IN the feature on Brian Whittle (From Olympian to Tory MSP via a gagging order from Bill Clinton, People Behind The Power, April 23), he suggests that Scottish sports will be much more successful as part of Team GB than in an independent Scotland. The article also recalls the part he played in winning a Team GB Gold Medal in the 4 x 400 metres relay at the 1986 European Championships, where he ran the third leg of the race wearing only one shoe. I lived in the North West of England at the time. The headline in the sports pages of the Manchester Evening News was, “England sock it to them.”
Still things have moved on since then. Or have they? I recall a couple of years ago, immediately after the Murray brothers had inspired Team GB to a reach a Davis Cup semi-final against Australia, Sue Barker advised the country, “England against Australia — it has a wonderful ring to it.”
Sadly, many in our media cannot differentiate between Team GB and Team England.
Douglas Morton, Lanark
AS a younger man, and, as most were, interested in the pastime that is sport, I followed Brian Whittle's athletics career with pleasure. Now that Mr Whittle is a Tory MSP it becomes clear that sport does not provide all the benefits that I once imagined! My disappointment at his opposition to Scotland's natural right to Scottish independence was deepened by his reasoning. "Think of my background," he says, "a Great Britain athlete." He expresses admirable concern for PE in Scottish schools, obesity and mental health issues. These issues, as he points out, can be traced back to "the mid-1980s". Yes — the mid 1980s when we were ruled totally from Westminster. Does Mr Whittle have an opinion on the state of health, physical and mental, lack of resources for schools throughout the UK? And can he tell us what the effects of Westminster imposed austerity is having on the issues? After all he is a politician "accidental" or otherwise.
Can he not envisage an independent Scotland, concerned with people, not posturing, attacking these problems? Mr Whittle, who I'm sure was proud to run for Britain, may consider — and he should know better than most — that 25% of Britain's medals won at the last Olympics, were won by Scots. Not bad for that 8.4% of the population whose sport would "sink massively" if living in an independent country!
This is the best reason for an overhaul of the voting system for Holyrood that I've read. The "list" system must go!
Bill McLean, Dunfermline
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