Ambivalence over new BBC channel

SIR, – I note the arrival of a new BBC channel for Scotland with ambivalence.

We already have programmes of Scottish news after the national news. Typically this is very central belt oriented and has little about anywhere else in this country. Fatuous headlines about such trivia as the goings-on at Rangers football club seem to dominate.

I was however less than ambivalent about John Nicholson MSP’s comment whereby he felt that it was a shame that the BBC wouldn’t ditch the national news altogether. Firstly he has no public mandate to say that, and secondly it seems reminiscent of something Donald Trump would do – isolationism.

I suppose the SNP are desperate to supress national and international news so that the electorate become unaware of just how bad a job they are doing at running the essential services in Scotland compared to other parts of the UK.

No doubt the new Scottish channel will be dominated by their irrational rants demanding independence. Personally I shall be tuning in to the more important news from the UK and the rest of the world, even if I have to do it via the internet.

I wonder when those of the electorate still supporting the SNP will wake up to just how irrational and incompetent they are, and how nothing anyone else does will be good enough, short of full independence for the sake of it? Nicholas Norman, Osborne Place, Aberdeen

“majority of the Scottish people?’ I would like to respond to just a few points raised by Mr Bayne in his reply.

Firstly, the living wage is just a slightly enhanced ‘minimum wage’ which was introduced by Labour against much criticism by the Tories. The enhanced living wage was paid for on the backs of the poor by a cut in benefits.

Secondly, the Barnett Formula presently provides Scotland with approx. 10.25% of the UK income – prior to Barnett, the Goschen Formula was paying Scotland 13.75%.

Thirdly, £800million was allocated to Scotland for infrastructure projects – just one English infrastructure project, HS2, will cost £56billion (at present).

Finally, no one would argue that the Clyde shipbuilding orders by the present UK Government is not welcome, but could be argued that it was the Independence Referendum that forced the government’s position, and do not forget the promised order was reduced from 13 ships to eight. Rob Fairfull, Fraser Road, Alford