Sir, I was always under the impression that all sportsmen were obliged to perform to the best of their ability?
If so, why was Sebastian Vettel, who was obviously the best driver in the weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix, expected to slow down to allow an inferior driver to win?
If I remember correctly, a few years ago Michael Schumacher was in the lead coming up to the chequered flag, when he suddenly applied the brakes of his car, to allow a teammate to pass him and win.
This caused a lot of controversy at the time and certainly put me off viewing Formula 1.
I fully realise that Vettel is expected to be a team player, but if I was wagering that he would win and, unknown to me, he was expected to lose, I would be less than happy.
Goodbye Formula 1.
Allan Murray. 44 Napier Road, Glenrothes.
Law has always been there
Sir, The Leveson inquiry was once amusing, watching newspapers and government officials trying to avoid responsibility while “celebs” protested innocence and victimisation.
Have we not all missed the point? That phone hacking was and is against the law and therefore a criminal offence?
The press have never had the freedom to break the law and people victimised by crime have the right to claim through the criminal injuries board. The law already exists to contain phone hacking so why do we require more legislation unless it is to protect our politicians from exposure of wrongdoing?
The only discovery was that the police did not enforce the law and our politicians avoided ensuring that the legal system was upheld by the administration. The saddest fact was to find the cause of the problem was as a direct result of the acquiescence of the prime minister’s office to the actions of the newspapers, so long as they were kind to the Government.
I can therefore understand why newspapers will not sign up to any licencing agreement administered by our elected members, after all was it not the revelation of members’ “expenses” that brought about the Leveson inquiry?
Alan Bell. Roods, Kirriemuir.
We can’t afford this dream
Sir, Bob Myles is right to be concerned about the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 stretching the resources ie our taxes of Angus Council (Councillor’s Gaelic blast, March 20). In Angus in the 2001 census only 0.6% of the population spoke Gaelic and 1.3% of all Scots and I will bet that each of them spoke and understood English perfectly.
Whilst it might be nice to have a language we could call Scottish, the purpose of language is communication and that can be done quite satisfactorily now and Gaelic should be left to those parents who wish their children to understand it to arrange and pay for their tuition.
The purpose of the council is surely to organise and pay for services we cannot easily find for ourselves, so we pay them to do it for us, not foist the ambition of a select few on the rest of us.
While we in Angus have schools desperately needing repair, pot-holed roads with crumbling edges, illegible road markings, I could go on, we do not have the funds to indulge in some dream.
The draft plan also suggests that we should have dual language on road signs, street name boards, stationery, vehicles, publications, etc. All this for the 0.6% in Angus and 1.3% in Scotland who speak the language. Why not Polish, Urdu, Hindi, Chinese? Probably more of the population would understand those!
The Bord na Gaidhlig set up by the act has been given remarkable powers and, it appears, little accountability and no regards for organisation’s ability to fund the Bord’s requirements of them. The act requires “equal respect” with English meaningless.
John A Dorward. 89 Brechin Road, Arbroath.
Bloom groups’ hard work
Sir, I write regarding your article No mower grass cutting (March 26). Councillor Alexander Stewart is surely not aware of all the work that the Bloom groups already put into the communities that they live in.
This work is carried out voluntarily, usually by retired people who do the work because they have pride in where they live.
Perhaps he would like to come and help our little group to plant up 110 hanging baskets to be hung around the village, maintain 10 flower beds and over 30 barrels and containers?
Liberal Democrat Leader and Perth City Councillor Peter Barratt says the council needs to clarify which areas of grass they intend to stop cutting in North Muirton.
Surely as a councillor he has access to a computer and can look up the map that has been put on the web (www.pkc.gov.uk/groundmaintenancereview) where he can see all the areas in and around Perthshire that are going to have reduced maintenance and grass cutting?
If people have queries regarding the above they can contact ComumnityGreen-space@pkc.gov.uk where they will be asked for their comments and queries regarding the review.
It seems to me councillors are too quick to say something to the papers before finding out what hard work the Bloom groups already do for the environments they live in.
Muriel Gregory. Chairperson, Comrie in Colour.