Root and branch

It’s high time Theresa May paid more attention to domestic problems. Telling us the planned swathe of banking branch closures is a commercial matter ducks the issue. Political decisions created the situation whereby the Royal Bank of Scotland is largely owned by taxpayers and political ineptitude by Government let the banks freefall into the situation whereby they had to be rescued by taxpayers.

The proposed closures, besides affecting customers – particularly older and longstanding ones – will have an adverse impact on communities, especially in rural areas, which taken together will have social and economic implications for government and local authorities.

The prime minister had better not think it is a commercial matter – taxpayers remain the majority shareholder in RBS and we have yet to see if we ever get our money back!

JIM CRAIGEN Downie Grove, Edinburgh Further to Martin Redfern’s letter (Scotsman, 21 December) RBS had a slogan that it would not shut a branch if it was the last bank standing in town or village. Today, vast areas in Scotland are going to have no bank at all.

The Black Isle is a perfect example. Mobile banks are not fit for purpose. They constantly do not get 4G wi-fi connections and so transactions cannot be completed until they do. Secondly, they will not allow the deposit of coinage unless it is in the form of £20 (£1 coins) or other denomination (this is certainly the case with Bank of Scotland).

Westminster controls banking issues as it is not devolved to the Scottish Government. Nevertheless, MSPS should still be fighting on behalf of their constituents to keep some kind of banking/atm control in our towns and villages.

MICHAEL BAIRD Dornoch Road, Bonar Bridge