IT IS not strictly true to say that the BBC did not report on last Saturday’s demonstration in London.

Over the course of the day it was regularly mentioned on the traffic news.

Colin Macpherson, Straubing, Germany

WHILE agreeing with the points raised in recent letters critical of the BBC, I would like to add a further comment.

It struck me quite forcibly, in listening to the saga of efforts to save Tata steel plants at Scunthorpe and Port Talbot, that not once did any news bulletin, interview or discussion mention that the two Scottish plants had already been saved – thanks to the involvement and efforts of the Scottish Government.

No mention was made even when the keys were handed over to the new owner and today the prospect of a buyer for the plants in England and Wales was hailed as the first hopeful sign for UK steel.

No bias there, of course!

L McGregor, Falkirk

BUSINESS being allowed to trespass freely into public affairs is generally incompatible with democratic government.

The present dangerous debacle featuring schools in Edinburgh is but one example of this, less an instance of trespass than one of invite by misguided politicians. (PFI disaster: It’s time to apologise, The National, April 12).

To think that errant companies have been, and likely still are being paid over-the-odds public, taxpayer cash for this compounds the situation.

The companies should be forced to at least pay for every centimetre of repair and reconstruction, even if this entails them having to fork out for brand new replacement schools. The debacle has been nothing other than daylight robbery and it is no wonder that architects and supporters of this Private Finance Initiative idea, such as Gordon Brown, and associated councillors in Edinburgh are presently maintaining low profiles.

No parading back and forth on a press conference dais now for ex-Chancellor Brown in front of his usual approving acolytes.

But such costly debacles should be a fierce warning as to the threat faced by governments from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) scheme which is apparently being debated behind closed doors and comprises the prospect of big business taking control of public services and having sufficient legal status and power to effectively over-rule government decisions. This is PFI on an even bigger, and more menacing scale.

As somebody once said, the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Ian Johnstone, Peterhead

DESPITE saying: “I am not going to apologise for rebuilding hundreds of schools across Scotland”, nobody is asking Kezia Dugdale, representing the party that made PFI almost compulsory, to apologise for building schools, only for not making sure that they were built efficiently and safely (Labour must apologise for PFI disaster, say SNP, The National, April 12).

Ruth Davidson and Liz Smith, representing the party that perpetrated PFI, should apologise as well instead of chucking bricks at the SNP from the safety of their glass house.

If only the schools had been built of glass bricks too then the inspectors would have been able to spot the problem.

John Jamieson, South Queensferry

I AM beginning to lose faith in the electoral process as it seems Brit Nats ruin everything to do with it. Wasn’t it Thatcher that said all we needed to do was send a majority of SNP MPs to Westminster to get independence? I think it’s high time the SNP stopped messing about and just started ignoring Westminster like they ignore us and start real reform. Let them threaten us all they want.

Mark Harper, Dysart

IF (and when) an SNP majority is returned in a month it will be the third time in succession that the voters of Scotland have voted for the party of independence.

On the basis of “three strikes and you’re out” (of the Union), who needs another referendum?

Also, I believe income tax was first introduced temporarily to fund the war against Napoleon. Theoretically anyone tying to avoid payment and supporting the war effort could be deemed guilty of treason. Neither income tax or treason (and its penalties) have been repealed. Just a thought.

Richard Easson, Dornoch

IN A recent by-election [Almond & Earn], the Tory candidate won a seat on the council that had become vacant after the death of an independent councillor.

The local newspaper claims the result represented a swing of over ten percent from the SNP to the Tories. While this is probably due to the Tories in a largely rural area belatedly realising that they do not have a God-given right to rule, it does show that we must not be lulled into a false sense of security by national opinion polls. We must not fail to get out and vote, and in particular, casting our second vote for a party other than the SNP is a very dangerous gamble. As we all know, the system was designed specifically to prevent one party, ie the SNP, from winning an overall majority. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to work out which of the alternative parties to choose in order for a kindred-spirit to win a list seat. The only safe bet is to vote SNP for both seats. We can sort out which party we might prefer after independence.

James Clark, Scone

WHAT gives with the continual daily headlines about LGBTI+ (I wonder if some day it will absorb the entire alphabet!).

Out of all the people I know, very few come under one of those groupings and surveys suggest it’s only one per cent of the population. Are the other 99 per cent so horrid to those one per cent? I bet that if you’re fat or particularly small then you will get bullied etc at school more than if you fit into one of those letters.

Kids need to be taught right from wrong, be told that everyone (how many Muslim/immigrant children are going to be getting a hard time right now due to the news?) is a person and needs respect. The rest will follow.

Can we not let our children be children, and teach them respect without ramming sex topics at them all the time?

Kenneth, West Lothian