Gender apartheid

First Minister Alex Salmond takes a principled and, in my view, admirable view against the entrenched sexism at Muirfield (your report, 29 June).

The response from the traditionalists is that the golf club is acting legally. Wasn’t that the same defence used by the South African government to justify apartheid? If the same clubs said “whites only”, what would be the reaction?

My vote goes to the politician prepared to take a stand and make Scotland a fairer place for all, and I look forward to the day when clubs either voluntarily welcome equal opportunity or an independent Scottish Parliament passes an equalities law that properly ends discrimination based on gender.

Craig Cockburn

Mitchell Street

Edinburgh