Letters: Party which landed us in this mess should say sorry

ON Saturday I marched, along with thousands of like-minded people from around Scotland, through the streets of the Capital demonstrating against the massive and unfair cuts which will soon be levied on the poor and the working classes in Britain.

To my utter dismay, I saw the leader of the Scottish Labour Party, namely Iain Gray. His presence at the rally shows a high degree of opportunism.

He should hang his head in shame. We are in the present financial quagmire mainly because of the utter incompetence of the spendthrift Labour Government, who presided over economic policies of unregulated markets (the words "light touch" uttered by Gordon Brown during a dinner party with the CBI spring to mind).

The big lie behind which the Labour Party has tried to hide its own responsibilities, that the financial meltdown has been a global phenomenon, has fooled no-one.

I for one have not forgotten when the then chancellor Brown triumphantly announced, when he got the keys of No 11 Downing Street, that he had set up a triumvirate, made up by the Government, the FSA and the bank of England, which would have safeguarded the economy of Britain.

We all know how effective those institutions have been. To any Labour MSP who is thinking of joining any future march against the current coalition Government I will say this: stay well away, or if you wish to take part, please come along, but make sure you display, in big bold letters, a placard with the word "sorry".

Antonio Fracchiolla, Edinburgh

Hero deserves a marker of his own

I'VE just finished reading the brilliant book McCrae's Battalion written by Jack Alexander. I knew very little about the man, his battalion, or the history of how this battalion fared when they went overseas during the First World War but I'm glad to say it was one of the best books I have ever read.

I now know more about this remarkable episode in our city's history, and I find it astonishing that one of Edinburgh's greatest heroes lies in an unmarked grave in the Grange Cemetery.

A fundraising appeal to raise the money required to have Sir George's grave marked in a fitting manner for such a heroic man should be begun.

I'm aware that there is a monument at Haymarket to honour the war dead from the Hearts team, but Sir George as commanding officer was held in such high esteem by his troops that I think he deserves his own individual commemorative marker.

Paul Cairney, Gilberstoun Wynd, Brunstane, Edinburgh

Don't sacrifice buses for trams

THE tram fiasco has gone on long enough and it is time the Edinburgh people had their say.

The idea of using the bus revenue to subsidise the trams is the last straw. It's just not on!

I hope the public can support the excellent service that Lothian Buses provides, not just in the city but in a very large surrounding area.

Please let's not sacrifice a well-used bus service for what is, at the moment, half a tram route.

MP Wilson, Prospect Bank Place, Edinburgh

Thanks for NHS 24's response

I HAD occasion to contact NHS 24 on behalf of my husband for a fairly urgent but not dangerous ailment. This was at 10am. And to our surprise, a medic arrived at 11am.

Mission complete, with no fuss, she left us promising to phone in one hour. This she did, and told us nurses would come in the late evening to check again.

Meanwhile, a doctor phoned us twice. A follow-up visit the next day and the day after that occurred.

Everyone from the call handlers to the medics involved ion the care, deserves the highest praise for their concern and professionalism.

I know some people are disgruntled with NHS 24, but we cannot thank them enough.

M and R Neill, Craiglockhart Terrace, Edinburgh