Beyond decency

Your editorial (2 August) says it was the police report that put paid to Michelle Thomson’s political career but it was more down to the tabloid frenzy amplified by the BBC’S sensationalist news coverage that traduced her reputation.

Throughout michelle thomson, who merely gave a voluntary interview as a witness in the possible prosecution of someone else but was not charged with any offence, has acted honourably and her moving testimony in the House of Commons of her rape shows what a brave person she is.

It is important that parliamentarians should face public scrutiny but few would want to be subjected to the kind of treatment dished out to Michelle Thomson, and the subsequent Lib Dem campaign in Edinburgh West in 2016 was beyond the normal boundaries of decency.

It was hypocritical for political opponents to wade into the media witch hunt over her business activities as when in government they did little or nothing about building affordable housing, or scrapping the council house right to buy legislation or stopping the banks from giving out mortgages of up to 125 per cent of valuation, all of which created the thriving buy to let bonanza for many ordinary selfemployed people who can’t get decent interest returns on any savings.

The moral opprobrium directed at Michelle Thomson does nothing to encourage budding politicians from a wider spectrum of backgrounds rather than the route of student politics followed by a short stint as a political researcher. She deserves a public apology from those who sought to make political capital out of her situation.

MARY THOMAS Watson Crescent, Edinburgh