On the road out

BOB Taylor (Letters, 9 June) writes as if the Labour Party is still a ­massive presence in Scottish politics, when a solitary MP at ­Westminster and real fears about next year’s Holyrood election point in a completely different direction.

The juxtapositioning of Ian Maxfield’s letter (also 9 June) regarding falling Church (of Scotland) membership begs the question; could it just be that the dreich, early 20th century philosophies of grudge and envy of both organisations are a complete turn-off for the much more open-minded and forgiving “plastic” generations?

Personally, I doubt if Scotland can afford one Socialist party, whether it is re-branded “progressive” or not.

But it certainly cannot afford the expensive luxury of two. 

The Church of Scotland’s foray over several decades into left-wing politics with all of the attendant baggage that has brought has cost it dear in both membership and finance.

But that doesn’t matter to the zealots as long as their stipends are paid.

Interesting times for both ­organisations.

Irvine Inglis

Reston, Berwickshire