It is time for the UK to step up and lead the world in acting on the climate crisis

Send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

The afternoon sky glows orange from bushfires in the area around the town of Nowra, New South Wales (AFP via Getty)

Twenty-twenty vision means clear-sightedness – and visions can be towards a desired future.

Twenty-twenty is a symbolic year. Our world’s citizens and leaders are finally beginning to see clearly how much our actions are changing our planet.

As the host of the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow, the UK should take advantage of its renewed autonomy to lead the world in formulating a clear vision for us all to act decisively on the climate crisis.

Professor Martin Price FRSE
Perth

Never forget Australia

l am saddened by the fact that as yet there has been little to no prominent comment on the appalling situation in Australia by the government or indeed the head of state herself.

Although we cannot send firefighters, we could perhaps show that we do care, and indeed could make an offer to help with the eventual reconstruction.

At the end of the First World War Australia generously funded the rebuilding of the schools in France where they had fought. Today they are still operating and proudly bear the slogan “Never forget Australia”. We, however, seem to have done so.

Robin Ollington
London

Sailing to Europe

Vince Cable is correct in his analysis about moving on from the battle for Remain (Remainers need to take some lessons from Nigel Farage): he omits only the impact of the disillusionment of the north.

However, his assessment that those of us who supported our European membership should “play the long game” is flawed. Rejoining the EU would necessitate our joining the euro and losing many of the opt-outs and derogations we currently enjoy. Furthermore, the longer we leave it the more likely other developments (which as members we could have resisted) of the European project – greater federalism, a European army – could be mandatory conditions of renewed membership.

We had the choice in our constituency of voting for Scottish independence or Brexit, so we spoilt our papers and may not be voting, beyond local elections, again. As soon as the weather improves we are sailing to Europe, for as long as they will have us or until our sea legs give out.

We are, and will remain proudly British but are no longer prepared to participate in this populist xenophobia.

Chris Dixon
New Abbey, Dumfries and Galloway​

Sir Iain Duncan Smith

I’m really confused. If a politician makes the lives of millions of British people worse, and increases poverty and homelessness, they get knighted. What do you get if you want to reduce poverty?

Margaret Miller
Address supplied

A wish for 2020

Let us wish that the millions of children around the world who fall prey to the domino effects of senseless wars, diseases and displacement will find peace, hope and shelter in the new year.

Let us remember that in war-ravaged areas, healthcare services are overburdened and overstretched and vital infrastructures are ruined.

There is every need to find all the positiveness that we all desperately need.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob
London

NHS Scotland

Re: Jill Stephenson’s letter “Scotland’s health” (30 December). I’d suggest her figures are significantly out of date. NHS Scotland’s Information Services Division published a report on 5 November 2019 which gave the figure for delayed discharges from September 2017 to September 2019 as just 45,632. Indeed In September 2019, the average number of beds occupied per day due to delayed discharges was 1,521. In August, the daily average was 1,513.

Delayed discharges are never a good thing. However, patient safety requires that suitable discharge destinations are always paramount. The figures in the latest report would suggest NHS Scotland has achieved significant progress in this area.

Piers Doughty-Brown
Glasgow