I WOULD have found Angus Cochrane’s report “Black left stunned by Jack’s reply on polling” (June 24) hilarious if it was not so serious.

There is a report circulating on the social media, namely: “Circuses are finding it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain clowns as they leave and go in to politics”.

Up until now I thought that it was a joke, but given the performances of some of the Conservative and Labour politicians both at Westminster and Holyrood perhaps I will have to revise my judgement.

READ MORE: Mhairi Black accuses Alister Jack of 'blatantly' misleading Parliament

It would be interesting to know why both the Conservative and Labour parties are so attracted to and successful in recruiting these types of individuals!

Thomas L Inglis
Fintry

THERE is absolutely no sense in asking any questions of this government in parliament, as they don’t get answered. How this can even remotely be described as a functioning parliamentary system is beyond me. The UK does not have a democracy.

Brian Rees
via thenational.scot