Sir, Iain Richmond (letters, May 2) sets out clearly what the referendum is and is not about, and his clearly expressed thoughts on the subject in his powerful letter in support of his intention to vote “no”.
The way he reaches his conclusion is in marked contrast to the superficial nature of the reasons for voting “yes” contained in other letters on the same page, not to mention previous ones in your columns, which are also similar to those often expressed to me on the street by intending “yes” voters.
These reasons generally have something to do either with Tories or with petty anti-English feeling.
Mr Richmond points out that the referendum is not to do with political parties or the individual politicians of any party who happen to hold office at the present time. He reminds us that it is concerned with the much more profound question of whether or not we want to end the relationship which has served us well for 300 years.
He asks us to stand for the unity of the people of the UK rather than taking the retrograde step of putting up artificial barriers which benefit no one.
This is not a general election that we face, wherein the electorate can vote political parties in or out at will every four years.
The referendum result will be permanent and should not be swayed by votes which are either frivolous or cast on issues which would be appropriate only at general election level.
Arthur Davis. Kinnaird Steading, Pitlochry.
Why was the vote result not highlighted?
Sir, Your report on The Courier’s Referendum Roadshow’s visit to Dunfermline (May 6) devoted a third of its space to a voter who would like to vote “yes”, but may be forced to vote “no” to keep her husband working and her family living in Scotland.
The remainder of the report was more or less evenly divided between quotations from “yes” and “no” voters. Only in one short sentence tucked in towards the end of the report was it mentioned that the “nos” polled 64% in the survey.
The headline was a neutral “Dunfermline voters face up to their big decision” with no mention in it of the overwhelming return in favour of staying in the UK. I wonder what the headline would have been if 64% had said they were voting “yes”?
The Sunday Herald has come out in support of a “yes” vote. At least that newspaper is honest about its bias. The Courier’s is more subtle, but nonetheless obvious to the discerning reader.
It would be interesting to see the result of a straw poll among The Courier editorial staff.
George K McMillan. 5 Mount Tabor Avenue, Perth.
Is closure really necessary?
Sir, Why is it that every time some poor soul decides to make their way to the Tay Road Bridge in a troubled frame of mind, the entire bridge has to be closed?
The other night it was closed for more than three hours causing mayhem and possibly distress to many travellers.
If that person has decided to look over to the river, surely one lane closed should be enough to “protect” them from passing traffic? It is absolutely wrong that one troubled person should be able to disrupt the entire bridge crossing.
It must have been very distressing for families with young children and/or pets stuck there for such a long time. Let’s be sensible and stop holding the public to ransom while the situation is dealt with.
Fiona McMillan. 6 Ethiebeaton Terrace, Monifieth.
Best start for young people
Sir, The National Youth Work Strategy, debated in the Scottish Parliament this week, is a welcome recognition of the role youth workers play in today’s society.
Youth workers make a significant contribution to the lives of young people and through organisations like The Boys’ Brigade they offer young people the best possible start in life by providing opportunities to learn, make friends and enjoy new experiences.
We welcome the fact that the strategy recognises the importance and popularity of the voluntary uniformed youth work organisations, who together, deliver a vast amount of youth work across Scotland on a weekly basis.
Having pioneered youth work more than130 years ago, we recognise that it is our ability to adapt and evolve that has kept the organisation relevant to Scotland’s young people.
This has resulted in a resurgence in membership, with more than 20,000 young people taking part in our 450 companies each week, delivered by thousands of our dedicated volunteers.
Moving forward, it is vital that momentum is maintained to make Scotland the best place for young people to grow up.
Bill Stevenson. Director, Scotland, The Boys’ Brigade, Carronvale House, Larbert.