Political classes

May I add to Tom Peterkin’s instances (Inside Holyrood, 6 February) of dissidents in unexpected educational establishments?

Back in the early 1950s, my parents sent me to Fettes College. On returning to the school just before the 1959 general election, I noted that a list had been compiled for public information of all the “Old Fettesians” standing as candidates for election. The list did not specify the party for which they were standing for the obvious reason that they were all Tories.

However, in 1955, the year when the Conservative & Unionist Party won more than 50 per cent of all the votes in Scotland in that year’s general election, a mock election had been held in the school with an unpredictable result.

The votes cast by participating pupils were as follows: Conservative: 30; Liberal: 20; Scottish National Party: 19 (including myself); and Labour: 1.

I am not aware whether my school friend, Dr Ian McKee (former SNP MSP for Lothian), was present but in those days I believe that he was a Tory.

Robin MacCormick

Dalkeith Road

Edinburgh