Sir, – Charlie Flint (Letters September 17) complains about the lack of coverage in The Press and Journal of the Alba Party’s recent conference.
Perhaps Mr Flint should bear in mind that Alba is a fringe party without a single MP, MSP or even a councillor elected standing in its name and failed abysmally to come anywhere close to gaining any MSPs in the only electoral test it has faced.
I am sure that if, and when, Alba demonstrates that it can attract more than 2 or 3% of the vote then more coverage will ensue.
For now, like many other fringe groups, they just seem to speak to one another.
Colin Wilson, Davidson Crescent, Alford.
Ignore nonsense return of imperial
Sir, – Still looking for a Brexit bonus?
Well, Bodger Johnson may finally have one for you, or so he thinks.
Yes indeedy, the Tories have announced the return of imperial units to replace those evil EU socialist- surrender metric ones. Brilliant, except for a couple of minor points.
Firstly, the use of imperial units for commerce has been permitted since 2007. We never stopped using miles, and many happily measure their height in feet and inches.
Secondly it seems nobody told Bodger that imperial units originated in France (or what is now Italy if you prefer) and were developed as a European/international system to ease trade.
Those of a certain vintage will remember pounds, ounces etc as avoirdupois units. Yes, a French name derived from Latin!
Today’s metric units have been developed into an International System or SI, with logically derived units, not just for international trade but to make science work as simply and free of errors as possible by eliminating countless clumsy conversion factors.
In 1999 a $125 million Nasa mission to Mars missed the planet entirely because of a failure to convert data from imperial to metric.
In 2021 the Tories are equally far off target by assuming they can divert our attention from the developing omnishambles of Brexit with some imperial flag waving.
Scientists and engineers everywhere will ignore this nonsense. We all should.
William McLeod. Netherbrae, Turriff.
SNP putting Scots airports at risk
Sir, – At times it can make sense to take a different route from Westminster’s.
We have a different education system for example which may lead to different choices when dealing with Covid.
There are times however when taking a different path is economic suicide.
Sometimes you have to be more pragmatic and realise that you may wish to be different but it will not have the desired effect.
With the UK Government easing Covid testing for returning international passengers but the Scottish Government not following suit, it does not take a genius to work out that Scots wanting to go abroad will travel to the likes of Newcastle or Manchester airport to avoid the costly PCR tests on their return.
There is nothing to stop them and all that will be achieved is that Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports will lose out financially. The travellers will just come home via a different and cheaper route.
Pragmatic, however, is not a description that can be used to describe the SNP. It’s quite a price airports will be paying for SNP decisions.
How long before airlines abandon Scottish airports altogether? Could this be another nail in the Scottish business coffin, all thanks to the SNP’s mismanagement?
Jane Lax, Pine Lodge, Craigellachie, Moray.
