Letters: No Gray areas in Labour's impact on Scots finances

WHEN did the Evening News employ the new surrealist comedian whose column appeared on Thursday? The guy's name is Iain Gray and he appears to lead a comedy troupe which apparently held Scotland in its stultifying grip for more than 40 years and was called the Scottish Labour Mafia.

He seems to be claiming that the UK's banking collapse is all the fault of an SNP on a fixed Westminster income and not a Labour Party in power in London which let finance snake-oil salesmen in banks and other institutions bring the economy to the brink of collapse.

Then he writes of Labour reserves wasted by the SNP when he knows full well that the cash went back to Labour in London.

He equates schemes that weren't green-lighted as cuts. A scheme that doesn't go ahead is just that. A plan on a piece of paper. Nothing committed; nothing cut. Unlike Lie-bour and the Lib-Dums' disastrous imposition of trams on Edinburgh.

Frank Lynch, Calderhall Ave, East Calder

'Big Society' is nothing but talk

EVERY pensioner knows from experience how hard it is to manage money. It seems that at every turn, the money does not go as far, forcing the search for cheaper alternatives or else going without.

How the youngest and oldest are treated gives an indication of how the nation values and cares.

The youngest at the beginning of their lives should be given all the care and attention needed to help then develop.

The oldest in their retirement years should be given all the care and attention needed to enable them to live a dignified and comfortable life.

The interests of these two groups of citizens are reliant to a large degree on the generations in between who are the workers and producers of wealth.

How that wealth is allocated is mostly decided by the kind of local and national politicians that are elected.

Locally, what tends to happen is that communities are presented with a decision already made, then are sometimes consulted on whether Plan A or B be used. This is not involvement.

Nationally it is a similar story which contributes to the feeling of "why bother". It is the very opposite of what should happen, that is local councillors and MPs being pushed to work with their community.

This is why the policy of the Tory/Lib Dem coalition of drastically cutting public expenditure and funding is a most backward policy. It will decimate the existing community structure and set back their involvement for many years. The much talked about "Big Society" involvement will remain just talk.

A Delahoy, Silverknowes Gardens, Edinburgh

Kate needs to go to Specsavers

SO ITV's Kate Garraway thinks that Adrian Chiles is a sex god. (News, October 21.) May I suggest that she makes an urgent appointment with Specsavers or some other optician.

Ian McLaren, Edinburgh

Signs aren't good for Princes Street

TALKING about "Clangers that ring through the ages" (News, October 21), I see that a new road sign has gone up in Frederick Street saying that part of "Princess Street" is closed.

Harry D Watson, Braehead Grove, EdinburghBitter sniping is misleading voters

STEWART Geddes for some reason (possibly because he is the failed Conservative candidate for Edinburgh West) seems to want to misrepresent my position (Interactive, October 16).

He alleges that I am supporting the Browne report on higher education funding when I have made it clear to all concerned parties that I have serious concerns with elements of that report and that I will examine government proposals carefully once tabled before I decide how to vote.

Rather than sniping bitterly and inaccurately from the sidelines, Mr Geddes should come clean on his motives.

Mike Crockart, MP for Edinburgh West