Letter: Oil salesman

ALEX Salmond is never far away when a photographer is around, a bun here - an Irn-Bru there, or ready with a soundbite. That is, of course, until there is the potential for embarrassment, most recently demonstrated with the low profile when "Hackgate" was at its height.

On Sunday evening, I saw Mr Salmond on a news bulletin tell the nation that the Shell oil spill was around 100 tonnes and, not to worry, the company had the matter in hand. We could go to sleep, assured that he was the man in charge of our nation's environment and coast line.

As it becomes clear that the spill is much larger and still growing (your report, 16 August) Mr Salmond seems to have gone into another monastic oath of silence. Rather like a Shell spokesman.

Alan Dickson

Rattray Grove

Edinburgh