Readers' letters: Time to hold local politicians to account

I agree with Bob Taylor (letters, 31 March) - of course local elections to our massively important councils should be based on local events and circumstances.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (right) and Finance Secretary Kate Forbes as she delivers the Scottish Budget to the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.

They spend a lot of money and deliver a huge array of services affecting our daily lives and the enjoyment or otherwise, thereof.

It cannot be avoided saying, though, that the SNP Scottish Government starves us of the funds needed in our capital city - we are one of 32 local authorities and we constantly get the "bum's rush" from Nicola Sturgeon and Kate Forbes.

I declare an interest in local priorities and am a member of the Labour Party. Mr Taylor, I hope, can be enthused by our manifesto here in Edinburgh - not, thankfully, a mention of indref2! It's title is "Investing in Edinburgh, Investing in our Services, Investing in our Communities."

I for one will be holding the feet of our candidates/councillors to the fire in many areas where they make specific promises.

For me in this short space the biggest deal is the intention to get the council back on track on delivering the core basic services that have been absent during the SNP's leadership under Cllr McVey, who recently refused a debate on the dreadful state of children's services.

We can only hope this means no more vanity projects and particularly no more trams.

Douglas McBean, Edinburgh.

Sturgeon’s strange stance on masks

There was something faintly ridiculous about the stance of the First Minister in the still ongoing Covid regulations furore.

The idea that she makes the rules merely to appear different from those with whom we share this island grows by the day.

That she would claim some kind of moral high ground by keeping mask-wearing mandatory after others on this island eased restrictions is a symptom of this.

It was ironic that she chose not to wear a mask while at the royal memorial service – the very type of circumstances she pinpointed where they should still be worn. Her explanation for doing so was, frankly, pathetic.

The fact that Scottish infections are running higher than elsewhere in the UK does not seem to strike her.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh.

What’s the Hampden roar on Murrayfield?

My response to Hibs asking me to buy tickets for the Scottish Cup semi-final? I'll never visit Hampden ever again. It is a cesspit unfit to grace football.

Last time you dumped my party low down behind the goal. All we could see was on the big screen. We'd have been as well watching on TV at home, which is where I'll be in future.

This game should have been played at Murrayfield. Handy for both sets of fans and saving the planet from unnecessary fossil fuel combustion and pollution.

No joined up thinking from the clubs, the appalling SFA and the Scottish government.

Jim Taylor, Edinburgh.

Peace dividend of our national unity

The horrible war between Russia and Ukraine shows how fortunate we are in Britain that there hasn’t been a war between Scotland and England since the 1650s and there hasn’t been a pitched battle on our island since Culloden in 1746.

Without the Union of the Parliaments and the formation of the UK in 1707 such enduring peace would never have happened. All to often we take this vital benefit of being British for granted.

Otto Inglis, Crossgates, Fife.

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