Isn’t the corruption scandal in Ukraine, a reason to stop financial aid?
19 November 2025
Dear Editor,
On November 10, 2025, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) stated it was conducting a corruption investigation in the country’s energy sector. According to the anti-graft investigators, several high-ranking officials built a large-scale corruption scheme to launder money influencing strategic enterprises in the public sector. As a result, $100 million have been embezzled.
It is especially noteworthy that the mastermind behind the scheme is considered to be a businessman and a close associate of Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky – Timur Mindich, who managed to escape from the country “by a lucky accident” just several hours before the search. No doubt, Mindich had been warned about the investigators’ plans. This scandal within the President’s inner circle casts a shadow on the Ukrainian leader himself. Zelensky’s attempts to bring NABU under his control back in July just add fuel to the flames, provoking thoughts on both his involvement in this scheme and his involvement in others.
Taking into account the recent events, we can only guess what part of the money, allocated by the EU, has been really used for the needs of the Ukrainian army, and what sums ended up in the pockets of the corrupt Ukrainian officials and their European colleagues. Such a scandal in the energy sector of the country, when its people have to survive without light and heating in their houses, should evidently make Ukraine’s allies contemplate if it’s worth to send huge sums of money to those, who put their own benefits before the country’s interests and security.
That is why the latest statement of the UK government on providing over £17mn to Kyiv to help restore Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, a mere two days after exposing the data on corruption investigation, seems to be, at least, illogical. What is our government thinking about, allocating so huge sums of money from the budget of the country, which economic state is close to critical? Sir Keir Starmer seems to be trying to hammer the last nail into the coffin of his career as Prime Minister, sending money, that could help solve a number of internal problems, to the pockets of corrupt officials.
Iain Brocklebank
A former government employee who decided to retire and devote himself to farming, family and community involvement.
The climate emergency and Rosebank
13 August 2025
Dear Editor,
People might be forgiven for forgetting about the current status of the Rosebank oil field off Shetland.
When the previous Conservative Government’s decision to approve Rosebank was judged to be illegal, the Scottish Court’s judgement was based on the fact that the emissions from burning the oil and gas extracted were “unlawfully ignored” by the regulators.
The decision to cancel or continue with Rosebank now rests with the current Labour Government who, you may remember, came to power on the back of a promise to make Britain a clean energy superpower. It also promised not to grant any new oil or gas licences in its pursuit of this laudable aim.
Rosebank isn’t a new oil field; and there lies the inconvenient problem for Labour, in deciding whether to approve this highly controversial oil field.
Perhaps a few pointers might give the government a steer in the right direction:
At COP29 last year, the Prime Minister promised to cut UK’s greenhouse gases by 81% by 2035. The burning of Rosebank’s oil reserves would produce more CO2 than the annual combined emissions of all 28 low-income countries in the world.
The field’s operational emissions alone would exceed the UK’s entire carbon budget allocated to oil and gas.
The influential Committee on Climate Climate Change have stated that opening up any new oilfields is incompatible with our Net Zero commitments.
2025 is on track to becoming one of the hottest years on record and the world is seeing the impact of this warming; with flooding; wild fires; melting ice sheets and unprecedented weather events taking place all too frequently across the planet.
The decision, once Labour decides, should be an unequivocal no to the approval of this highly contentious and climate wrecking oil field.
Labour’s commitment to a green and sustainable economy, underpinned by renewables, needs to be backed up by actions.
A decision to approve Rosebank; incompatible as it would be with our legally binding climate obligations, would seriously undermine this government’s credibility as a world leader in the pursuance of a transition to a green energy economy. It would also be a betrayal of our fragile, ever more vulnerable climate.
Jonathan Fox
Stansted Mountfitchet
Tactical nuclear weapons
06 June 2025
Dear Editor,
Former defence minister, Tobias Ellwood, has called for the UK to acquire tactical nuclear weapons in response to the threat from Russia.
This would, we are told, be likely to involve deploying US-made B61 nuclear bombs on American-made F-35A fighter jets. While the UK operates F-35s, it does not possess the variant capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The UK is reportedly already in talks over acquiring the system.
