I’M sure I’m not alone in being unconvinced by the UK Government’s assurances about state secrets and the freedom of the press (Jail terms for leaking ‘no threat to press’, The National, February 14).

The question is not as simple as whether it is the “policy of the government to restrict freedom of investigative journalism or public whistleblowing” (although the assertion otherwise should be taken with a pinch of salt), but whether such restrictions could be an unintended consequence of sentencing changes.

If Theresa May wishes to provide reassurance that journalists and whistleblowers will have nothing to fear from the changes proposed by the Law Commission, her government should answer directly the concerns raised by the likes of the Open Rights Group, rather than offering bland statements.

No UK Government is ever likely to admit to an ideology-driven clampdown on journalists who prove to be a thorn in its side, but it would be naive in the extreme to think that changing the definition of a state secrets breach will affect only enemies of the country, rather than those seeking to hold those who govern us to account.
Joan Brown
Edinburgh

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Davidson and Dugdale double act hits the road

WHAT a sad state our Scottish media is in today! The leaders of two of our most vibrant political parties, Ruth Davidson of the Ruthie for Leader of the Universe Party and Kezia Dugdale of the Rapidly Dwindling People’s Labour Party (Northern Branch Office) are so sidelined by the SNP-dominated Scottish press that they are forced to seek a voice via English institutions to put their messages across to the Scottish people.

Ruth Davidson, “The Most Popular Politician in Scotland” (copyright pending), was speaking on Monday at the London School of Economics, where her chilling message was of a ruthless SNP “cranking up the grievance machine” to subvert the will of the Scots who had overwhelming rejected their policies, as was evident by her election with a stonking 31 seats while the SNP could barely scrape 63 .

On the very same evening the plucky young socialist Kezia Dugdale, “Not the Most Popular Politician in Scotland” (copyright accepted), was seeking an audience for her views at University College London, having been ignored by a Scottish media wedded to all things nationalist. Like Ruth Davidson earlier, despite most Scots having rejected both her party and its policies at election after election, it was clear to her that they all shared her concern about a "leap in the dark’’ towards independence.

Consequently Kezia wanted to set in motion a campaign to have a “New Act of Union” drawn up to ensure that Scotland’s voice would continue to be heard as powerfully as it was in the Brexit debate.

It says much about the narrow-mindedness of Scotland’s media that these two young, selfless politicians should have to seek out platforms furth of Scotland for their voices to be heard. Ruth Davidson was particularly incensed, as the parking charges for tanks in London are prohibitive.
James Mills
Johnstone

HERE we have Ruth Davidson borrowing the big word used by the Defence Secretary, “weaponise”, in her latest sortie against the SNP. Does she possess the “full bawbee?” As reported in The National, she accuses the SNP in the yet unbegun indyref2 of aiming to peddle lies (SNP want to weaponise Brexit, say Davidson, February 14).

She does not cite any hard evidence of this.

So in her attempts to smear, she uses the analogy of the lies on the Tory bus perpetrated by members of her Unionist Tories – one if whom, Johnson, is now Foreign Secretary – during the EU referendum! What this tells us is that her fellow Tories are mendacious, lying and deceitful. Of course, we also know this from the “Vow” they signed up to during indyref1.

In her fevered rage against the SNP-baaad, she has just condemned her own Unionist party. I am sure she will receive advice from on high about engaging brain before opening mouth. Ruth Davidson provides hard evidence that her party lies.
John Edgar
Blackford

RUTH Davidson says the SNP will tell lies in the referendum. She is well qualified to recognise lies. What she is incapable of doing is recognising the truth.
Sandra Durning
via text

IT was striking to note that the leaked memo citing the priority the UK Government intends to place on various sectors in the Brexit talks (Tories don’t rate fishing as high priority in any future EU negotiations, The National, February 11).

While financial services, the automotive sector and pharmaceuticals are seen as “high priority”, those such as electronics, chemicals and fisheries are “medium priority”, while the steel industry, construction and oil and gas are seen as “low priority”.

It is clearly appalling that the UK Government would deem some industries as more important than others during Brexit talks, but to give the steel industry and oil and gas and sector a low priority is quite shocking.

There is no need to prioritise some industries over others and clearly staying in the single market, as espoused by the Scottish Government, would avoid the need for this damaging sector-by-sector approach completely.

If Theresa May’s government doesn’t focus on vital support for our industries and recognise the common sense of staying in the single market instead of trading off key sectors to protect her preferred interests, then she will be guilty of perpetrating one of the most shameful betrayals in the history of Scottish industry.
Alex Orr
Edinburgh

TOMORROW, the EU and Canada will ratify the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, or Ceta, creeping ever more towards irreversible privatisation of public services.

The diktat from Brussels means that the public will ultimately be liable for any decreases in profits their corporate partners might take in the future. Doesn’t that sound appealing. Now I feel silly I voted to leave.
James Andrew Mills
Renfrewshire

IN this new brave “post-truth” world in which we live, President Trump gives us the alternative facts. Thus I would propose that from now on we use the much snappier “Trump” to describe “alternative fact”.

As Burns might have put it:
Facts are cheils that winna ding
But Trumps are lumps o’ ming
Ken Gow
Banchory