Letters: Litter wardens are wasting time picking up easy targets

Do you agree that environmental wardens must tackle weekend revellers?

I just learned of a single mother who, walking along an off-road path, having finished a cigarette and thrown it away, was accosted by two environmental officers, who issued a fixed penalty of 50.

Now, we could rejoice that these two council officials were just doing their job. They were cleaning up our environment.

Yet, isn't this small potatoes? Isn't it easy to fine a female on her own, rather than get to the nub of where real pollution is taking place.

For example, on busy weekend nights I regularly observe at the taxi rank at the Omni Centre smokers hastily dragging on their fag, then callously discarding it before getting into a taxi.

I've seen beer bottles quaffed, then discarded at the kerb, takeaway food packaging discarded carelessly.

Now, this happens regularly, we all know it does, but where are the wardens?

Yes, rather than confront drug or alcohol-laden members of the public, they sneak up on single females and issue their fines. Is this what our society has now stooped to?

Jim Taylor, The Murrays Brae, Edinburgh

Have some faith in our country

In reply to Sylvia M De Luca (Interactive, May 11), Alex Salmond's aim is not to separate Scotland from the UK. Independence would mean the end of the 1707 union, but the 1603 union would still be in place.

For 104 years, Scotland and England were independent countries, but one kingdom, and this is what we would return to.

Scotland is not a small country, it is medium-sized and some 85 countries, over half the world's independent nations, are smaller than Scotland.

As for a potential aggressor, who is going to attack us? Scots are loved and respected the world over and this country of ours is one of the few that can claim to have no enemies.

For too long many so-called Scots have been putting our country down, claiming that we are too small, too poor, too stupid and too incapable of running our own affairs.

Well, more and more people are realising that this is not so and, as we grow in confidence, Mrs De Luca might just find that when we do have a referendum it will be a deafening 'yes'.

John Blyth, Magdalene Avenue, EdinburghIndependence is a different issue

The SNP is no doubt basking in the glory of an historical election win.

Yes they had a landslide victory, yes they now have an unprecedented majority in Holyrood and yes they may now be the most dominant political party in Scotland, but the fact still remains that more than fifty per cent of the electorate did not re-elect them.

Granted, the greater portion of this figure is made up of people who chose not to vote, but does this not demonstrate disillusionment with the current political system, politics and perhaps politicians themselves?

If a referendum on independence comes, this vote would surely be rendered null and void if there was a significant percentage of voters choosing not to vote, but, of course, in a democratic society a non-vote might be construed as a 'no' vote, so perhaps before such an historical decision is taken some form of electoral reform has to take place.

Angus McGregor, Albion Road, Edinburgh

Former MSPs still on the gravy train

The politicians' gravy train still runs even when the electorate throws them out.

MSPs who were thrown out on May 5 are entitled to a 'golden parachute' payment of 58,000 to "help them adjust to life outside the Scottish Parliament".

These MSPs knew that the term or contract was for five years unless re-elected.

It was bad enough that MSPs were soaking the taxpayer whilst in office and it is outrageous that these MSPs are still soaking the taxpayer when they are kicked out.

This is shocking and must be changed before the next election.

Ok, I know turkeys do not vote for Christmas . . .

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow