Batting for Britain?
At least Bill Gates was diplomatic when asked about Scotland as a location for doing business. You report him as recalling that "Scotland had a long history of innovation and enterprise, and that science at Edinburgh University features in his plans for the evening" (January 31). Contrast that with the comments made in a speech a couple of weeks back in Bangalore by Labour's Chancellor Gordon Brown.

Against the backdrop of redundancies in electronics in Dundee and now in Ayrshire, and an ongoing threat to the call-centre strategy which Labour has used across the central belt of Scotland to keep unemployment at bay, Gordon Brown told the Indian Confederation of Industry: "You are the world's second largest producer of software applications" and - even less patriotically - "You are seen as the first-choice office of the world". He was over there batting for Britain but like an English cricket team!

Neil Robertson, 4 Glamis Terrace, Dundee.


Promoting Glasgow's negative image
Glasgow has lost the supercasino bid to Manchester, with one of the factors considered to be fewer difficulties in licensing the venue down there. The 2014 Commonwealth Games bid teeters this way and that, with one of the main thrusts of Halifax's bid being the portrayal of Glasgow as a violent and dangerous place, using the proposed implementation of the glass ban as proof of this.

Two major sources of inward investment to Glasgow, both potentially lost due to the negative image promoted by the actions of the city's own licensing board.

At a time when huge efforts are being put into promoting Glasgow and Scotland as places to visit and enjoy, why does the city suffer such an insular and backward-thinking board? Are there no strong councillors on the board, to act as the voices of reason, to curb the excesses of the power-drunk few?

Glasgow has lost out to Manchester, may still lose out to Halifax,and will probably lose again and again to Edinburgh, England, Ireland and all the other countries and cities fighting for the same opportunities, unless we vote out the narrow-minded board members who refuse to speak up for Glasgow when it matters.

Frank Murphy, Manager, The Pot Still, 154 Hope Street, Glasgow.


Mad dash for wind power and money
THE whole debate about the Lewis wind farms illustrates precisely what I have always known the mad dash for wind power in Scotland is all about. It's about big money; not about saving the planet. That notion is merely the vehicle for selling wind power to a gullible public. The wholesale industrialisation of our landscape cannot be justified by exaggerated claims about a net reduction of carbon emissions. In any case, it makes no sense at all to tackle one environmental problem by creating another. These giant corporations induce local communities to sell their birthright for a tiny part of the enormous, subsidised, profit to be made. Morally, the landscape is not theirs to sell. It's not just their backyard, it's everybody's backyard. It belongs to all of Scotland's people.

Andrew Mitchell, 4 Glenpark Avenue, Prestwick.


I WAS interested to read SNP candidate Alasdair Allan's comments regarding his position, or non-position, on the Lewis wind farm (January 31). It will interest your readers to know that the SNP councillors on Comhai-rle nan Eilan Siar are among the most vociferous in their support of the industrialisation of the natural heritage of the Western Isles and have all voted in favour of the wind-farm proposal.

How can the grassroots SNP party and the Holyrood candidate have such opposing views on this matter? The obvious answer is, of course, that they can't. Mr Allan is just following the line of looking to gather votes from the anti-wind-farm lobby while saying nothing that he can be held to account on later.

Ruaraidh Ferguson, Western Isles Scottish Liberal Democrat PSPC, Somerled, Milkinghill, Tong, Isle of Lewis.


Post offices
THERE is just over one month until the March 8 deadline for responses to the government's consultation on the post office network. This important exercise comes at a crucial time, with 90% of rural post offices running at a loss, more than 3000 closures in the past five years and dramatic changes to traditional revenue streams such as benefit encashment. The consultation seeks to take a strategic approach to secure the network's long-term future by addressing the considerable problems post offices currently face.

It is important that customers - both businesses and households - take this opportunity to have their say on post offices' future structural and funding arrangements. Postwatch wants to ensure that the government is made aware of customers' views and concerns throughout Scotland. More information is available at www.dti.gov.uk, or printed copies can be requested from 0845 015 0010.

Professor Alan Alexander Chair, Postwatch Scotland, Queen Margaret University College, Clerwood Terrace, Edinburgh.


Yehuda Shinar WITH regard to the article, Hadden turns to mind guru (January 30), I would like to clarify that Scottish Rugby's work with Yehuda Shinar is being funded by the charity the Scottish Institute of Sport Foundation - not the government-funded Scottish Institute of Sport. The foundation is totally independent from the institute, albeit we do collaborate with the institute on various projects. The foundation is a business-led charity with a mission to build a culture of winning in Scottish sport and all walks of life.

Graham Watson, Executive Director, The Scottish Institute of Sport Foundation.