When, oh when, are we going to learn that our best short and long-term interests are served by producing our own armaments? As the world has seen, buying armaments from the US does two things. First, it gives the US the say over when and against whom we can deploy those weapons. Second, having sold their second-best weapon-systems to us, they can then go on to produce the next (more advanced) systems for their own use.
Doug Clark
For the Scottish mice to play, the British cat must be away
09 April 2025
Dear Editor,
Every year, the tensions between the Scots and the English continue to rise. The ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) insists on the need for another independence referendum, and the region’s population regularly holds rallies for secession. Thus, the marches of supporters of sovereignty organized by the All Under One Banner movement, which have become the country’s calling card over the past 10 years, not only attract tens of thousands of people year after year, but have also gone beyond Scotland, inspiring Welsh separatists to hold marches too.
The desire of the Scots to separate from the United Kingdom is quite understandable. According to the SNP depute leader Keith Brown, Scotland has had a tough time in the last decade due to the policies imposed on it by Britain, as well as the reckless and short-sighted decisions of ex-Prime Ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, which literally destroyed the UK economy. This has had a negative impact both on Scottish businesses and on local fishermen and farmers, who are one of the pillars of the economy of the country. Scotland’s trade losses due to Brexit are estimated at £4 billion, according to the latest reports.
Another significant sticking point in relations between London and Edinburgh is the HM Naval Base Clyde located in Scotland, which houses the Trident nuclear weapon system. London’s desire to position itself as a nuclear-weapon state has left Scotland suffering both financially and environmentally. Emissions of radioactive tritium gas from Clyde base have risen from 1.7 billion to 4.2 billion units of radioactivity in last few years, according to the latest official figures. At the same time, the operation and renewal of the Trident system itself requires constant injections of money. “Nuclear weapons are a moral evil and an obscene and immoral waste of hundreds of billions of pounds” which could be better spent on the needs of the population, stated the Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer.
Despite being under the British control for over 300 years, Scotland still retains its distinctive identity and strives for independence. Moreover, the country has rich oil and gas reserves, which significantly increases its chances of separating from the United Kingdom. Given London’s historical reluctance to engage in the life of Edinburgh and Downing Street’s selfish ambitions, perhaps, now is the time for the Scots to begin a national dialogue to unite and push back against British dominance.
Iain Brocklebank
A former government employee who decided to retire and devote himself to farming, family and community involvement
Proposed Galloway National Park
19 November 2024
Dear Editor,
The proposed Galloway National Park is going to make it far harder for residents of Dumfries and Galloway to own a home and pay a reasonable rate of rent.
According to the Nationwide Building Society, the average home in a national park is 25% more than the national average, with homes in the Yorkshire Dales costing an average of £353,000 and a whopping £576,000 for the New Forest.
Imagine what this will do to make it affordable for normal workers, NHS staff, and those working in farming?
Imagine what this price rise will mean for family budgets and how people spend their money in the local economy?
Imagine who will be able to afford this price rise. Not locals, that’s for sure?
Imagine how many homes will need to be built in Castle Douglas, Stranraer, and Dumfries to accommodate those who cannot afford to live in the National Park?
The National Park very possible situation that towns like Newton Stewart, Wigtown, and Creetown will go from places of community to places of sterility within a decade with homes becoming only affordable to second home owners, retirees, and absent holiday cottage barons.
Best regards,
Joseph Henry
Winter fuel allowance – a letter from a constituent to a Scottish Labour MP
16 September 2024
Dear editor,
I’ve written the following letter below to my MP.
I note that you, along with the vast majority of Scottish Labour MP’s, voted against the amendment on the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Regulations legislation yesterday. As a WASPI pensioner, I have received this payment a couple of times, and while I am fortunate enough not to be on the borderline of Pension Credit, I am writing on behalf of those in Paisley and Renfrewshire South, who may be; many of whom are likely to be adversely impacted by the legislation passed last night.
