Scottish football coverage scores a massive own goal - Readers' Lettrs

Following Scotland’s brilliant performance against Denmark, it is shocking that the vast majority of our population couldn’t watch the game live on TV.

Che Adams fires in Scotland’s second goal against Denmark

Scotland must be the only footballing country on the planet where a so-called indigenous TV company screened our nearest rivals live while ignoring our national team.

The Scottish Premiership remains the best supported league per head of population in Europe, and by head count alone it is the seventh best supported top flight in Europe, yet Denmark and Austria get much better TV deals for their domestic leagues while Norway attracts double the £32m SPFL receives each year.

Scottish football is badly treated by UK broadcasters compared to revenues received by other nations in Europe and this situation will only be improved when broadcasting is devolved, or in an independent Scotland, as TV companies will be accountable to the Scottish Parliament and Scotland’s international games designated a special event as in normal countries

Fraser Grant, Edinburgh

Political process is being damaged

At prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Boris Johnson did have a valid point in criticising Ian Blackford of the SNP for constantly going on about corruption in the UK.

Blackford sees party advantage in doing so, but seems oblivious to the damage he does to the reputation and trust in the political process here.

William Ballantine, Bo’ness, West Lothian

Focus on sleaze is a useful distraction

The government must be a little pleased that the focus has been on sleaze and not levelling up or the NHS this week.

With HS2 cut short and transport funds instead being directed to Tory marginals in the South, the truth that the Brexit-voting public has been in denial about for so long is now obvious. The levelling up pledge, like so much else this government has been up to recently, has been a scam.

It was always the case that the fiscal conservatism endemic in the Conservative Party would make real levelling up improbable. Now that corruption scams have been exposed it is possible that the Red Wall will fall in the next election. That is why spare transport infrastructure money will now go to marginal seats.

The Conservatives of this generation just look after their own as well as they possibly can. And so it is possibly a good week to bury bad news.

Andrew Vass, Edinburgh

Lady Bountiful

Off I go to the supermarket with two bags, one for me and the other for the food bank. Fresh sugar snap peas for me, and tinned peas for the food bank. A long-life plastic pouch of chicken korma for the food bank, roast chicken for me. Own brand instant coffee for the food bank, Colombian ground coffee for my coffee machine. Their supper, my choice.

The dignity of choice disappeared with the current UK government. Since 2015 the number of emergency food parcels distributed in Britain by Trussell Trust food banks alone has risen from just over one million to over two and a half million – an increase of nearly 130 per cent in just five years.

It may please some to act like Lady Bountiful, but it is a humiliation for too many. How do we achieve a wellbeing economy that allows dignity back in the door of every household? Food bank use declined with the £20 a week uplift to Universal Credit. It is now firmly back on the menu.

Frances Scott, Edinburgh

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