Powerless people

Following the final conclusion of eight years’ wrangling over the Beauly-Denny power line, wholly in favour of the electricity transmission companies, and to the detriment of Scottish people, landscapes and Scotland’s wider interests (your report, 8 December) , I wonder if it is time to consider a new definition for the concept of “democracy”.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Dec 2011, 00:00 BST

How about: “A system where citizens can have their say, point out the weaknesses in proposals, suggest attractive and viable alternatives, and make a good case for adopting them – in the certain knowledge that everything they say will be totally ignored, because Scottish ministers and their civil servants will only do what Big Business demands”?

Nicki Baker

Logie

Stirling