Every job is essential to someone £25 STAR LETTER

I have nothing but huge and genuine admiration for NHS workers dealing directly with Covid patients but am I the only one getting tired of the incessant praise for “essential workers.”

We are all essential workers. We are essential to keep our homes going but, when it comes to lockdown, some of us seem less essential than others. Every worker is a key worker to their families. Patrick Timmons, by email

Christmas cheer

I can’t believe how the year has sped past and we’re already talking about Christmas. At the same time, things that only happened in January seem a lifetime ago. It’s dismal but I think most people have already given up on anything like a normal Christmas.

Not seeing the older and the younger members of our families will be horrid but Christmas is still Christmas and we will find a way to have fun and be happy. We need to look out for each other and try to have a happy little Christmas no matter what. I’m sure we will!

Mrs Isabelle Hubbard, by email

Simply not appy

When is the First Minister going to realise that when she gives her daily briefings and refers to websites and phone apps, not everyone has access to a computer or even a mobile phone?

How can those people learn about the virus updates in their area which are to be shown on the scot. gov websites? They also cannot download the many apps referred to.

James Walker, Glenrothes

Answers please

On Sunday you published two very interesting stories about justice in Scotland and both demanded proper explanations and answers. Your reports about Vietnamese police operating in Scotland and the teenager sent back to Malta both beggared belief and the police, the judge and the government need to explain what on earth is going on?

Janet Masson, by email

Prison solution

I know we’re talking politics here, and politicians never seem able to “see the wood for the trees”, but rather than expressing concern about crowded prisons and prisoners’ “human rights” and ignoring the fact that people are in prison for contravening the human rights of innocent victims ( who never seem to get a mention), would the obvious solution not simply be to build more prisons?

Davie Kerr, Onich, Lochaber

Blondie moment

Like Judy Murray, I’m looking forward to Blondie going back on tour. There was an archive clips programme on TV recently and the band’s first British appearance was shown. They started belting out Rip Her To Shreds at the end of the local news programme in Manchester. Bizarre but brilliant.

The same show remembered Mark Bolan’s teatime kids’ show which was even more bizarre and even more brilliant.

Robert Bell, Dumfries