Lessons for Scotland from Danish TV

Lesley Riddoch (Perspective, 4 February) captures the importance of Borgen, the excellent Danish programme. I was one of the thousand-plus people who attended the final two episodes at the Filmhouse on Sunday.

As one person in the audience asked, how come Danish television can make programmes as good as Borgen, The Killing and The Bridge and we get River City?

Interestingly, Sidse Babett Knudsen, who plays the Danish prime minister, said it was because DR1, the Danish state broadcaster, insisted on quality, however it is also worth pointing out that it doesn’t lose two-thirds of its income to London, as does BBC Scotland!

More importantly, Lesley points out that Borgen is a feminist programme written and produced by men.

As the former spokesperson for the Greens in the women’s and equalities 
committee of the European Parliament and as someone who has taught and supported equalities policies all my life, I believe we in Scotland can learn much from Scandinavia on equalities policies.

Finally, Borgen is good because it shows us how a small country with big ideas can change itself and have a positive impact on the world.

Of course we do in Scotland have a very capable woman who is quite likely to be an independent Scotland’s prime minister one day. Nicola Sturgeon met Sidse on Sunday and is a great Borgen fan. Let’s hope we can all learn the lessons from Borgen and not only make better TV, but a better society.

Hugh Kerr

Braehead Avenue

Edinburgh

Perhaps Nicola Sturgeon should ask a fictional Danish detective to investigate why the support for the break-up of the UK is disappearing like snaw aff a dyke (your reports, 4 February).

Given that she was handed the poisoned chalice of fronting the unwinnable referendum by her wily boss, she should already know all the ins and outs of political scheming and backstabbing and then some.

Thirty-odd years ago support for Scotland’s separation was at best around 30 per cent.

The latest figures show support for breaking up the UK at around the same level and, if anything, likely to get lower.

Nearly 70 per cent of us have chosen then and now not to be persuaded by the “personalities” paraded by the pro-break-up front and even the cash provided by millionaires has made no 
difference at all.

The innate good sense of Scots is of much greater
importance.

Alexander McKay

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh