I was moved by John Swinney’s tragic account of his late uncle’s brave heroism and his subsequent awarding of the Victoria Cross (Scotsman, 3 April). My late father, a proud Highlander, joined the army at the outset of the Second World War, and served in North Africa, Cyprus and at the D-Day landings, luckily for him returning unscathed from his experiences (although his 21-yearold brother perished in an RAF plane over the Mediterranean). In later years, watching the growing emergence of the Scottish National Party, he could never for a moment countenance the possibility of an independent Scotland after he and his English, Welsh and Irish comrades had served, shoulder-to-shoulder, so proudly together as one in the British Army. This leads me to wonder, respectfully, if Mr Swinney ever had conflicting thoughts as a youngster about his commitment to the SNP cause on the one hand, and the obvious pride our servicemen, including his heroic uncle, would surely have had back then in simply being British. Whatever, my condolences and deepest respect go to the First Minister and the remaining family of the late Corporal Thomas Peck Hunter VC. Donald Morgan, Ayr, South Ayrshire Pub talk One of the great things about visiting a pub on your own is you never know who you’ll be sitting next to. On choosing my seat on Wednesday afternoon in Edinburgh, I was just finishing the excellent article by Murdo Fraser (Scotsman, 2 April) suggesting more Scottish history should be taught in our schools as opposed to the history of Spain, Russia and America etc. The conversation next to me between two gents was both enlightening and worrying. It became very obvious very quickly they were staunch supporters of the SNP and had been involved in campaigns both locally and nationally. Mr Fraser highlighted the period 1603 to 1707 as of particular interest in our history and it should be taught. The Nats next to me actually mentioned the very period, but stated that unionists would not dare to talk about the period as they were “in denial” about the history of the 17th century. Then beer was discussed briefly, one gent saying he enjoyed a sweet beer (Orkney Dark Island was the choice) rather than a hoppy beer, or as he then stated – English beer. This was incredible to listen to – managing to not just disparage all English beer, but to suggest there were none of any worth. In fact, almost all Scots craft beers are, in my opinion, more hoppy than a bunny rabbit! However, what the conversation showed me was the lengths Nats will go to in efforts to disparage our neighbours and to suggest that “the majority of Scots” know the unionists are in denial over our history – funny how some majorities are OK and others not. It was fairly obvious that the narrative of history in this case was being dressed to suit their own agenda. Thank you chaps for a very enlightening hour and a half. I do hope they noticed the Scotsman lying on my seat as I left, open at Mr Fraser’s article. I would have loved to hear the spluttering into the Orkney Dark Island! David Millar, Lauder, Scottish Borders History is bunk To answer Murdo Fraser’s question “Why are we not teaching more Scottish history in our schools?”; if any subject should be dropped from the curriculum it is history. Kids can find out so much online nowadays. George Morton, Rosyth, Fife Musk’s hypocrisy “When the radical left can’t win via democratic vote, they abuse the legal system to jail their opponents,” says Elon Musk, commenting on the court conviction that has blocked Marine Le Pen from running in the next French presidential election. So you mean it’s all right to embezzle money from public funds and use it to help you win the democratic vote? Just who is abusing whom, Elon? All means then are justified to improve your electability? It’s all right for someone with a criminal record to seek office? Of course, you know all about that and helped a convicted felon do just that. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” Trevor Rigg, Edinburgh Tom Brown’s ferry Your front page picture of the Glenelg ferry (2 April) was a step back into history: alas not far enough! The ferry at Kylerhea has been in existence for a lot longer than your caption suggests. It is referred to in Tom Hughes’ masterpiece of 1857 – Tom Brown’s School Days – as the place where Tom and his pals visited the local inn on a sea trout expedition from Rugby School. It was here that he learned of the passing of his dear friend Doctor Arnold. There will no doubt be a local history of the crossing. Archie Burleigh, Skelmorlie, North Ayrshire Hate speech Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob