Entertaining potshots from a mixed bag
CHAMBERS Dictionary defines the word “discussion” thus: n, debate, argument or conversation; a detailed treatment in speech or writing; the dispersion of a tumour ( surg).
The discussions we have had on the Letters Pages over the three weeks since my last Inside Track contribution have met most of these criteria; it is tempting to add that ,while we have not dispersed any tumours, some of our readers have lanced a boil or two.
Given that Parliament was dissolved on March 30, thereby officially launching the General Election campaign, you might think that all we would have been discussing is politics, but that has been far from the case.
As always, our mailbag has been laden with offerings on an eclectic range of subjects. The debate over the viability of electric vehicles journeyed on, as did the argument over the state of Scotland’s population of wild mountain hares.
Wildlife also came to the fore with contributions on how to protect garden birds from predators such as sparrowhawks (and on whether or not we should), and we witnessed some entertaining potshots on the question of whether hunting and shooting can truly be described as sport. More weighty discussion on rural affairs centred on that hardy annual, wind farms, and the opening hours of rural GP practices and their inability to dispense prescriptions. Other topics aired have ranged from genocide in Armenia to the cost of weddings, the absence of plastic bags at supermarket self-service checkouts, tyre repairs at specialist garages and the future of the Caledonian Sleeper service.
Naturally, though, for a readership as erudite and politically engaged as The Herald’s, our pages have been dominated by the General Election (though two devolved areas, education, in the form of university governance, and health, with regard to declining GP numbers, also featured prominently).
I mentioned last time out that this election was feeling like a re-run of the independence debate (or perhaps a precursor of a second referendum), and that still holds. We have had much talk on the question of tactical voting and Labour, Conservative and the Liberal Democrats have been taking aim at the SNP; fire has been returned mainly to Labour. There has been little forensic examination of the Tory or LibDem manifestos among our correspondence.
Pleasingly, as was the case during the summer and early autumn of 2014, we have acquired several first-time correspondents, including some from south of the Border. All are welcome, and we will endeavour to give favourable treatment to first-timers.
To our newbies, may I repeat the mantra that we like to agree to disagree and, tempting though it may be, one should refrain from personal insults. And in the interests of transparency, those holding elected office should declare their interest; while MPs and MSPs are well known, councillors and office-bearers often are not. We will try to make party affiliation clear where known and applicable.
We enjoyed a series of letters recently over the Scots word “gadgie”. All gadgies, quines, loons, lords, ladies and gentlemen are cordially invited to get involved in the great debate.
‘‘ Other topics aired have ranged from genocide to the cost of weddings, tyre repairs and the future of the Caledonian Sleeper