Tom Harris MP yet again wades into the asylum debate, (The Herald, August 4) and yet again shows how out of his depth he is. Mr Harris, like many Labour Westminster MPs, has no idea about the reality facing many asylum-seeking families and their children - if he did, he would not be so flippant and callous in his remarks.

Mr Harris supports the attempts by the Labour Westminster government to strip away the self-respect and dignity of asylum seekers and he is an outspoken critic of anyone (even those in his own party) who have dared to stand up for decency by supporting the rights of asylum seekers to live in Scotland as equals within our community.

He doesn't want charities that help asylum seekers to receive funding, he doesn't want asylum seekers to be able to work and earn money and build Scotland's economy, and now he doesn't want children to be able to prosper and learn.

Unlike Mr Harris, I am proud of the measures being taken by the new Scottish government.

I am also proud to have written and moved a motion to SNP national council in Edinburgh on June 23, that called for SNP ministers to "to afford children of asylum seekers the same rights to university education as other Scots and to bring to an end a system of discrimination which sees the children of asylum seekers who have gone through the Scottish secondary school system unable to take their education to the next level".

I very much welcome the proposals from Fiona Hyslop MSP as being the key which asylum seeking children will be able to use to open the door to higher education and allow them to develop, prosper and give back to society. This measurer ensures that Scotland will not suffer a tragic loss our home-grown talent.

Furthermore, it shows that asylum seekers in Scotland are welcome and are vital to the future of our nation, and I hope the new Scottish government will continue to put pressure on Tom Harris and his London pals finally to do something worthwhile for Scotland and ensure that everyone north of the border, regardless on their ethnicity, is treated with humanity, dignity and respect by ending the barbaric process of dawn raids once and for all.

Bailie David McDonald, SNP Councillor, Glasgow City Council.