Sir, – I was delighted to read Jim Crumley’s article (May 12) regarding the possible reintroduction of the lynx to Scotland.
As an ardent lover of wildlife, I agree with everything he wrote.
I cannot understand the desire of a small minority to reintroduce these predators to the Scottish countryside.
When the lynx last lived in Britain, the human population was much smaller than today and there was much more wilderness and forests for them to inhabit.
Large expanses of land are now agricultural in one form or another and we humans spend far more time in the country following various pursuits such as walking, cycling and climbing.
I know there has been a successful reintroduction in parts of Europe but look at the size of Europe and the vast area of forests compared to the United Kingdom.
More importantly, we are spending large sums of money and time on trying to save our native wildcat.
I wonder if there would be room for both these species to co-exist and what are the chances that the lynx may carry diseases that could impact on our native wildcat, thus causing its demise?
We already have this problem with the red and grey squirrels in this part of the country.
As far as domestic animals are concerned, there is no saying what damage to livestock a lynx population would do.
It is all very well sitting in an office and thinking: “What predator can we introduce now?”
But if you happen to be a farmer of sheep, free-range pigs or poultry, it is a completely different scenario.
Life is hard enough as it is for these farmers without yet another problem being introduced due to the whim of a few.
I know they think the lynx would help to balance Scotland’s natural ecosystems but who is going to teach these animals that they have to stick to particular prey?
If the lynx was meant to be in this country, it would not have been pushed into extinction in the first place.
There must have been a very good reason for it.
P Brown. Longleys Farmhouse, Meigle.
Wildlife rules were ignored
Sir, – During the recent debate by Perth and Kinross councillors on DF Concerts’ bid to host T in the Park at the Strathallan Estate in West Perthshire, SNP Councillor Tom Gray was quoted as saying that he has “yet to see an osprey top itself because some kids want to go to a music festival”.
His comments reveal a depth of ignorance which is alarming.
The controversy arose because of a potential breach by DF Concerts of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Ospreys, included in Schedule One, have the highest protection under the Act, which states that “any person who intentionally or recklessly disturbs” a Schedule One bird while it is building a nest is guilty of an offence.
Siting a cherry picker, complete with balloons, directly underneath the ospreys’ nest was expressly designed to deter a protected species from reclaiming their nest.
DF Concerts organisers are very lucky. Had some anonymousmembers of the public carried out that blatantly illegal act, they would have been prosecuted, without a doubt.
Perhaps Councillor Gray should devote some time to furthering his knowledge of Scotland’s wildlife and their rights under the law.
Carolyn Taylor. 16 Gagiebank, Wellbank.
SNP second tier does have talent
Sir, – What a diverse variety of opinions expressed on this letters page (May 13).
Arch unionist Alan Bell will be very disappointed if he thinks that the SNP will vote with the Conservatives on anything other than routine, non-controversial issues.
AT Geddie may have to wait a long time for some of the deposed Labour and Liberal Democrat former MPs to bounce back in Scotland.
As far as the electorate here is concerned, they are soiled goods and are as popular as the toxic Tories.
The bounce-back for some will be the kick-back of appointment to the unelected House of Lords where many other deposed politicos reside.
Comments that the SNP candidates for Holyrood are second stream are very wide of the mark.
Nicola Sturgeon and John Swinney are just two examples of excellence.
The SNP is awash with talent, drawing its members from across Scottish society.
Finally, to reply to Mona Clark, the SNP has a long record of supporting electoral reform.
The system of proportional representation put in place for Holyrood to stop the SNP in itstracks resulted in an absolute SNP majority and the 2016 election may even increase that majority.
The recent moans about the first-past-the-post system have come as a result of the almost clean sweep by the SNP.
Who recalls gripes about that system when Labour returned large numbers of MPs with much less than 50% of the vote?
Dale D Smith. Kingarth, 46 Brechin Road, Kirriemuir.
MPs should focus locally
Sir, – It hasn’t taken long for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to come to terms with political reality.
Already she wants to talk to David Cameron about the question of more powers for Holyrood and other matters (May 13).
It all seems to be a long way from the pre-election noise about locking the Tories out of Downing Street and not doing deals under any circumstances.
The truth is that our political system cannot function at all unless the political parties talk to each other.
They have to do so, otherwise the business of the House of Commons could not go.
In a campaign, so many insults are hurled around we could be forgiven for thinking that any form of co-operation is impossible.
The reality is that they do talk because they all recognise where their mutual interests lie.
The real challenge for the new intake of SNP MPs is two-fold.
The first is to recognise the arcane procedures of Westminster, learn about them and use them to advance their cause.
The second is to maintain a strong local presence in their constituencies.
If they want to maintain popularity, then local MPs’ offices ought to be hubs for people with all sorts of problems. They should not, of course, be used for party political purposes.
Getting re-elected will depend on how well they can combine some parliamentary guile with a strong local focus.
Bob Taylor. 24 Shiel Court, Glenrothes.
Watch out for Tory revenge
Sir, – Will the unionists ever learn?
One by one their leaders fall, first at Holyrood and now at Westminster.
We Scots were promised real change last September but as soon as the unionists secured a narrow win, David Cameron claimed victory and kicked the promises into the long grass and proposed English votes on English laws.
Just sit back and see how the Tories claim the right to ignore last week’s vote now that they can out-vote any demands made by the SNP, including any form of further devolution.
Tom Black. 83 Lawside Road, Dundee.
Action at last on migration
Sir, – The public are desperate for action to halt the tsunami of immigrants hitting our shores. Already the signs are promising that action is being taken.
The European Commission has backed down over demands that all EU countries must take their share of the tens of thousands of migrants crossing the Mediterranean into Europe.
The UK would have been forced to take 60,000 migrants every year.
The UK warned it would veto this, so the European Commission said Britain would not be forced to take part.
David Cameron is demanding sweeping changes to EU benefits rules and he wants a ban on migrants claiming handouts for four years and also wants to deport jobless migrants after six months.
The Tories believe this will slash immigration by removing the welfare benefits on offer to both EU and non-EU migrants.
This is just the long-awaited action the public want.
Clark Cross. 138 Springfield Road, Linlithgow.