Sir, In Monday’s Letters Mr Bertram claims the No campaign has been negative and disingenuous.
The independence debate has a strange resemblance to the QI programme, where panellists get extra points by displaying a Nobody Knows card when an alleged fact is sufficiently obscure or not provable while the compere, Stephen Fry, holds all the facts and the correct answers.
It is clear the Yes campaign has few, if any, of the important answers on independence. The SNP campaign is fat on conjecture but woefully thin on answers. Their claims based on political visions, promises and dreams but generated as facts by the SNP’s Vote Yes campaign have had my Nobody Knows card consistently in useduring the overlong campaign launched on Scotland by the SNP.
There will be some patriotic “Heart over Mind” supporters of separation, like Mr Bertram, but surely combining our native cultures, business acumen and shared national ambitions within the established international power of the UK is the reasoned way forward to a more assured future for Scotland.
Angus Brown. The Orchard, Longforgan.
Butler-Sloss issue a mess
Sir, The inquiry into claims of child abuse by establishment figures will be one of the most complex and sensitive of modern times. It is difficult to imagine a more cack-handed performance by Home Secretary Theresa May over who should chair it.
I saw her defend, to a House of Commons committee, the appointment of Baroness Butler-Sloss with a passionate reference to her “integrity”. Of course, integrity was not the issue. The issue was partly one of conflict of interest because her late brother was Attorney-General when some of the claims were made.
Equally, she may be far too closely identified with the establishment to be credible. Would she be prepared to make the sort of recommendations that would seriously hold those in power to account? There was enough perceived doubt about this to cause her to reflect on whether her appointment was the right one and step down.
There is now the difficult question of what sort of figure should chair the inquiry. It will need someone with a rare blend of radical spirit and legal expertise if the public and alleged victims are to take him or her seriously.
Bob Taylor. 24 Shiel Court, Glenrothes.
The organisers found top gear
Sir, We had the great pleasure of participating at the 40th Scottish Transport Extravaganza for the first time this year. Having attended classic car shows all over the country for a number of years, we encountered nothing but enthusiasm and positivity from the hundreds of people we met, many of whom had travelled from all over the country, some from all over the world.
We feel this has to be one of the best shows we attend and can’t speak highly enough of the organisers for the tremendous effort they put in to make this event happen. We look forward to supporting, attending and enjoying it for many years to come.
Keith Murray, Morris Leslie Vehicle Auctions Ltd, Errol.
Degrees of separation
Sir, As A-level and Highers results are almost upon us, I wonder how many young people will be going to university. It is not the norm for everyone.
Like Alan Titchmarsh, gardening presenter and writer, I left school aged 15. He went straight into gardening and I went into nursery nursing, then trained asregistered nurse.
It is not necessary to have a degree to get a good and satisfying job. Yes, we need doctors, vets, lawyers, but we also need plumbers, joiners and bus drivers; we need farmers, gamekeepers and forestry workers.
Certain jobs carry more prestige than others. Is this a mild type of snobbery?
Isabel Wardrop, RGN. 111 Viewlands Road West, Perth.
‘Ill-informed’ on food banks
Sir, It is very disappointing to read that Colin Denovan (Tuesday’s Letters) is “appalled” that Jim McGovern MP and I have shown support for Dundee Foodbank.
The staff and volunteers at Dundee Foodbank work extremely hard to help people in crisis and deserve our support. Mr Denovan’s comment about campaigning to “stamp them out” is as unfortunate as it is ill-informed.
Fraser Macpherson. Councillor for West End, Dundee City Council.
Cabinet can’t be any worse
Sir, David Cameron announced that his new cabinet is one that “reflects modern Britain” and will “get the best for our country”.
Well, it couldn’t be much worse than the previous one, 23 of the 29 members of which were millionaires mostly based on inherited wealth most, if not all, public school-educated, and totally out of touch with the needs and aspirations of the people of the country.
Les Mackay. 5 Carmichael Gardens, Dundee.