Tag: Dhruva Kumar

Letter: Fair Energy Pricing for Scotland

END THE ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL MARKET

Dear Editor,

Scotland is in the absurd position of producing more electricity than we need, while families and firms here face some of the highest bills in Britain. Fuel poverty is rampant, reaching nearly 50% in the northernmost parts of the country, despite Scotland’s renewable capacity only set to grow, with projects like Berwick Bank expected to generate power for more households than exist in Scotland.​

One practical approach is zonal pricing, setting electricity prices by geographic region so that areas with abundant local generation benefit from lower supply costs and reduced transmission costs.

In plain terms, power produced on and off Scotland’s shores should not cost Scottish households and businesses a premium once it reaches the meter.

Zonal pricing reflects local supply and demand, and recognises that the real expense lies in grid infrastructure, pylons, cabling, and reinforcement, rather than in “sending” electrons down the line.​

Instead, we are currently being forced to accept a vast expansion of pylons across our land because the grid is inadequate for the volume of generation, with “curtailment” running into billions, paying wind operators to switch off while consumers still pay through the nose.

A new pylon network is planned from the north of Scotland down the east and through the Borders to supply demand further south, bringing long-term visual and environmental damage, disruption to arable land and watercourses, and little or no benefit to the communities affected.​

As an ALBA Glasgow List Candidate, I, Dhruva Kumar, am calling for a fair deal, implement zonal pricing so Scots can finally share in the value of the energy we produce, cut fuel poverty in a cold country, and make Scotland competitive again for manufacturing, hospitality and the green supply chain.

If Westminster will not act, then Scotland’s councils and government should refuse consent for pylons that export our energy while leaving our people paying the price.​

Yours faithfully,

Dhruva Kumar

ALBA Party, Glasgow List Candidate

Depute Convenor, ALBA Glasgow

Letters: Scotland’s energy transition must reckon with U.S. moves in Venezuela – and minerals strategy in Greenland

Dhruva Kumar, Alba Party, Former MP Candidate writes that Scottish politics has finally woken up to the geopolitical crisis, yet remains oddly silent on an older story: how U.S. power behaves when oil and strategic resources are at stake:

Scotland speaks often about a just transition under the Labour Westminster government, yet we overlook the geopolitics that will shape it. Two arenas matter now: Venezuela, where U.S. sanctions flip-flops have jolted heavy‑crude supply, and Greenland, which banned new oil licensing but is pivotal to Western critical‑minerals and Arctic security strategies.

Greenland is the mirror image: in 2021, it ceased new oil and gas licensing, citing environmental and economic costs, yet has drawn stronger U.S./EU interest in rare earths and Arctic security.

From Venezuela to Greenland, Washington’s pattern is clear. In Venezuela, U.S. sanctions have evolved into direct control over who can sell the country’s oil and where the money goes – a shift from “regime change” to long-term management of another nation’s core resource. In Greenland, U.S. interest has moved beyond missile‑warning bases to a renewed diplomatic presence and a growing focus on minerals and rare earths as the Arctic ice retreats.​

Scotland sits at the intersection of those same pressures. The North Sea may be a mature basin, but billions of barrels of oil equivalent remain, and recent surges in revenues have reminded us how central these flows still are to our public finances. At the same time, the North Atlantic is militarily critical, Faslane anchors the UK’s nuclear deterrent, and Scotland’s offshore wind and marine resources are among Europe’s most valuable.​

Overlay that with Donald Trump. He is not just a sometime visitor with a tartan tie, but an owner of loss-making, debt-laden golf resorts at Menie and Turnberry that have relied on UK support schemes and opaque financing. He has waged a decade-long crusade against Scottish offshore wind, rhetoric that has since been exported into a wider global war on renewables from the White House. In Venezuela, he has been explicit about “taking” oil to reshape a country on U.S. terms; in Greenland, he floated outright acquisition in pursuit of strategic minerals.​

It would be naïve to assume Scotland is exempt from that mindset simply because we fly the Saltire. Our energy transition, our remaining oil and gas, and our critical geography all sit within the same mental map that links Caracas, Havana and Nuuk.​​

The question for Scotland is not whether tanks will roll up Union Street, but whether, in the next round of US–UK trade, security and energy deals, our future is quietly bargained away in boardrooms and back channels without a single Scottish voice in the room – as with the recent decisions involving Wick.​

It is time this angle was interrogated openly in our media before decisions are made for us, not by us.

Yours in shared ambition,

Dhruva Kumar

Letters: Farage’s racist Glasgow remarks betray the true, welcoming spirit of Scotland

Dear Editor,

I am deeply pained by Nigel Farage’s recent remarks about immigrant schoolchildren in Glasgow not only as a Scottish political activist, lifelong Scottish Independence supporter and educationist, but as a father and immigrant who has proudly called Scotland home for two decades.

