Jacob’s ladder

Tory MP Jacob Rees-mogg was not , in my view, unsympathetic to the victims of rape and abortion as the current “debate” would suggest. He took a very clear stand that in terms of “personal faith” he stood behind the longheld teaching of the Catholic

Church that the life of a foetus was sacrosanct: this was his personal view. At the same time, he was quite clear that he did not wish to judge individuals and indeed would not, and in any case the law of the land on the subject of abortion had spoken and was very unlikely to be changed: he stood by that ashispolitical judgement.

I’m afraid much of the modern media seems to be only interested in eye-catching headlines, and fuelling conflict without regard for individuals who are at best hurt, and at worst treated like a tennis ball to be battered from side to side, with their actions judged without consideration of their circumstance.

Gone, I’m afraid is the oldfashioned art of respectful debate, swamped by the instantaneous soundbites of social media and reporters, their eye on a quick headline.

JAMES WATSON

Randolph Crescent Dunbar. East Lothian