this was set up in Glasgow Central station.
Full sets of sleeper coaches had been built, complete with en suite showers and TV.
Diesel locomotives were overhauled and modified to take these coaches to a depot north of London where they could be reformed for different destinations in Europe.
These were never put in service and eventually all the coaches were sold to Canada at a loss.
I wonder if they are considering buying back the thirty year old coaches?
Colin Findlay, Cambuslang.
School pupils: the future’s bleak
The Herald provided good news this week.
Or perhaps that should be good-ish news, with the report that school exam results have improved on previous years (“Passes up, gaps down but still short of pre-pandemic levels”, The Herald, August 5).
The ‘good’ part is National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher pass rates increased, a slight improvement on the previous year.
The caveat I must add – the ‘ish’ – is that it’s becoming harder to predict the kind of future that’s in store for academically inclined youngsters, even those with impressive grades.
AI will certainly eradicate numerous jobs in the years ahead.
Other possible careers will be in short supply in a UK fast becoming an embarrassing parochial backwater, as far as industry and innovation is concerned.
The more ambitious and dynamic young professionals will no doubt look abroad to seek financial recompense and career satisfaction.
Or at last they will attempt to, for we live in an increasingly hemmed-in world. Gates, fences and locked doors are springing up everywhere in the western world, as anti-immigration becomes the catechism of the modern politician, both home and abroad.
So what will intelligent high school pupils do in the future? On what will they focus their aspirations?
Unfortunately, I don’t have a clue. This puzzler is harder to answer than any question posed in a high school exam.
Joseph Graham, Stirling.
Plum job in plumbing
I see that the latest batch of school children have received their exam results.
My advice to those who achieve excellent passes would be to avoid university, unless you plan on studying something vocational such as law, medicine or accountancy.
The snobbish elite very often looks down upon trades, though more practical employment surely provides a more financially rewarding and stable future, especially in the current economic climate.
I set up my own plumbing business when I was in my early 20s, and I am proud to say that I have never looked back.
Dave Blaine, Glasgow.
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