Today’s letters to the Courier editor debate the English media’s coverage of the World Cup, ‘jobsworths’, the VAT rise, socialist government, and the war in Afghanistan.
Balance lacking in match commentary
Sir,-For many years I was a football writer.
Among many other assignments, I covered England’s 1966 World Cup success and, among jibes to which football writers were subjected over the years was the oft-quoted, (from an English source) “Scottish writers are supporters with typewriters”.
That was so in some cases but mostly we were journalists doing a job of informing the folk who read our papers about what was going on in games and behind the scenes.
What none of us compared with, was the disgracefully biased BBC commentary on the Slovenia v England game, which saw England go through to the later stages of the World Cup.
Commentator Gary Mowbray managed to get in a few details of the play but they were far outnumbered by his practically praying for an England goal and, when the goal came, he continued to pray that it would be enough to win the game and get England into the next phase.
I don’t know who trained him, or where he was trained, but he certainly needs to be sent on a refresher course with the underlying theme that his job is to paint a word picture of the game and not to be an England supporter with a microphone.
There is some surprise down south that Scots, among many other nationalities, want anyone to win but England.
I firmly believe that, mostly, this is not because of the people who play for England but commentators like Mowbray who go over the top in lauding them to the skies when they win, no matter how well or badly they have played.
Ian Wheeler.Springfield,Cupar.
Jobs UK cannot afford
Sir,-Robert Ferguson (June 25) asks Dr John Cameron for a list of the jobsworths he wrote about.
Perhaps I can be allowed to suggest a list community space challenger co-ordinator, Gypsy and traveller liaison officer, personal best adviser, dance development officer, street football co-ordinator, environmental drama therapist, biodiversity officer, tobacco alliance coordinator.
It is time for a cull to get rid of these expensive non-jobs and their pension costs.
The truth is we can cut expenditure and still protect our essential frontline services.
Clark Cross.138 Springfield Road,Linlithgow.
Blame Labour for VAT rise
Sir,-You reported (June 23) that the 2.5% VAT rise will leave the average British family £425 a year worse off.
That is equal to the increased VAT on £17,000 of standard-rated goods and services.
Given that most food, children’s clothes, gas, electricity and rent are not included in this £17,000, then this average family is not exactly badly off.
Nevertheless, they’re right to be angry with the government but not this government.
It is the previous Labour one that got us into this mess and it is they who deserve the blame.(Cllr) Dave Dempsey.Fife Council Conservatives,7 Carlingnose Park,North Queensferry.
Legacy of socialism
Sir,-Your reports on Chancellor Osborne’s budget show that we never learn from history.
Britain has never had an economically successful socialist government, and if the electorate would grasp that simple fact, we could avoid the perpetual cycle of a government that gives it all away, inevitably followed by one that has to take it all back.Malcolm Parkin.15 Gamekeepers Road,Kinnesswood,Kinross.
Bring our troops home
Sir,-A famous Victorian painting by Elizabeth Butler shows a desperately injured officer approaching the lonely frontier fort of Jalalabad on his dying horse.
He was the sole survivor of an entire British Army massacred by the Pashtuns in one of our forlorn 19th century attempts to subjugate Afghanistan.
Our repeated disasters led to the warning being etched into the training manual of our Imperial Forces, “It is easier to march into the Hindu Kush than to march out again.”
Montgomery was on much the same theme when he claimed during the second world war that the only basic rule of modern warfare was, “Do not invade Russia.” In a fit of absence of mind, Tony Blair helped to invade a distant land and we face an enemy who can win by not losing, so the sooner the boys are brought home the better.
(Dr) John Cameron.10 Howard Place,St Andrews.