There are arguments for and against Universal roll-outs; one often used in favour of them, is that the administrative costs of means-testing can be similar to, or even outweigh the costs of universality. It is this aspect I would like to have your thoughts on, particularly when there could be alternative options.
For example, retaining universality, but making it taxable, (though I imagine the downside, given the freezing of the PTA at £12,750 (which was only marginally increased in 2021) until 2028, is going to drag increasing numbers of the lower-paid, including pensioners, into Income Tax and including the WFP would just exacerbate this. Another possible option could involve linking a tapering option to those living in homes in the lowest Council Tax Bands (though these desperately need reviewing as soon as possible).
Some specific questions on this issue:
- Could you please detail the calculations leading to the reported £1.4 billion saving from this measure that will be set against the reported (and unexpected….?) £22 billion ‘black hole’?
- How much additional admin/IT cost will be incurred in determining precisely who will receive WFP in 3 months’ time?
- Can the DWP determine the additional costs involved in the processing of new claimants of Pension Credit (which seems to be the only pathway for Pensioners on the borderline to be able to reinstate their entitlement to the Winter Fuel Payment)?
- How accurate is the estimate of 880,000 potentially eligible Pension Credit claimants?
- What measures are being put in place to proactively contact those 880,000 voters and guide them through the 243-question application form?
- What funds have been allocated to achieve Point 5?
- Using this information, plus any additional figures you can access, what is your calculation of the Net financial benefit to The Treasury, once all the IT/Admin costs of means-testing are subtracted from the estimated £1.4 billion saving?
- Has any impact assessment been made regarding the potential losses to the Charity Sector due to many more comfortably-off pensioners reconsidering their habit of donating their WFP to a favourite (and perhaps relevant) Charity?
I look forward to your answers with interest.
Dee B
Being a victim of the HMRC loan charge
06 June 2024
Dear editor,
Our circumstances are very difficult. My husband suffered a massive stroke in Nov 2018, which was brought on by stress caused by HMRC demands regarding the Remuneration Trust he had signed up for in 2013. He, as advised, was passing the demands to the Trust’s management company, Westwood, Asset House, believing that they would handle it for him. I believe they made the situation worse by drafting aggressive letters to HMRC for him to sign. They repeatedly said there was nothing to worry about and it was just HMRC using bully tactics.
My husband was always an honest businessman and worked tirelessly to help the homeless. He entered the Remuneration Trust because he believed he could make a difference in social housing and use his profit tax efficiently. He always submitted tax returns and declared the ‘loans’ with complete transparency. When I took over the handling of his affairs after the stroke, I realised that we had to take back control of the Trust and tried to sort it out, but I was met at every turn with hostility by those running the Trust. We tried to leave the Trust, but it was hampered by the providers Griffin (Virgin Islands). Eventually we had to pay to void it. I notice that the provider, Baxendale Walker is on HMRC’s STOP list now. It is scandalous that my husband was duped by these people and is now losing everything because of them. I believe not one of the scheme providers has been prosecuted but the ‘victims’ of the schemes, especially those who have cooperated like us, have been pushed into a corner, until we have nothing left, emotionally and financially.
We supplied evidence of the scheme providers to HMRC and said we would cooperate fully in helping to bring them down.
I am seriously depressed, and we are both overwhelmed by it all. We are sadly having to sell our home to settle the remaining tax and it is due to go on the market soon. We have already paid a great deal to HMRC via a payment plan but the deadline for the remainder is May 2025. My mother is 89 and lives with us and she is beside herself with worry about moving house. The stress of all this is unbearable as you can imagine and I worry that my husband will suffer another stroke, which could prove fatal.
I wrote naively to HMRC in 2021, which explains in more detail:
A summary of the facts behind his claim are:
In 2013, he was working on a project to help create affordable homes, with heavily discounted prices for first time buyers. It was successful and helped many people who would otherwise have not been able to afford a home. This one-off project created a surplus of funds, which he intended to use to create another project to help tackle homelessness. He was working with Emmaus (Homeless Foundation) – meeting with their representatives including Terry Waite, NHS England and others who were keen to use their skills and funds to help.