To describe diverse multilingual classrooms as evidence that Glasgow has been “culturally smashed” is not commentary on policy,  it is a racist attack on children who are already striving to belong, learn and contribute.​

Scotland has long aspired to be “One Scotland, Many Cultures”, welcoming those who come here to build a better life and contribute to the prosperity of Scotland.

From Irish workers in the nineteenth century to South Asian, African and European communities today, migration has helped shape modern Scotland’s economy, arts and civic life. Surveys consistently show that people in Scotland tend to hold more positive attitudes to immigration than elsewhere in the UK, reflecting an instinctive sense of fairness and solidarity.​

As a proud Indian‑origin Scot, I have tried to live up to those values. For over twenty years, I have taught thousands of students from Scotland, the rest of the UK and every corner of the globe.

They are now professional marine engineers, shipbuilders, skilled engineers, entrepreneurs and public servants. My two children are proud second-generation Scots who speak with Glaswegian confidence and carry both Indian and Scottish heritage with ease. They, like the pupils smeared in Mr Farage’s video, are not a threat to Scottish culture; they are its future.​

In 2025, working with colleagues across parties, I helped bring forward the first motion in the Scottish Parliament condemning Hinduphobia and affirming the contribution of Scotland’s Indian Hindu community.

That moment showed what our politics can be at its best: listening to minority voices, challenging prejudice and strengthening the social fabric rather than tearing it. It stands in stark contrast to attempts to win votes by stoking resentment against children in our classrooms.​

As a promoter of Scottish business, I have also championed Scotland’s most successful global product, Scotch whisky, in India, now the world’s largest market for Scotch by volume.

A deep UK–India trade agreement that cuts India’s punitive tariffs could unlock up to £1 billion in extra Scotch exports and around £190 million a year for the Scottish economy, supporting jobs from Speyside to Glasgow.

It is an immigrant like me, with roots in both Scotland and India, who has been working to tell Scotland’s story to Indian consumers and policymakers, proof that migration is not a burden but a bridge.​​

Newspapers help define the boundaries of what is acceptable in our public discourse. When racist language about children is normalised, real harm follows in playgrounds, buses and workplaces. Scotland and the wider UK face serious debates on housing, public services and the pace of change, but these arguments must never be conducted by dehumanising those who are already here and already Scottish.​

I urge editors and readers alike: challenge the politics of scapegoating. Celebrate, instead, the quiet success stories, of classrooms where many languages are spoken, of new Scots helping sell Scotch to the world, and of a nation confident enough to know that welcoming others does not weaken its identity, but deepens it.

Yours in shared ambition,

Dhruva Kumar

Former Glasgow South MP Candidate

Depute Convenor, Alba Party, Glasgow

Letters: GERS exposes the cost of Westminster rule – not Scotland’s potential

Dear Editor,

I, Dhruva Kumar, Former MP Candidate for Glasgow South, write with great concern about the publication of the latest Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report.

At present, it doesn’t paint a pretty picture, with a fiscal deficit of £26 billion in 2024-25, equivalent to nearly 12% of Scotland’s GDP. The UK figure is larger in cash terms, unsurprisingly, but significantly smaller in relative terms at around 5% of GDP.

Once again, we are treated to the annual ritual of the GERS figures, paraded as though they were a true reflection of Scotland’s finances. The reality is very different.

Every year, the GERS report is wheeled out to suggest Scotland is running a deficit too large for independence. But GERS doesn’t measure the finances of an independent Scotland—it measures Scotland under Westminster rule.

GERS is not an account of what an independent Scotland would look like. It is a snapshot of Scotland under Westminster control. The figures are compiled largely by the UK Treasury, riddled with estimates and assumptions, and loaded with spending on projects that bring no benefit to Scots – from HS2 in England to Trident nuclear weapons on the Clyde.

Meanwhile, Scotland’s vast revenues from oil, gas, whisky, renewables, and exports are understated, or simply swallowed up into UK-wide accounts. The result is a manufactured “deficit” that is then used to tell us we are “too poor” to be independent.

If Ireland had listened to London’s version of its accounts in 1922, it would never have left the Union. Today, Ireland is more prosperous than the UK. The lesson is clear: the only deficit Scotland truly suffers is the deficit of self-government.

We will not accept Westminster’s rigged figures as gospel. Scotland is one of the most resource-rich nations in Europe. With independence, we can build an economy designed for our people, instead of living with a balance sheet designed to keep us in our place.

