Lessons in life

It CANNOT be often that I am to be found in some measure of agreement with Thomas R Burgess (Letters, 12 November). However, when he bemoans the lack of experience to be found in the political class, I cannot help but agree.

Even 30 years ago, most party leaders and front bench spokesmen and women had some 
experience of the outside world. In some cases it was in the military, in others in law, on the shop-floor, in teaching or the unions.

Whether one voted for the parties or not, there was no doubting that the people concerned had had their political views shaped and confirmed by their experience in the wider world of real life.

I cannot help but feel that, nowadays, in Holyrood and Westminster – Brussels too, for that matter – we are having our lives run by people who know the price of everything but the value of nothing. Real-life experience would teach them the difference.

Andrew HN Gray

Craiglea Drive

Edinburgh