Readers' letters: Pardon for striking miners is long overdue

At last, some unity at Holyrood! MSPs have got together and passed a Bill pardoning miners convicted of retaliating to brutality in the 1980s strike by a police force used for political ends by Margaret Thatcher.

The Tories had decided that British miners and British coal were surplus to requirement because cheaper coal was available elsewhere. A victory over the miners, who had previously resisted attack on their livelihoods by the Tories under Edward Heath, was essential in the future emasculation, not just of the National Union of Mineworkers, but of other unions who dared question Thatcher's neo-liberal policies.

Rewarded financially by Thatcher's incoming government, our police force, attacking workers who were losing their jobs because the faceless bureaucrats who control the money markets said our mines were no longer profitable, lost respect in many working-class areas. To this day it is still struggling to win it back.

Jack Fraser, Musselburgh

Police officers carry a picket away at Bilston Glen in 1984

The Highway Code: Edinburgh-stye

With the wheel damage from my last visit repaired, I was back to Edinburgh last week, ready for any changes to the Highway Code that our capital is always first to adopt.

Overtaking on the inside is now official – the Queensferry Road trial was obviously a success. Roundabouts and junctions should be approached as fast as possible. The faster car has the right of way. It’s good that this matter has been clarified. Overtaking on roundabouts is also now compulsory. No signals needed.

Small ladies in large SUVs have the right of way at all times. They may also park in any position outside supermarkets.

The distance from the car in front is now down to a sensible four inches. Presumably to speed traffic up.

To relieve driver tension, the horn should be sounded as opposed to making fist and finger gestures. Single lane queues should be formed regardless of space available for two. Observe a ten-second delay before leaving a green light.

I was attending a presentation for the man who designed the Range Rover. The poor fellow collapsed in the car park on leaving, falling across two parking spaces. Hope he is now better.

Another broken spring sustained from a hole in a speed bump repair at Viewforth, but it’s a small price to pay.

Malcolm Parkin, Kinnesswood, Kinross

SNP Prospectus Paper is hopelessly biased

The SNP manifesto in 2021 stated “before any referendum takes place we will ensure the people of Scotland have the information they need to make an informed choice about their future…”

Why then have we been presented with a biased, selective, and misleading Prospectus Paper? Selected countries are chosen because they show them in better light whilst ignoring other similar relevant ones that don't.

Take GDP per capita, which is mentioned numerous times, for instance. Why omit the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia? All have populations with the SNP examples, as well as being within the same distance.

It should be the Scottish Government’s duty to provide independent non-biased information to allow an “informed choice”.

Otherwise, this is just an SNP political paper which should not be public funded. Whether the SNP has any mandate to hold another referendum is questionable.

Alastair Murray, Edinburgh

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