On the agenda this morning are reaction to news the BNP is to stand in Dundee, expense-charge MPs being given legal aid, the UK’s debt problem, the BBC’s coverage of the Scottish Cup, the SNP’s representation in upcoming TV debates and a suggestion that the voting age should be increased.
Cheap form of gesture politics from two Jims Sir,-I think there may be a touch of hyperbole in Graeme Bletcher’s use of the word “shocked” to describe the Dundee political scene when it was revealed that the two Jims vying for a seat at the next parliament would have to face the challenge of a member of the BNP, and that both “would refuse to share a stage with him during the campaign trail.”
Fair enough, the BNP have some pretty insalubrious habits and I wouldn’t like my daughter to marry one.
But my memory goes pretty far back, and I really do have a problem remembering the last time there was a “stage” in Dundee on which there was political debate even featuring two prospective candidates.
I have studied the websites of the two Jims and find no outline of any “stage” or any outline of a “campaign trail.”
So the two Jims are saying, in effect, that if there were to be any “stage” in which any political debate were to take place, they would not share it with the BNP.
I cannot help but think that this is a cheap form of gesture politics, a kind of political shadow boxing, or public declaration of political purity, not to be confused with the real world.
Mr A. A’Hara.21 Rockfield Street,Dundee.
Audacity that beggars belief
Sir,-The brazen audacity of some of our elected representatives beggars belief.
We now learn that three MPs charged with fiddling their expenses are to be given legal aid, which could amount to £3 million, all at the taxpayers’ expense.
Sadly, it seems the trough will never be big enough.
John McDonald.14 Rosebery Court,Kirkcaldy.
Not being told the truth
Sir,-Readers may wish to have some insight into our current debt problem in the UK.
Current public spending is increasing this debt by around £450 million every day which equates to over £12 billion a month.
This may help give some perspective to the somewhat modest claims by political parties towards reducing public spending in the run-up to the election.
We are nowhere near being told the truth.
G. M. Lindsay.Whinfield Gardens,Kinross.
Second semi just ignored
Sir,-I could not believe my eyes, or my ears, on Monday night as I watched BBC’s Scottish news on Reporting Scotland at 6.30pm.
When it came to the sports coverage I watched as all Celtic’s problems were laid bare after their defeat at the hands of Ross County and some snippets from the game were also included in the programme.
I also watched and listened as Craig Brown told us all about Motherwell’s fixture problems after the SPL split.
I then waited patiently for the report of the other semi-final between Dundee United and Raith Rovers played only 24 hours previously but did so in vain as, incredibly, the BBC never even mentioned it had been played.
I found it absolutely unbelievable they didn’t even tell the nation who would contest the final, let alone mention that the second semi-final had been played.
Bill Greig.20 Clive Road,Dundee.
A strange decision
Sir,-Who should represent the SNP in televised election debates?
The controversy over whether the nationalist parties should have been included in the main UK leaders’ debates is still raging. But I can’t understand Alex Salmond’s decision to be the party representative in Sky TV’s debate on April 25 (Courier, April 10).
After all, although he is the leader of the SNP, he is not a candidate in the election. It would be more tactically astute, surely, to allow one of the candidates to front for the party on satellite TV.
This might help heighten their profile as well as signalling to the public that the SNP is not a one-man band.
The test of success for the nationalists in the forthcoming Westminster poll is simple. Can they increase their number of MPs and hold part of the balance of power in a hung parliament? That way they might be able to tackle public spending cuts, and push for recognition and support for a referendum on independence.
But if Mr Salmond insists on too high a profile in the various hustings, this might rebound on the rest of his colleagues. They surely should get the chance to show the public what talents they have.
Equally, those who have not been to the House of Commons before should get their share of the limelight in what will be a gruelling campaign.
Bob Taylor.24 Shiel Court,Glenrothes.
Raise age limit don’t lower it
Sir,-The idea of giving votes to children of 16 is ludicrous. For example, a recent survey found the great majority to be in favour of free downloading of all music without paying royalties.
Previous generations of such teenagers, disciplined by full-time apprenticeships for proper jobs in the real world, were probably more capable of such responsibilities than modern teenagers.
We should increase the voting age limit to 20, and also for buying alcohol, getting married, driving a car and serving in combat roles in the armed forces; and to 30 for local councillors, 40 for parliamentary candidates, and 50 for top bank executives.
John Birkett.12 Horseleys Park,St Andrews.