Sir, I knew Margo MacDonald most of my adult life because we were the same age and had mutual friends when she attended Dunfermline College of Physical Education.
Even among that boisterous set she was memorably “up for anything” but she married young and I lost track of her until that truly amazing night in Govan in 1973.
After that she was rarely out of the news but she was always going to be too big a personality with too many ideas for an increasingly one-issue, tightly-dragooned SNP.
She hated wasteful pretension and it was no surprise when she outed the profligate tenfold cost increase of the risible Scottish Parliament building and forced an inquiry.
We met and corresponded during her assisted dying campaigns and it was heart-breaking to see the ravages of Parkinson’s on that robust and captivating woman.
She was a vibrant maverick in an age of machine politicians a good friend in sunny days and an even better friend when things went sour and troubles were all around.
Rev Dr John Cameron. 10 Howard Place, St Andrews.
Time for all to come together
Sir, What a great assurance to many that Fife Council passed the planning application for the new Madras at Pipeland by 56 votes to 11 at the recent Fife Council meeting.
I attended the meeting along with other parents and grandparents and many tears were shed after the vote, tears of joy and relief.
It is worth noting out of the North East Fife councillors, they voted 10-6 in favour, with three of the four St Andrews councillors voting in favour. This makes the original vote on March 20 at the NEF Committee meeting a bit of a dud!
Assuming the application is passed by the Scottish Government, the new Madras will open its doors for autumn 2016.
I sincerely hope no person or persons would spend hundreds of thousands of pounds on a judicial review in an attempt to stop this school going ahead.
This would have a detrimental effect on the children’s education and well-being and tear the community apart. I hope everyone can accept democracy and all come together and help deliver the school that is much needed.
Emily Thomson. 64 Winram Place, St Andrews.
Last we’ll hear of that, then
Sir, The arguments for making Leuchars into a local commercial airport all seem to be well-founded.
Clearly it can host very large aircraft and it’s very handy for St Andrews and Cupar, the nearest large county towns.
It’s not far from the Tay Bridge, so that upgrading the main road from Dundee would not be an enormous job and there is already a railway station, with through trains to London, right on the doorstep.
In one direction the flight path runs out over the sea and the military is there already to provide security.
It is altogether an excellent plan and there’s really nothing against it.
So that’s the last we’ll hear of that, then!
Michael Spencer. 27 James Street, Pittenweem.
End can never justify means
Sir, Leslie Milligan, (letters, April 4), describes very well the enormity of violent crime, in particular that of murder, and the effect such crimes have on the families of victims. I recognised this in my previous correspondence and made the point that the “punishment must fit the crime”.
Arguing against the death penalty does not suggest a soft option for murderers, but makes the case against its injustice and brutality. The punishment for murder is very severe in this country, as it should be, but I would stick with my assertion that all killing is wrong, be it criminal or judicial.
There are many arguments against the use of the death penalty and several of these were made very forcibly in Jenny Marra’s article last week. Perhaps one of the strongest deals with situations where mistakes are made and are then recognised when new evidence comes to light. This has happened in this country and there have been several posthumous pardons.
Mistakes can be rectified at a later date, but not if the prisoner has been executed. In this situation, the end can never justify the means, and one innocent life lost in this way is one too many.
Ronald Oliver. 4 Lethnot Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee.
Shows a real lack of savvy
Sir, The negativity of showing the world the demolition of its useless building stock as a prelude to the Commonwealth Games, shows the lack of savvy with which those who run Scotland are afflicted. They can’t even choose the correct building to destroy.
Malcolm Parkin. 15 Gamekeepers Road, Kinnesswood, Kinross.
A leap into the unknown
Sir, As a sceptical spectator to independence I attended a recent meeting of the “Yes” campaign in Forfar and was surprised by the strong clan-like resentment of English rule over Scotland, without any know-ledge of the history between the two countries and the recent influence Scotland has enjoyed over the Westminster parliament.
The most resentment was targeted at Scotland’s contribution to the UK and lack of return on the investment. A question I ask myself every time I have to pay my taxes in order to enjoy the benefits of my chosen place of residence.
One note of sanity came from an Englishman who pointed out the major difficulties associated with the extensive mix of all nationalities within the UK and whether he was eligible to vote. He was reassured by the Green representative that being resident in the country meant he was a Scot, and he should vote to free himself from the oppression of his birth nation.
The two speakers representing the SNP and the Greens did their best to explain the wish list of plans for an independent Scotland but could not say specifically what might happen, only what could be possible “if”.
On a positive note we learned that Scotland would not join the Euro currency but will have to give up some of its independence when negotiating with others to join a sterling zone for currency or the EU.
The important conclusion was the realisation and admission that a yes vote was a gigantic leap of faith into the unknown.
Alan Bell. Roods, Kirriemuir.
Better to stay together
Sir, The referendum debate should be about what Scotland will really be like in 10, 20 or 50 years’ time. History would suggest it is the largest countries that do best post-independence, not the smallest. New sustainable sources of income other than oil will need to be identified if we are to prosper in the future.
Some indication of how likely these sources will be created in Scotland would be a start.
During the 20th century we saw miniaturisation replace much heavy engineering with resulting job losses coupled with new sources of cheaper labour across the globe. This 21st century will see computer created objects become the norm in manufacturing. Intelligent machines will replace skilled human activities in ways we may now think impossible. We will have to be innovative and creative to retain meaningful employment. Would it not, therefore, be better to stay within the protection of the larger United Kingdom?
Joseph A Peterson. St Andrews.
It’s a privilege, not a right
Sir, In answer to Mary Twynam (letters, April 7), who is disappointed that she will not be allowed a vote in the referendum, I make no apologies for repeating an answer I have given to similar comments before. I left my native Wales to come north nearly 60 years ago.
If the positions were reversed, and there was a referendum in Wales, does Ms Twynam seriously suggest that I should be as entitled to a vote as someone who has spent all their life there?
Yes, I will vote in the referendum and I am very grateful to you, my hosts, for inviting me to do so, but I regard it as a privilege and not a right.
Laurie Richards. 100 Crail Road, Cellardyke.
Rights given up if you leave
Sir, While I sympathise a little with Mary Twynam (April 7) regarding the fact she cannot vote at the Scottish referendum on independence, the fact is that if it was an ordinary parliamentary election in her Scottish home town she would still not be able to vote.
If you live in another place other than in Scotland, your voting rights are given up for Scottish matters and your interest would be in your locality, wherever you reside. If all Scots-born people were included in the referendum vote we would have to send papers all over the world!
Fiona McMillan. 6 Ethiebeaton Terrace, Monifieth.
Just being cynical?
Sir, Can anyone from the SNP explain why they wish to separate from the UK, but want to join the EU? This is an organisation that is run by mostly non-elected people, who are accountable to no one, and who have not had their accounts signed off for 19 years.
They churn out rules and regulations by the thousand and no one has a say in their implementation. Maybe this is the appeal to the SNP who may wish to run this country in the same way by being accountable to no one.
Or am I just being cynical?
Bob Duncan. 110 Caesar Avenue, Carnoustie.