Readers' letters: No excuse for not tackling racism

" UEFA has taken action against Hungary for their racist supporters, but the SFA just pays lip service”

No excuse for not tackling racism

The SNP, which has many English-born members, is overwhelmingly a welcoming party to all those who have made their home in Scotland and it is utter nonsense to suggest that they are ant-English any more than unionist opponents who run down Scotland at every opportunity are anti-Scottish (Alexander McKay, letters 4 September).

Nicola Sturgeon has always condemned any anti-English sentiment. Wanting self-government like other normal countries or to dislike being run from Westminster by a party we haven’t elected in the last 65 years isn’t racist.

Tories, whose party has morphed into nasty, racist, xenophobes and stopped EU freedom of movement with umpteen of their elected representatives exposed for abusive comments, particularly against Asians, are in no position to cast the first stone.

Scottish nationalist football supporters have never sung racist songs like “English go home your empire is over” but thousands of Rangers supporters regularly sing anti-Irish and anti-Catholic songs without any condemnation from unionist politicians.

UEFA has taken firm action against Hungary for their racist supporters, but the SFA just pays lip service rather than deducting points or forcing offending teams play in empty stadiums.

Fraser Grant, Edinburgh.

Give long Covid care to ME sufferers

It was good to learn that those with long Covid will get ongoing support from the NHS and government in the form of £100 million investment, ''£30 million of which will go towards an enhanced service for general practice to support long Covid care''.

The symptoms of long Covid are virtually identical to those of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and yet, it would appear that those who have been diagnosed with ME get little support if any, other than psychiatric or relaxation techniques.

I recall many patients with ME being unable to get disability allowance and suchlike, and there are very few specialists in the UK and no adequate treatment for the majority.

Why is there such a vast gap between care and support from the government and NHS that will be offered to long Covid patients and so little for ME patients, when the symptoms appear to be one and the same?

Elaine Pomeransky, Edinburgh.

Grasping the nettle of social care policy

I despair of the nit-picking of people with howls of protest that Boris Johnson might break his manifesto promise on tax, even if it is to keep his promise on social care.

I hope Boris grasps the nettle and does try to sort out social care and that we have enough common sense to see that the historic injustices over generations have to be paid for.

Why not spread the load (to even more howls of broken promises) by (i) Raising National Insurance (the young's contribution - they will benefit in time); (ii) Scrapping the triple lock for two years (the elderly's contribution - they will benefit with peace of mind); (iii) Putting a penny on basic rate tax and 2p on next band and 5p on top band (For two years - the money ploughed into the NHS to clear the back-log) and (iv) Raising Corporation Tax by 2p (business's contribution). All unpopular - but the gain in a decent social care - fit for purpose - is surely worth it!

Even better - put together an all-party ad hoc committee to produce, by Christmas, a document setting out the realistic goals to be attained in restructure. Think of it as a 'war' that must be one quickly and desisively.

James Watson, Dunbar.