Letters: Models make nice diversion

I DON’T know if it is a ploy to divert attention from the trams or a publicity stunt to arouse interest in the animal kingdom, taking the arrival of pandas into consideration, but it’s certainly quite novel to walk around the city centre observing the various model animals.

Whatever the reason for this exhibition, in view of the controversy the trams project has aroused it surely would be rubbing salt into the wounds, if a statue of a white elephant appeared!

Angus McGregor, Albion Road,

Edinburgh

Supermarkets will wriggle out of SNP’s ‘Tesco Tax’

It has been fun to read of the anger with which the spokespeople for big business have greeted the Alex Salmond for First Minister Party’s proposal of an extra tax on the supermarkets... because we all know that the supermarkets won’t pay it.

A supermarket exists to pay dividends to its shareholders, and bonuses to its chief executives – any useful service it provides is incidental. The supermarkets will simply add on a penny here and there to their retail lines, until the usual suspects – the lower paid and middle classes – have paid the tax for them. They will also probably manage to hide a further few increases in the smoke, and come out ahead.

When are the SNP going to tax the powerful business blocs with a tax they can’t wriggle out of, for once, and earn the vote for independence we are going to be asked for before the end of this parliament?

David Fiddimore, Nether Craigwell, Calton Road

Councillor has insulted her ward

We are writing to you regarding an article in the Evening News on September 1 about a leaked e-mail in which Councillor Elaine Morris described members of our community in North Edinburgh (which she represents) as “rabid” and “anti-establishment”.

We looked up “rabid” in the dictionary. One of the definitions is “fanatical”. This is very insulting as it implies that the local people who organised the public meeting to inform the community about the council’s proposals to privatise services are stupid. We are very angry and disgusted that Cllr Morris has such a low opinion of local people who are trying to protect the services our community needs.

Cllr Morris referred to members of our community as “anti-establishment”. If this means speaking up for our community, voicing our opinions, standing up for our rights and trying to make our community a better place, then we plead guilty. We are disappointed Cllr Morris appears to think that our community should just accept the cuts in our area and not question the council’s decisions.

We met Cllr Morris earlier this year to discuss our concerns about the welfare reforms. During the meeting, we explained we were trying to make our community a better place to live. We thought, as our councillor, she understood this.

We would like to remind Cllr Morris that freedom of speech is a right which people in this community are entitled to.

Sara Martin on behalf of Muirhouse Women’s Group

Don’t let taxes put tourists off

Now the council wants to charge festival-goers and hotel guests extra to bost income.

In theory the idea seems good, and loads of people in Edinburgh who never go to these events will be happy someone else is paying for them. The problem is that our city depends on tourism and this will send a message that tourists are not welcome.

Edinburgh council is huge, bloated and corrupt as evidenced by recent Evening News reports. Why can’t the socialists running our council just face up to reality and just cut the spending?

Stewart Geddes, Silverknowes Crescent, Edinburgh