Readers' Letters: Why is bullying allowed in so-called inclusive and progressive Scotland?

Catriona Stuart’s piece (“Gender critical academic trained in ‘duck and cover’ manoeuvres at university”, 1 July) at last confirms what women have been saying and experiencing for years.

A UK Government-funded report has revealed “that those who have challenged the theory that sex is always less important than gender identity have been bullied, harassed and blocked from career progression” and that this has impacted free speech and academic integrity.

Academia is only the tip of the iceberg, the arts have equally been de-platforming, cancelling and discriminating against “gender critical” people.

John Swinney should make it clear there is no place for bullying in Scotland's public realm, says reader

The Scottish Government and many MSPs should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen in what they keep telling us is an inclusive and progressive Scotland. It is absolutely not progressive to shut down free speech and to bully. It is not inclusive to vilify people who have legitimate and commonly held views that sex is real, or that women (biological) are a legitimately defined group both in law and in common understanding.

The terms “man” and “woman” have been defined for millennia. For the less than 0.5 per cent who meaningfully have an issue with those terms and concepts, that is truly unfortunate, but we purportedly live in a democracy.

As an example of the Scottish Government’s complicity in creating this “hostile culture”, the academic mentioned in the article was compelled to resign from her chairing of a charity, headquartered in Edinburgh, because of fears that the charity would lose Scottish Government funding due to her involvement.

It is telling that there has been no comment on the report from the Scottish Government. First Minister John Swinney needs to grasp the nettle and show leadership, demonstrate that this culture of intolerant, bullying behaviour is nothing to be proud of and certainly not in Scotland and its people’s best interests.

Rona McCall, Gairloch, Highland

Don’t backslide

The Scotsman’s report of opposition to Ash Regan’s Members Bill was concerning reading for women who have been exploited in the sex trade, and the groups that are fighting hard to ensure justice and enhanced support (“MSPs told to ‘pull plug’ on Regan’s Prostitution law proposals”, 1 July).

A powerful “sex-work” lobby stands to lose out if Ms Regan’s Bill progresses, and are attempting to stop it. The Scottish Government, meanwhile, has inexplicably failed to legislate in this area over a period of years, despite having formally recognised prostitution as a form of violence against women. There must be no back-sliding now.

Criminalising the often powerful and privileged men who pay for sex is an essential element in tackling the demand for sexual services at source. This is especially important in light of the trafficking of vulnerable women and girls into Scotland to perform sexual acts for men in return for payment. This despicable trade cannot be credibly addressed without robust measures to reduce and eliminate demand through criminal sanctions.

The sexual exploitation of highly vulnerable and often trafficked women and girls, for the gratification of men, is a stain upon Scotland’s political conscience. It would be a tragedy if MSPs permit yet another parliamentary session to pass without any action to criminalise this recognised form of violence against women.

Michael Veitch, Scotland Policy Officer, CARE, Glasgow

Happy land

Yet another letter from Stan Grodynski telling us how badly off we are in Scotland because we are part of the world's sixth-largest economy, the United Kingdom (2 July). “For hundreds of years the people of Scotland have been subjected to a deviously sophisticated campaign of British indoctrination...” Geezabrek.

If the SNP lot at Holyrood had, as they say, “full control of the levers of power” we would be in dire straits. Independence would result in an economic maelstrom, and would make the Highland Clearances look like a sensible social experiment.

Mr Grodynski never ceases to tell us how badly off we are in Scotland under “British rule”, but the fact is that we are incredibly lucky to live here, in comparison with most of the world. Consider things we take for granted. Unlimited supplies of pure water from every tap. Power cuts few and far between. Supermarket shelves stocked with high quality food and never empty. Retail parks busy supplying every conceivable item one could wish for. Most neighbourhoods across the land free of crime. The rule of law and a functioning democracy which can hold law enforcement to account. A social security safety net to help those in need.

