Political disgrace

Your editorial (23 March) deploring the actions of Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont at First Minister’s Question Time is correct in so far as the ruse she perpetrated should not have a place in any debate in parliament.

It is, however, a case of “needs must when the devil drives” – the devil in this case being the First Minister, who appears to have a habit of using bluff, bluster and denial when the facts may not suit, and often appears to work on the basis that if I shout loud enough people will believe it is the truth. Had Ms Lamont not acted in the way she did, then the two elderly people would not have had their apology from Alex Salmond (your report of the same edition).

What in fact is distasteful is that it is apparently necessary for opposition politicians to have to use such means as were witnessed in Holyrood for the First Minister to admit to the uncomfortable truth.

John B Gorrie

Craigmount Gardens

Edinburgh