is in a quandary over freedom of speech (Letters, 2 April). Stating that it is the backbone of our universitiesm he went on to say that universities are seats of learning that have a duty to distinguish free speech that ramps up violence, hatred and peddles disinformation. So, do we and indeed should we have free speech, not just in universities, but elsewhere? The right of every person to express their opinions is one of the basic human rights included in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and enshrined in the First Amendment in the US Constitution. Freedom of expression (or free speech) is regarded as a part of our democracies. It implies freedom of religion and freedom from it, freedom of the press and free participation in politics. But – yes there is a but – even in democratic societies, free speech is not an absolute right. Free speech can be curtailed for a host of reasons, such as national security and incitement to racial hatred for example. With a worrying rise in right-wing populism hate speech under the guise of free speech, is common, particularly with the rise of problematic social media, hence the Scottish Government’s worthy attempt to challenge hatred with its Hate Crime Bill. This bill was met with fierce opposition. Hate speech is a scourge in our society. Although right-wing populism has been mostly shunned in Scotland, discussion of hate crime is still important. When freedom of expression clashes with with language that borders on hate speech (one person's freedom to crack a racist or homophobic joke, for example, can be another’s example of discrimination) we have a problem. Jack Fraser, Musselburgh, East Lothian Shrinkflation Blair McDougall MP apparently intends to introduce a bill to curb shrinkflation where shoppers apparently pay more, for example, for chocolate Easter Eggs but get less for their money. Might I suggest he adds the Scottish Government, all Scottish local authorities and indeed the UK Government to his proposed bill? All of them charge taxpayers more each year, and each of them delivers less. What’s good for the private sector goose is also good for the public sector gander. Brian Barbour, New Zealand Wealth tax Shona Robison, the SNP finance secretary, wants Chancellor Rachel Reeves to introduce a “wealth tax”. How novel! Both these esteemed ladies have been taxing us up to the hilt already. Can neither of them, especially Ms Robison since this was her suggestion, think of another way? Well here is an idea. Cut taxes and this might well boost productivity and even improve mental health. Raising taxes certainly won’t. These are both highly paid politicians. Why can’t they come up with a sensible solution that does not include taxing the already over-taxed – or is that too taxing? Gerald Edwards, Glasgow Glandular fever William Loneskie of Lauder really has been living a sheltered life if he thinks Jack Docherty’s use of the word “bam” on TV is any sort of comic breakthrough (Letters, 3 April), as if Billy Connolly never happened. “Bam” – short for “bampot”, has found its way into countless television comedy classics: Scotch & Rye, Naked Video, Rab C Nesbitt, Chewin’ The Fat, Still Game and of course the mighty Burnistoun: the latter with its news reports of Rab McGlinchy “interpreting for the Neds” in a colourful and instructive manner, to Kirsty Strain’s The Morning Show reporting on someone launching a two litre ginger bottle over 150 metres “straight onto a rocket’s napper”. That said, Elaine C Smith’s “It’s glandular" joke on Naked Video must surely be the greatest Scottish comedy moment of all time. Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire Flynn’s gamble Stephen Flynn has declared his intention to stand at the next Holyrood election (Scotsman, 2 April); hardly the biggest surprise of the year. Now comes the test of his character. Will he have the courage to resign his Westminster seat before standing for Holyrood? Or will the party rule – as applied to Joanna Cherry recently – that a current Westminster seat must be given up have to be imposed on him? Then, of course, if he happened to lose the seat in the 2026 election, he would look very foolish indeed. It surely cannot be otherwise. Alexander McKay, Edinburgh Write to The Scotsman We welcome your thoughts – NO letters submitted elsewhere, please. Write to lettersts@scotsman.com including name, address and phone number – we won't print full details. Keep letters under 300 words, with no attachments, and avoid 'Letters to the Editor/Readers’ Letters' or similar in your subject line – be specific. 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