Yours sincerely,

Dhruva Kumar

Letters: Scotland’s Pivotal Role in the UK-India Free Trade Agreement

‘A Transformative Opportunity for Our Nation’

Dear Editor,

As a son of India who has proudly called Scotland home for decades, and as a former Glasgow South parliamentary candidate deeply invested in our nation’s prosperity, I write to share a watershed moment for Scotland’s economic future.

The newly signed UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is not merely a diplomatic achievement, it is Scotland’s passport to unprecedented growth. This landmark deal strategically positions our whisky distilleries, renewable energy expertise, world-class universities, sustainable fisheries, and advanced manufacturing at the heart of a £25.5 billion bilateral partnership.

Why This Matters to Scotland:

  •  Scotch Whisky Revolution: Decades of punitive tariffs (150%) have finally been shattered. With duties slashed to 75% immediately and 40% over 10 years, iconic brands like Douglas Laing will access India’s 250M+ premium consumers—unlocking £700M in exports and 2,200+ Scottish jobs.
  •  Fisheries & Green Energy: Our salmon gains duty-free entry to India’s £2.8 trillion market, while offshore wind collaborations position Scotland as India’s clean-energy partner.
  •  Automotive Resurgence: Jaguar Land Rover and Rolls-Royce will thrive under reduced tariffs (110% → 10%), revitalising Glasgow’s manufacturing ecosystem.

This is a landmark partnership of equals. India’s gains, including zero tariffs on 99% of its exports, such as textiles and engineering goods, will fuel reciprocal growth. Crucially, 75,000 Indian professionals will contribute to our economy while enjoying social security exemptions, deepening our talent pool.

The road ahead presents challenges, including state-level regulations in India, carbon border taxes, and data policies, all of which require vigilance.

Yet this FTA is a “living bridge” uniting Scottish innovation with India’s dynamism. I urge subnational alliances (e.g., Maharashtra-Scotland green pacts) to accelerate ratification.

Scotland’s distilleries powered the Industrial Revolution. Today, they ignite a partnership redefining 21st-century trade.

With £6B in investments and a £190M GDP boost projected for Scotland, this is our moment to weave tartan and turbans into a shared tapestry of prosperity.

I welcome your coverage to spotlight Scotland’s central role in this historic accord.

Yours in shared ambition,

Dhruva Kumar

Former Glasgow South MP Candidate

Depute Convenor, Alba Party Glasgow

Letters: The Great Labour Betrayal – From Welfare State to Warfare State

DEAR EDITOR

When Labour swept to power in 2024, they promised a “year of change” built on fairness, economic security, and real support for working people. Nine months on, millions of voters who believed in that vision are left wondering: where did that promise go?

Take the Winter Fuel Allowance. Labour pledged to protect pensioners, but instead, they’ve means-tested this vital support, stripping £300 a year from 10 million elderly households. For pensioners in Scotland, where fuel poverty is already a crisis, this is more than a broken promise, it’s a direct hit on dignity and security in retirement.

Then there’s the closure of Grangemouth Refinery, Scotland’s largest industrial site. While Labour’s manifesto talked up industrial renewal, the reality has been the loss of thousands of skilled jobs and a blow to local communities. Promised “Just Transition” funding has stalled, and the government’s silence is deafening.

Small businesses, too, are feeling the squeeze. Labour’s hike in employer National Insurance contributions, hits small shops and local employers hardest. Big chains can pass on costs, but for independent bakers and butchers, this could be the final straw. This isn’t “backing British or Scottish business”, it’s making survival harder for the backbone of our communities.

Labour has refused to tax extreme wealth or impose windfall taxes on energy giants. Meanwhile, households face rising bills, not the £300 cut Labour promised. Their much-touted energy plan has faltered, and green levies are pushing costs even higher, especially painful in Scotland’s long, cold winters.

Welfare cuts are another blow. The government’s own figures show that recent changes will push 250,000 more people, including 50,000 children into poverty. Universal Credit health payments are frozen, and support for the sick and disabled is being slashed. This is austerity by another name, and it’s hitting the most vulnerable hardest.

Perhaps most telling is Labour’s decision to pour billions into defence, aiming for the highest military spending since the Cold War, while cutting £15 billion from public services. For Scotland, where Labour refuses to devolve full fiscal powers or reverse Tory-era cuts, the sense of betrayal is acute. Many now feel Labour is more interested in appeasing the centre than standing up for the people who put them in office.

This isn’t the change we were promised. It’s a retreat into old, failed policies that deepen inequality and erode trust. The working class deserves more than slogans and spin. It’s time for Labour to remember who they serve – and for all of us to hold them to account.

We urge voters and the media to hold this government to account. The working class deserves more than empty slogans and reheated Thatcherism.

Yours sincerely,

Dhruva Kumar

Former Glasgow South MP Candidate

Depute Convenor, Media Officer, Alba Party Glasgow