I WAS disappointed and saddened to read ‘Government deal rejected by unions’ (November 21) as it would appear that the teaching union’s only course of action is strikes.

I wonder if they ever consider that what they are proposing is to disrupt children’s education, and for those in the early years deprive them of their free school lunches. Those who will suffer most are the children from poorer backgrounds whose parent(s) on low incomes may have to make alternative childcare arrangements and thereby incur additional costs. Also these very same unions are allegedly supportive of increasing the numbers of children from deprived areas going to universities. I wonder if disrupting their education will help them to achieve their ambitions.

Perhaps the unions should become more involved in increasing the quality of the education that our children receive and marketing the achievements of our teachers – and they are many – in order to win public support for their increase in pay. I would suggest that the present strategy will only alienate the public and will not encourage the government to put more money into public services.

What also surprises me is the fact this is happening at a time when the Labour party is trying to convince the public that the rail service should be renationalised.

Thomas L Inglis
Fintry

HAVING read Mr Kerr’s letter on Wednesday (Letters, November 21), I concur that Tory policies follow on from Thatcher’s. The Blair experience was merely a Tory interim by a mauve Labour government. We in Scotland do need to vote Yes in an indyref, to get us back into Europe and out of the predatory clutches of Westminster.

At Ravenscraig we made some of the finest steel around. Now we are at the mercy of steel warehouse/buyers importing inferior products from a Chinese steel industry that is financed by its government.

The whole sorry episode, from 1979 until now, is nothing more than a systematic, ideological set of so-called economic policies.

If we had not had a radical Labour government in 1945, this country would be infinitely worse than it is.

Robert Leslie Fielding
Glasgow

I READ a recent letter in The National which raised some good points, but which implied that Roman Catholics could not become Freemasons (Letters, November 17). This is not the case, as there are Jewish masons, Roman Catholic masons and members from all faiths, denominations and none. There are, in fact, reports that the largest Masonic Lodge is in the Vatican! Unfortunately, there is often confusion between the Masonic Lodge and “the other lodge” brought to Scotland by Northern Irish loyalists.

WJ Graham
East Kilbride

IN your article headed “Ceasefire shortlived as violence erupts” (November 21), there is absolutely no mention of UK involvement. I quote: “The US-backed, Saudi-led coalition has been battling since March 2015 to restore Yemen’s internationally recognised government to power”. Given your many articles opposing British arms sales in the war in Yemen, why is the British involvement left out and only US backing under Saudi leadership mentioned?

Andy Hurley
Germany

AS the debate about The Scotsman continues in The National, I’d be grateful if it could be acknowledged that there was an error in my letter which was printed on November 20. The error was entirely mine as I intended to say “I personally do not think it would be healthy for journalism in Scotland to lose The Scotsman”, but omitted the “not”. I stand by all my other comments.

Douglas Turner
Edinburgh

I WAS interested to read that Edinburgh Tatoo is going to Sydney and taking a full-size replica of the castle. I’ve often thought that it would ease congestion in the centre of Edinburgh – and improve security – if the Tattoo was moved to one of the army barracks on the outskirts of the city. Now they have a replica castle, this would seem to be the right time for the move!

Libby Lamb
Aviemore

AT one point during the victory against Israel, Alex McLeish fumbled in his pocket and found a pen. His look was one of “how did that get there?” The same can be said of his team on the field.

Had there not been so many call-offs, that team would not have been on the field. He would have stuck with the “experience” that continually has got us nowhere.

He should never have been reappointed and this lucky escape against Albania and Israel should not stop his ill-advised tenure being brought to an end.

Someone who wants to work with and develop the youth has to be appointed ASAP. Don’t stick with a failed dinosaur.

Dave McKechie
via email