SNP should act in the battle of Culloden field

I HAVE just finished reading about the proposed housing at Culloden battlefield (Mail).

I was there with my wife a few years ago and we were both glad when we left.

We are not easily frightened but that is the eeriest place we have ever been. It has an atmosphere of history and stillness that should be left undisturbed.

If houses are built I would not take one for free, I would feel guilty digging the garden. I have no time for the SNP but in this case Holyrood should be intervening. iAN BALLOCH, Grangemouth,

Stirlingshire. IN ‘New Battle at Culloden’ (Mail), Sir Tom Devine is quoted saying: ‘English dragoons chased the remnants of the Highland army and cut them down.’

It beats me how Professor Devine is able to single out English dragoons in a British army of English, Welsh, Irish and Scottish troops.

I could, in fact, make a strong case for suggesting that it was the Scottish part of that army that, in retribution for not-so-far-past atrocities by Highland soldiers in lowland Scotland, contributed mainly to the post-battle slaughter and corpse robbery.

Dr A mcCOrmiCK, Dumfries. JUST as Nationalist MP Angus MacNeil does not realise Bonnie Prince Charlie fought to take the British crown, not for Scottish independence, so Culloden was not Scots v English.

Cumberland’s British Army included regiments such as the 21st of Foot – later the Royal Scots Fusiliers – who recruited in Scotland. And it wasn’t only Lowland Scots. The 300-strong Highland Battalion also marched against the Jacobites.

CLiVE BruCE, Edinburgh.

Marching minority

SO what if 100,000 marched for Yes in Edinburgh (despite Lesley Riddoch’s claims, it was far fewer) as they are still a minority.

And just like those dressing up as Jacobites and hanging Catalan flags from bridges – they’re not changing a single voter’s mind.

DONALD ALLAN, Glasgow.

Brexit barriers

IT doesn’t matter whether you voted Remain or Leave, no one voted for intolerance, prejudice and injustice.

There is a lack of empathy for those who will be most affected by the changes after Brexit: EU nationals living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU.

I am fortunate to be living in Europe as the EU and its member states are taking action to secure our status. The fly in the ointment is the UK Government. I don’t feel there have been any real assurances and nothing has been put before Parliament.

Those EU workers who do lowpaid, yet essential jobs in the UK have been made to feel worthless. Without them, the UK economy would be in the doldrums.

I am not advocating another referendum, I am just asking those who govern us to do so with empathy and drop the attitude of ‘I’m all right, Jack, and stuff you lot’.

GLENN DONEY, La Chapelle Aubareil, France.

Giant tax headache

HOW can the Scottish Government think of forcing Amazon and other online retailers to pay extra tax when it can’t manage to collect council tax arrears? Perhaps it will create another quango to work things out for it. ALExANDEr HAmiLtON, Kelty, Fife.

Hidden wealth

NO mention of oil wealth at the SNP conference. Are the Nationalists now those who are keeping the oilfields secret?

PAuL CLArK, Glasgow.

Sympathy for Sir Craig

AS a retired chief superintendent and ex-head of security at Westminster, and having been involved in countless life-threatening incidents with mass fatalities, I have sympathy for Sir Craig Mackey.

Former Chief Superintendent Philip Flower was harsh in his criticism (Mail) of a fellow police officer who witnessed such a tragic event unfolding before his eyes.

Mr Flower’s comparisons with the many heroes who daily rush forward unprotected to save life did not consider that in Sir Craig’s case there were far more well-trained officers at the scene.

All officers involved in terror and violent incidents reflect for ever if it was possible to have done more to protect life, and I am sure this will be the case with Sir Craig. Chief Superintendent GrAHAm

DArK, Hunstanton, Norfolk.

Our all-time low

BORIS Johnson says Theresa May’s Brexit compromises will be the biggest British humiliation since the Suez debacle. Not so – having BoJo as Foreign Secretary was our lowest moment.

ALiSON rOSS, St Andrews, Fife.

Legal layer cake

COMMON sense and justice has prevailed with the ruling from the Supreme Court that the owners of Ashers Bakery did not breach equality and diversity legislation when they refused to bake a cake depicting a slogan supporting gay rights, which was at odds with their Christian beliefs (Mail).

However, what this has clearly highlighted is that with so many differing religions, cultures, lifestyles and beliefs, along with a society obsessed with avoiding offence, just how flawed is equality and diversity legislation. CHArLES JACKSON, Newcastle upon tyne.

Lessons of history

IS JEREMY Corbyn just as keen for our children to learn about Stalin’s crimes of mass murder, the preventable starvation of innocent millions in the USSR and the reasons for the collapse of the socialist economic system as he is to explain Britain’s historic role in slavery and colonialism (Mail)?

DAViD WOODYAtt, Newby Bridge, Cumbria.

Host with the most?

FIONA BRUCE is one of the front runners to take over as Question Time host (Mail). Surely she is presenting more than enough TV shows already. Let a new face take over from David Dimbleby.

JOHN mcBAiN, Witney, Oxon. THE person most qualified to be Question Time host is Alastair Campbell. Every time he appears on the show as a panellist, he takes over, constantly interrupts fellow panellists and ensures the programme is run his way.

PEtEr CArNEY, Harrogate, N. Yorks.