Readers' Best Comments

Online debates about the trams just keep on rolling, and plans for another Homecoming were scrutinised too.

Council chiefs have ordered TIE to hand over full details of the tram project's cost.

Time that the citizens of Edinburgh were made to pay for all of the extra costs because it is their rotten politicians who have caused this fiasco. Better still, maybe there could be an avenue to personally surcharge the politicians for the extra costs that they have wrought.

Uilleam Mor

Richard Jeffrey, chief executive of Edinburgh Trams, said: "We are very grateful for the strength of support shown today by members of the council. "Protecting the public purse and ensuring that we deliver the tram has been our priority throughout." Now if these two statements don't show how out of touch Richard Jeffrey is with the reality of the situation then I don't know what will.

Edinburgh 100

This is local 'democracy' at work for you. When were council tax payers fully consulted on this debacle prior to commencement of the contract? There can be no economic reason for this councillors' vanity project. Edinburgh is a relatively small city with good public transport and effective links with the airport.

Jock E

Why is it going to take until 16th September to produce these reports? Surely most of the figures are fairly readily available - how much has been spent, how much work has been done, what is the anticipated cost of the remaining work? Surely an updated business plan is in place or are they just hoping all comes well in the end?

Nitpicking

When will we ever learn. Scottish Parliament - budget 40m, 3 years late and costing 400+m. Trams - budget 545m, 347.8 spent, nowhere near 50% complete and completion date now unknown. Forth Crossing - proposed cost 2.3 billion and 6 years to build.

Build me a tunnel

Away from the trams, the SNP has been urged to rethink plans to repeat last year's Homecoming.

What other country in the world would spend money promoting culture and tourism?

DJ Glasgow

I presume you're being ironic, because the answer is obvious: every single one of them that no longer has a manufacturing industry.

Vandala

It's a highland games. Every small village north of Perth can organise one of them - the major expenses of the Gathering were probable based round the whole Pageant element at the Castle. Everything else can easily be taken care of through private sponsorship.

It's heading straight for us!

Lord Foulkes is obviously opposed to 8 million coming to Edinburgh's tourist industry which provides employment for hundreds if not thousands. Of course lessons need to be learnt, but as Audit Scotland says, it was not unreasonable for the Scottish Government to provide financial help at the last minute. If the event had been cancelled thousands of tourists who came specifically for the Clan Gathering would never come back to Scotland.

Linda