If you aim to swear in using Doric or Scots, remember to learn some beforehand

THE behaviour of some SNP members at the Holyrood swearing in ceremony appalled me and is another in the long list of incidents surrounding them and their supporters that make me ashamed to be Scottish.

They clearly were demonstrating an anti-English, anti-monarchy stance. There was a touch of irony, however, when two of the ladies being sworn in, who had expressed their wishes to do one in Doric and one in Scots as well as in English, were unable to do so without the provision of cards with the aforementioned translations.

It shows how much they love these languages and how often they use them that they were totally unable to translate a few simple sentences from the card containing the English version. No forward planning and no rehearsal at home?

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Tokenist nonsense from token SNP MPs. Add to all that the Brigadoon outfit of Angela Constance and the stage is set for another pantomime season at the Holyrood theatre.

Donald Lewis,

Gifford, East Lothian

The elevation of Ken Macintosh to Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament raises a serious question as to whether democracy has prevailed.

I make no political point but deal in facts.

Fact 1: Mr Macintosh was roundly rejected in his Glasgow constituency by the electorate.

Fact 2: Within hours he had boarded the “list” bus full of people of all persuasions heading for Edinburgh with full MSP status without having the consent of the people of Scotland through the ballot box.

Fact 3: These “list” MSPs cashed in on the Scottish proportional representation voting system which puts party before individuals and leaves the electorate out in the cold.

Therefore, it is reasonable to ask what right has a Presiding Officer elected this way to hold such a high position with fat salary without the consent of the electorate.

Is this democratic? I think not.

Furthermore, when MSPs voted for the new Presiding Officer they hid behind a secret election. It is farcical that MSPs of all persuasions call for open and transparent government at every opportunity and then hide behind secrecy over a major appointment in their own Parliament.

We expect a high level of honesty and integrity from our MSPs. Surely, they do not need to hide behind secrecy to elect a Presiding Officer.

JW McLean,

Riccarton Road
Linlithgow, West Lothian