Room for debate

I refer to Alex Salmond's attempts to mount a legal challenge to the televised election debates (your report, 26 April). Perhaps he needs reminding that the SNP won only 1.5 per cent of the total UK vote in the 2005 general election, hardly an overwhelming mandate to assure his participation.

However, if Mr Salmond was successful in his legal challenge and joined the three UK party leaders in the TV debates or prevented Scots watching these, it would raise a number of interesting questions.

Should all of the leaders of the other parties which achieved the same or a higher percentage of the UK vote than the SNP also be allowed to join the debates? Will he support the leaders of the smaller parties in Scotland joining similar debates in next year's Scottish Parliament elections?

Mr Salmond appears to forget that only 30 per cent of Scots voted for the SNP in 2007, whereas 65 per cent voted for parties which wish to remain in the UK. As First Minister, Mr Salmond appears to feel that he now has the right to dictate to the majority of Scots.

Hopefully, this is a situation the electorate can remedy next year.

PHIL D'ARCY

Glen Avenue

Dyce, Aberdeen