Carmichael memo

I wonder if Lesley Riddoch (Perspective, 25 May) has read the Cabinet Office statement about the Alistair Carmichael leak, from which I quote: “There is no reason to doubt that he (the civil servant who wrote the memo) recorded accurately what he thought he had heard.”

This was no “rumour”, but an official document. If it utterly misrepresented the facts, it would be very interesting to know how that came about.

It would also be interesting to know what the First Minister did say to the French ambassador; in the spirit of open government it would be appropriate if the memo(s) of that conversation were published.

It’s very disappointing that a journalist such as Lesley Riddoch, whose priority should be revealing the truth, instead jumps on to the crowded anti-Carmichael bandwagon and even appears to sympathise with a call for the prosecution of the newspaper that published the leak.

Andrew Anderson

Granton Road

Edinburgh

I was surprised by the tone of Lesley Riddoch in wanting Alistair Carmichael to resign. I don’t remember Ms Riddoch calling for Alex Salmond to resign when his special adviser smeared a mother of disabled children.

Nor do I remember Ms Riddoch calling on Alex Salmond to resign when he lied about having legal advice on Scotland’s membership of the EU. It seems to be that there is one rule for the SNP and one rule for the rest in today’s one-party Scotland.

Michelle Smythe

Dalry Road

Edinburgh

It’s interesting how surprised some people get when it seems as if a politician has lied.

M Douglas

Mansionhouse Road

Edinburgh