THE lack of critique into just why the Grenfell Tower inquiry began, so illogically, with the firefighters is painful. It also underlines why many of the victims’ families were unhappy with the appointment of Moore Bick – a deeply establishment figure who many felt had a history of little sympathy for working-class people.

One can only assume that in learning from Hillsborough (and not blaming the poor victims) Moore Bick was left with few options but to manipulate the timetable of the inquiry, thus ensuring that our first and therefore strongest impression would be an indictment of the men and women who risked their lives to save others and highlight the unfortunate comments of the fire commander who – in attempting to protect her members – made one overly defensive and cack-handed statement.

READ MORE: Grenfell Tower report damning of London Fire Brigade

Surely anyone can see that it only serves the true criminals to have the first stab at the fire brigade, and the actual cause of the inferno as a ridiculous footnote.

The fire brigade and their records of the event aren’t going anywhere – unlike the housing administrators, the council leaders and the multitude of companies involved in the shoddy work, callous disregard for human life and their role in the people-before-profit culture which will claim many more lives before this decade is out.

Amanda Baker
Edinburgh

PUBLIC distrust of Westminster is fast gaining momentum, and with good reason. The latest well-advertised example of purely party and personal interest is the Liberal Democrat insistence of the “once and for all time” 2014 Scottish referendum, and the “this time only” EU referendum in 2016.

Their excuse for that volte face is the “dishonesty” of the Leave vote in 2016 and the “honesty” of the “remain in UK” vote in 2014. The transparency of that argument is evident and the reason for it even more so. The belief that such hypocrisy can encourage voters to transport their leader into No 10 is stupefying and is testament to that party`s adolescent approach to government. There is yet a further example of their abandonment of democracy.

Did not the government secure House approval of the latest Brexit deal agreed with the EU? That has also been rejected by the Liberal Democrats, who have therefore decided that democratic decisions by the people of the UK and of the UK Parliament are of no account, campaigning now to reverse the former and ignore the latter.

This is reminiscent of their U-turns in exchange for a mere and imagined modicum of influence in the Cameron coalition of 2010. Surely the canny Scot will recognise the disingenuous tactics of that party and of its leader for what they are – the facile means of party combined with personal ambition. Its lack of past support is well earned and a reversal of that is not. Such hypocrisy must be, by at least Scotland, unrewarded.

J Hamilton
Bearsden

CORBYN must rank as one of the worst leaders in the history of the Labour party, which he has effectively reduced into a pathetic end-of-the-pier show. He has repeatedly proved himself incapable of dealing with the present occupant of Downing Street, who is one of the most blatant exponents of arrested development to contaminate public life. Corbyn states that December 12 is nine days before the shortest day, which is the 22nd. He can’t even get that right! England deserves Johnson and Corbyn, Scotland does not.

Joe Cowan
Balmedie

LET no reader be in any doubt, this is a very significant election coming up. We have to grasp the opportunity of making sure our voice is heard in demanding a second independence referendum – and potentially using the election itself as a mandate. The comment by Boris Johnson at PMQs that the SNP will forfeit the rights to manage the NHS in Scotland is a clear warning of what will happen if we don’t get out of this Union. Despite ours being the best-run NHS in the UK, we will see control of it taken away from our democratically elected government and handed over to the UK Government. We will be saying bye bye to our free prescriptions and be sat on the sidelines as Boris and co hand it over to American companies as part of a trade deal. They are already looking at how they can increase the profits to US drug companies. If you value the Scottish NHS you must vote SNP, and Yes at the next referendum.

Cllr Kenny MacLaren
Paisley

WITH reference to John Purser’s fascinating article about 18th-century Scottish composers (Hey presto! How Munro and McLean outsmarted the Italians, October 28) and Martin Hillman’s letter (October 30), readers may be interested to know that there is a live performance of the music to which Purser refers by Concerto Caledonia at The Tower, Helensburgh on Saturday November 16. Details at www.helensburghmusicsociety.org.uk.

Marjory Carroll
Helensburgh