Sir, Alex Salmond’s reported opinions on Vladimir Putin are sensible and completely reasonable.
They do not qualify as “praise” but represent an honest and pretty accurate assessment of Russia’s successful leader who appears to enjoy massive popularity and overwhelming democratic support among his people.
As befits an effective political leader, Mr Putin pursues Russia’s interest with considerable energy and no little success which seriously discomfits the US/UK axis and we are therefore expected to dislike and fear him.
I have news for our media. I dislike George Bush, Tony Blair and a bus full of others of our own leaders past and present rather more than I dislike Vladimir Putin. Alex Salmond has an alarming record of honest commentary and saying it like it is. This is part of his success and why it can be difficult to beat him and why we have this desperate attack on him.
What is remarkable, however, is that his remarks on Mr Putin were made about six weeks ago yet they suddenly appear now, as if by magic, right across the media.
Sensible voters recognise a co-ordinated stitch-up when they see one and it will further confirm to them that the bottom of the barrel is now being reached in frantic attempts to derail the “Yes” bandwagon.
Dave McEwan Hill. 1 Tom Nan Ragh, Dalinlongart, Sandbank, Argyll.
Adopting euro would see “no” vote soar
Sir, Alex Salmond now cuddles up to the EU as a “linchpin of the EU” and claims that his new Scotland is fully committed to the founding values of the European ideals.
The European vision has always been acceptance of the euro as the currency required for each new member. Rumania and Hungary are just two examples on a long European list.
If such a keen linchpin of Euro virtues, surely the SNP should have the honesty to ditch any rUK currency options the primary one already ruled out by every major UK Party and improve their negotiation chances of their claimed, but very doubtful, “seamless entry to the EU” after a “yes” vote.
The UK fought hard to stay out of the euro currency and it is beyond belief that the SNP want to desert the UK but assume that all the UK benefits will be extended to Scotland. You can’t leave the membership of any organisation and claim you are still a member.
The reason is not hard to fathom. The threat of the euro as Scotland’s currency would mean that the number of industries, banks, financial institutions, trade unions and small business who back a “no” vote would double and his 10% floating voters would halve.
Perhaps he is the real “feartie”, but our First Minister would at least have a clear conscience knowing that, for once, he had been completely honest with Scottish voters.
Angus Brown. The Orchard, Station Road, Longforgan, Dundee.
How relevant are they today?
Sir, It is beyond irony that the Scottish Secular Society claims that the Church of Scotland with its 400,000 membership should be confined to history (Courier, April 29).
The Scottish Secular Society has a membership that is less than 0.25% of that of the Church of Scotland. So one wonders what relevance they have to modern Scotland and why they are quoted at all in the media?
David Robertson. St Peter’s Free Church, 4 St Peter Street, Dundee.
Riding centre under threat
Sir, As a recent Courier article highlighted, Bannockburn Riding for the Disabled Centre is under imminent threat because its landlord is restricting public access.
Since my autistic daughter is a trainee groom at the RDA, I have witnessed the dedication of volunteers and paid staff who, up until recently, were helping 200 disabled people a week.
Riding is now a well- established therapy for many kinds of disability. This centre operates without regular public funding. It draws on the skill and enthusiasm of its workers and the goodwill of local people and sponsors.
It is unfortunate that the RDA’s landlord, Mr Roddie, does not appear to share this positive and caring outlook.
There is still time to save the centre and I would ask people to help by lobbying their MP, MSP or any other influential person.
An emergency fund has been set up to help keep the centre open and details are on the Bannockburn RDA website.
Michael Lloyd. 4 Stanley Place, Dunbar.
Another piece of “Yes speak”
Sir, I was intrigued to read Ronald Henderson’s benevolent offer to finance the mass exodus southwards, in the unlikely event of a September vote for separation.
His offer, yet again, reeks of “Yes speak”, a now commonly used term to describe promises that can never be achieved.
G E Muir. 70 Abbey Road, Scone.