THE article about getting the Borderlands to vote Yes was interesting, in as far as it went (Here’s how we get the Borderlands to vote Yes, August 29). However, it omitted what is to me one of the most important aspects, that of public transport.

The bus services are abysmal, especially in Dumfries and Galloway – with very few buses, especially to Edinburgh, down to something like two a day. More to Glasgow certainly, but the capital city should be more accessible.

Some of the buses are almost impossible for older people to use because of high steps making it too difficult to use for disabled and elderly.

READ MORE: This is how we get the Scottish Borderlands to vote Yes with us

The train services are also dreadful, some of which can certainly be laid at the feet of past Tory policies, ie the Beeching slaughter. But the quality – and I use that word advisedly – of the trains which travel between Dumfries and Glasgow is shocking.

How can you expect to change minds if such an important part of life, both business and personal, is so casually handled?

Having lived in Castle Douglas for a number of years, I can guarantee that the area produces the best-quality food and has beautiful scenery, with lovely small towns and villages. But again, transport around the area is in some places almost non-existent.

If the Yes campaign, and I support it, wishes to “convert” the Borderlands then surely this must be very high on the agenda. At the moment, it looks as if the rest of Scotland is not interested.

Freida Dyson
Edinburgh

IT is good to see Michael Fry trying to bring some balance to the slavery debate going on in Scotland just now (Dundas is accused of being complicit in slave trade ... the opposite is true, August 25).

On my first visit to Jura in the 1970s I had the good fortune to make the acquaintance of John Mercer. John – a remarkable and little-known person – spent his winters in Edinburgh and summers in the north of Jura a few miles south of Barnhill, where George Orwell wrote 1984.

READ MORE: Michael Fry: Henry Dundas stood against the slave trade, this proves it

Amongst other of his writings I bought a copy of John’s report for the Anti-slavery Society on Slavery in Mauritania.

Almost two score years have passed since John’s untimely death, but slavery is still widespread in Mauritania, though denied by the government. I suggest that those obsessed with the level of involvement Scotland and Scots may or may not have had with slavery in the past use their time and energy on two more positive things:

– campaign to have a plaque on John’s Edinburgh residence (if there is already a plaque to John, I apologise); and

– picket the Mauritanian embassy in London.

SC Dunnett
via email

THERE are many Scots who have made their way down to London to work for the sniping Unionist press, TV outlets and Westminster. They allow themselves to be willingly used in attacking the Scottish Government on many matters. Their priority appears to be to put a spanner in the works towards independence.

The London newscasters consider themselves the last bastion of truth but in fact nothing could be further from the truth.

There are also many sniping Unionists in Holyrood who follow in the footsteps of their London pals promoting untruths. The Scottish Government is presently battling Covid-19 and has competently managed to suppress this virus to low levels in Scotland, but the fight continues to defeat it. Yet the sniping Unionists continue their tirade instead of supporting our government for extra financial powers to help our economy.

They are so thirled to London control and blinded to the fact that running our own affairs would be infinitely better.

Those of us on the independence march must stand tall, strong and above all united. As the First Minister has said, “keep the heid”, so let’s go forward together towards that day fast approaching. Divide and rule is the Westminster Unionists’ practised ploy. Dinnae let that happen. Support the Scottish Government team, altogether and win the day.

John Thomson
Montrose

THE latest polls indicate that almost half the voting public in Scotland support the Union. Therefore, most of us will have a friend or relative who supports the Union. Ask them the following question:

If, today, Scotland was an independent country, under what circumstances would we now be discussing the necessity of giving up that independence to form the UK?

If you get an answer other than “that is a stupid question”, I will be astonished. Having asked this question to hundreds of people over the years, that is the only response I have had, ever. Not once have I had even a barely considered response to the advantage to Scotland of such a Union.

Dr Ian Hall
Heriot