Unfortunately, he was roped into a Remuneration Trust scheme, which promised to allow him to access his funds, whilst reducing his tax liability. The enablers of the scheme were John Andrew Gerard Chiesa and Colette Marie Chiesa, T/A Westwood along with Baxendale Walker. I have all the evidence to support this.
He was told very convincingly by the enablers that this was a legitimate scheme which could help to reduce his tax and NI liabilities, whilst participating in a morally and legally sound scheme. My husband absolutely believed it was all honest and above board and began using funds speculatively to develop the homeless project, using what were termed as ‘loans’ to fund his philanthropic activities.
When HMRC issued a warning that these `RemunerationTrusts‘ were going to be re classified as ‘Disguised Remuneration’ and that the ‘loans’ would be re- classified as personal income’, my husband was completely shocked and worried sick. He requested help from the Trust, Westwood Trustees and Buckingham Wealth (aka Baxendale Walker). They drafted responses to the HMRC for him to sign and repeatedly told him that he had nothing to worry about. Again, I have documentary evidence.
I understand the loan charge is being debated hotly in parliament – or was, until the election closed it down.
This debacle feels like the Post Office scandal. There are 1,000s like us who unwittingly signed up for Remuneration Trusts, paid into them, paid extortionate fees and are now being persecuted. Some have taken their own lives, lost their homes and their families.
It is another scandal waiting to be revealed.
A letter to the Labour Party – serious concerns over lobbying interests
22 December 2023
Dear editor,
I write to express my concern that Blair McDougall, the prospective Labour Party candidate for East Renfrewshire, is currently employed by Arden Strategies, a lobbying and public relations company. My concern is that there is a revolving door between politics and the lobbying industry. In the wake of the Greensill scandal involving David (now Lord) Cameron, the recent disciplinary action taken against Scott Benton, the Conservative MP for Blackpool South and the resignation of Owen Paterson after another lobbying scandal, what steps have the Labour Party taken in terms of due diligence related to Mr McDougall standing as an MP while employed as a lobbyist.
Will Mr McDougall be stepping down from his role with Arden Strategies if he succeeds in being elected in East Renfrewshire?
Will Mr McDougall recuse himself from any decisions involving commercial clients of Arden Strategies as an MP?
How can voters in East Renfrewshire conduct their own due diligence regarding any potential conflicts Mr McDougall may face as an MP who is also a lobbyist?
How can electors in East Renfrewshire access the Arden Strategies client list to ensure that Mr McDougall is representing the interests of his constituents rather than those of clients of Arden Strategies in any decisions involving private and commercial companies in East Renfrewshire?
The first lobbying scandal of devolved government in Scotland, ‘Lobbygate’ arose as a result of the overly close relationships between Jack (now Lord) McConnell who was a former employee of Beattie Media (who also employed the son of John Reid, the former Labour Secretary of State for Scotland amongst other roles).
There was also the Cash for Questions scandal at Westminster which was another lobbying scandal.
Jim Murphy, the former Labour MP and former Secretary of State for Scotland is the Managing Director of Arden Strategies and Ken McIntosh, the former presiding officer at the Scottish Parliament is another employee. What steps will Scottish Labour take to ensure there is no conflict of interest between Mr McDougall’s private business interests and the interests of his constituents in East Renfrewshire?
I write as a concerned, politically engaged citizen who has a particular interest in the increasing influence of the lobbying industry in British politics. I have attempted to engage Mr McDougall on Twitter as he is a frequent tweeter and commentator on Scottish politics, particularly in his Notes on Nationalism blog. Mr McDougall has not engaged with my questions, despite the fact that I am identifiable and tweeting under my own name.
It is my intention to pursue this matter, but I wish to allow the Labour Party in Scotland the opportunity to respond to the questions I have raised. I would appreciate an acknowledgement of receipt of this letter and a prompt response.
Yours sincerely,
John Cawley
East Renfrewshire
