Debatable view

I thought it was slightly sinister of Lady Smith at the Court of Session to say that "the series of leadership election debates is now two-thirds of the way through and has, thus far, taken place according to plan".

According to whose plan, one wonders? The BBC's? Or possibly, to use a more nebulous term, "the establishment's".

This would include the larger political parties, the Tory press (which still exercises enormous sway over the large lump of voters). Most of these people give little or no thought to matters like climate change, nuclear weapons or health and social services – until it affects them directly, of course.

BARRY LEES

Denholm Street

Greenock

The attempt by the SNP to be noticed by launching a legal action against the BBC seems to have been unsuccessful. Bearing in mind that this cost them 50,000, do their supporters think that this was a wise use of the money which could far better have been spent on advertising their existence? At present, they are in danger of becoming the "Lost Party".

ANDREW HN GRAY

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh

I'm not an SNP member but the Court of Session judgment (your report, 29 April) seems more personal opinion than legal assessment.

The BBC isn't objective in its treatment of Scotland (every day its weather "map" on TV with Scotland's area reduced while England's is enlarged, shows its London bias). Clearly Scotland is not fairly represented in BBC coverage of the election because so many devolved matters aren't even mentioned.

The three main Westminster parties are given a major boost by these programmes and I'm amazed that a Scottish court is unable to see this.

JIM SIMPSON

The Parsonage

Musselburgh

The SNP has been highly successful in demonstrating that the BBC has little or no interest in Scotland other that the collection of licence fees.

For the BBC to have allowed Alex Salmond to participate in the debate would have exposed the glaring weakness in Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg.

It should be recognised that not only is the BBC anti-Scottish but none of the candidates participating in the prime ministerial debate has requested that Scotland's First Minister be included to articulate the views of the people of Scotland.

The BBC's long-term future in Scotland now seems in doubt and perhaps "Auntie" in London should be considering switching out the lights at Pacific Quay.

THOMAS L INGLIS

Menzies Avenue

Fintry