Letters: We need a new school, but not at price of losing park

For those in doubt that we now have a Portobello community completely split in two you only need to refer to the local Porty website and view the comments written. They simply beggar belief!

My hat comes off to the Portobello Park Action Group (PPAG) for their true grit and determination. I am a parent and my child will benefit from a new school but unlike those who are completely unable to see the bigger picture and the implications of building on green belt land I completely disagree with this choice of site and hope the action group wins its appeal.

Let’s not forget that the existing school was build on parkland and if the council and these fanatical supporters are allowed to continue in this vein Edinburgh will end up with no parkland left at all. No wonder kids are getting obese!

Charlie Miller, Portobello

Competition is not a planning issue

The Morningside Traders Association (Fury over 58th coffee shop allowed in a one-mile area, News, April 7) must be unaware that competition between businesses is not material when considering planning applications.

Therefore when one shop takes over another there is not much the council can do about it.

Along with Bruntsfield, this area is very popular with no empty shops, but the accordingly higher than average rents charged by landlords don’t help small traders.

And to be fair, the current Scottish Government within its limited powers has done more for small businesses than any other government by introducing the small business bonus and imposing a tax levy on the largest supermarkets.

However, Alison Johnstone and her Green colleagues didn’t help local businesses in Edinburgh when they voted for Labour’s vanity tram scheme and all the disruption this has caused.

Fraser Grant, Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh

Candidates should be best for job

It makes my blood boil when I see articles such as the one entitled “Where are all the women?” (News, April 2).

When I see articles of this kind it shows me how politically correct Britain has become. Why are some people so obsessed with having targets of getting more women into politics?

I have to agree that it would be nice to see more women in politics, however, I feel the candidate for any given area or seat should always be the best person for the job and not one chosen by a politically correct target-driven selection process.

I would personally welcome more of the following types of people into politics and these include women, people with disabilities, people with different sexual identities, and people of a different race, colour or religion. I think many of these groups would add value to the political spectrum in this country if they were represented in greater number, however, you can’t force people to stand.

I believe the people of Edinburgh and indeed Fife will be more concerned about the state of their local schools and hospitals, local jobs/economy and local transportation issues long before they even consider the race, sex or colour of the person that could represent them after the May elections.

Alastair Macintyre, UKIP candidate Rosyth, Webster Place, Rosyth, Fife

Avoiding queries looks suspicious

How I agree with the comments written by Mr D Fiddimore in your paper on April 4 regarding the lack of answers during First Minister’s Question Time at Holyrood.

It is arrogant of Mr Salmond, the First Minister, to treat the Scottish public with such disrespect.

What is the point of having First Minister’s Question Time if answers are always going to be avoided? And all the diversionary tactics of laughing, smirking and making fun of awkward questions only serves to make you wonder if the First Minister has something to hide? Or perhaps no useful answers at all?

Rhum G Walker, Cardrona, Innerleithen