And although the NHS struggles with an ageing population and ever greater demands on it, it's a first class health service free at the point of need. We enjoy a free press unhindered by censorship. Unlike many countries dissent and opposition to the state is tolerated, as is freedom to worship or not however one chooses. A population which values tolerance, humour and resilience. And an outstanding natural environment with a temperate climate with few weather extremes, no volcanoes or earthquakes and no wild beasts or dangerous creepie crawlies (midges excepted).

The Office of National Statistics regularly surveys the four nations on a happiness scale from 0 to 10. Scotland scores an average rating of 7.47, England, 7.41, Wales 7.38 and Northern Ireland 7.62. So no real difference across the Kingdom. We're all much the same together.

We should be hugely thankful for our lot given the state of the world. Yes there are problems, but Scotland's problems are similar to England's and independence is not a magic potion to cure the nation's ills.

William Loneskie, Oxton, Lauder, Berwickshire

Blown away

Sir Keir Starmer, in one of his most recent statements, a day after a backbench Labour revolt has seen him yet again forced into a U-turn – this time on welfare cuts – said ''the UK's benefits system is broken and fixing it is a moral imperative”.

Well, yes, maybe it is in need of looking at, However, there is a rather more important moral imperative that has been in need of examination for a very long time, not least when many are struggling, and will struggle even more so this coming winter to heat their homes and pay their energy bill – constraint payments.

For those who are unaware: It is the money wind farm operators receive when required by the Grid operators to turn off their wind farms, when output of power, as a result of too much wind, far exceeds demand, and which the existing National Grid, in balancing the system, cannot accept or it would result in an overload.

Numerous reports indicate Britain paid a record £1 billion to switch off wind farms in 2024, and in the first two months of 2025 alone these payments reached £252 million. This is not a direct subsidy for wind farms but rather a cost associated with managing the grid and ensuring a stable electricity supply. The costs are ultimately passed on to consumers through their energy bills. In the meantime consumers are being repeatedly advised by Ed Miliband, the UK Secretary of State for Energy, that this “renewable revolution” will soon be giving us cheaper energy and therefore lower bills. Well, given the latest announcement by Ofgem that a further £24bn energy grid upgrade to boost renewables has been approved, and that that investment will increase network charges on bills by £104 by 2031, huge sums of money being blown in the wind and pigs will fly comes to mind!

Neil McKinnon, Glenalmond, Perth

Innocents die

Bob Vylan’s chant of “death to the IDF” means “death to the Jews”, as all soldiers are of the Jewish faith. Nobody really knows how many have died in Gaza but the Palestinian Authority have stated that the majority of deaths are Hamas or their supporters.

Yes innocents die. It's a war fought unlike any other where one group hides within the population and the other is targeting an individual within that group. Hamas will not release the hostages because once that happens they have no leverage. Only the elimination of Hamas will bring peace to Gaza and Palestine.

Lewis Finnie, Edinburgh

Carol’s a star

Although no doubt extremely proud of the family connections it might be a change from being referred to as the mother of Scottish actor Ewan McGregor, for Carol McGregor to be described as the sister of Local Hero actor Denis Lawson in the Scotsman article regarding an opening event for the Filmhouse (1 July).

On three occasions she is mentioned as his sister or big sister, but despite being the person originally invited to the opening at no point does your reporter consider this merits her name being included, or any reference to her own association with Scottish film.

Was The Scotsman not curious as to why this unidentified person was the actual invitee, not her brother, who was in effect a plus one, or even her son? Please show some respect for the lesser-known people who assist in making the wheels go round as well as the so called stars, even if only in the interest of economy, because there are fewer letters in her actual name than her description.

Graham Hay, Livingston, West Lothian

How exciting

How come Susan Sarandon is so excited about making her UK theatre debut (24 Hours, 2 July) when I saw her gracing the boards of the Lyceum in 2002 in a play, The Guys, with her then partner, Tim Robbins, on the subject of 9/11?

Gail Whyte, Bathgate, West Lothian

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