Marching orders

I THINK Norman Bonney is slightly missing the point in his letter (19 July) relating to the proposed Orange Order march in Edinburgh on 
13 September. The question here is not whether its mebers have the right to march in Edinburgh. They do have that right, and rights should be respected. The question is one of political judgment.

We have a referendum on independence the following week. As things stand, the pro-Union argument will win if it sticks to the basic arguments and does not take unnecessary risks or make bad mistakes. We should not be getting involved in anything that could potentially create a situation that gets away beyond our control. An Orange march is the kind of event that can only backfire. It cannot realistically convince anyone who is undecided. It may well alienate many potential No voters, or it could become a focus for serious dissent or trouble initiated by those on the fringes of the independence debate.

We don’t need this march, and I hope that someone in the Orange Order in Scotland has the good sense to see that.

Victor Clements

Aberfeldy

Perthshire