JOHN V Lloyd (Letters, January 30) questions Alan Cumming's decision to return his OBE ("Cumming returns OBE over British Empire’s ‘toxicity’", The Herald, January 28). He goes on to list what he perceives as benefits, including the oft-cited old chestnut "the railways" along with the English language, of course.

I suggest he reread Rudyard Kipling's The White Man's Burden and see if it makes him slightly uncomfortable. It's all a matter of perspective though: if you are Kenyan, or Irish, or Indian or Welsh or South African or Chinese (the list is endless) you may very well be "sullen and silent" and reject "the lightly proffered laurel" when your own language and culture have been suppressed, your natural resources have been asset-stripped, your human rights trampled upon in the pursuit of the Great Game, and your liberation heroes tortured, shot, and/or hung.

I was fortunate enough to meet the playwright Tanika Gupta on Saturday– her great-uncle was 19 when he was hung by the British; he and two other young men assassinated the Inspector General of Prisons at the Writer's Building in Dalhousie Square in Kolkata who was known to be a torturer. Unable to escape, one took cyanide and the two others including Gupta, shot themselves. Gupta survived after being operated on, was put on trial six months later and then hanged. No doubt Mr Lloyd would feel this was an example of the much-vaunted British sense of fair play. I suggest he reads Ms Gupta's play Lions and Tigers and reflect a bit on the glories of Empire.
Marjorie Thompson, Edinburgh

Nothing to be proud of

I CAN'T agree with John V Lloyd's fulsome praise for the British Empire, and while I am all for acknowledging people who have made positive contributions to their countries and communities, I can't see the logic behind awarding them Orders or making them Members of an Empire which no longer exists. To date, more than 60 nations have claimed their independence from Britain and not returned.

During the days of Empire the indigenous people in countries within that Empire were treated disgracefully, and not only in far-flung territories; some years ago the late Queen, on a visit to Ireland, admitted that things were done there which "we would wish had been done differently, or not at all". Hardly something to be proud of.
Ruth Marr, Stirling

• IS Alan Cummings a slow learner, taking 13 years to return his OBE, or has he just joined the growing number of so-called celebs who want to beat Britain down? In the photograph he seemed to be very chuffed at receiving his OBE insignia from the Princess Royal.
Alexander Stevens, Renfrew

The Kirk is leaving us

I WAS pleased to read Professor John R Hume’s letter (January 30) setting out his views on the Church of Scotland's super-presbyteries plans, as I believe it co-coincides with the view of many in the Kirk.

In Irvine and Dreghorn, we are facing the prospect of six churches being formed into one parish and the consequential closing of some churches and halls within two years.

During a Zoom meeting, I pointed out that the union of congregations would lead from past experience to loss of members and income. To my amazement, I was told by a former Moderator of the General Assembly that these would be members we would not want. Surely our mission should be trying to keep and attract members?

It was at that point that I came to the conclusion that the so-called Mission Plan was simply a handle to cover the past failure of the Church not only financially but in making provision for the supply of ministers.

Do you think that if Jesus were walking the streets of Scotland today he would be closing viable self-sufficient churches?

In many ways, the Church is leaving us. We are not leaving the Church.

The situation reminds me very much of VAR in Scottish football where the decisions are being made by the same group of people who got us into the mess in the first place.
Bill Cowan, Irvine

Glasgow must look to the basics

I NOTE with interest your front page lead article on Saturday (“Glasgow plea for powers to transform ailing city centre”, The Herald, January 28). Before the council rushes head-first into commissioning at vast expense numerous studies into the malaise of the city centre, perhaps it might want to… er... clean the place up? The roads are potholed, the pavements not much better, the cycle lanes a dumping ground for anything and the bins are overflowing. The city is quite frankly squalid.

This is the easy stuff. Restore some pride in the city and people will use it. Leave it as it is and they won’t. You cannot turn a city’s fortunes around if you ignore the basics. No other European city is as bad as Glasgow, which is why tourists come once and don’t return. So save yourself some cash and look to the basics, Glasgow.
Jon Jewitt, Glasgow

The end of the pier shown

I SEE the caption for the Picture of the Day on Saturday (The Herald, January 28) says Craigendoran Pier when I think it should really say "the remains of Craigendoran Pier". I was appalled at the state of this once-proud structure on my last visit, remembering the many happy hours I spent there in my childhood, some time ago although that was. This is not to detract from the nice photograph, as usual the standard set by your contributors was very high; just sad about the pier.
Niall Young, Johnshaven

Close, but no cigars, guys

DOUG Marr's tale of his ethical head teacher ("Where do we draw the line on lobbying?", The Herald, January 30) reminded me of being at Stow College of Engineering in the 1960s when some of the students managed to collect enough to buy a small box of cigars for a Mr Cairns who was considered to be a less than enthusiastic proponent of the education-by-fear policy that was prevalent at that time. He explained that, unfortunately, the cigars may be seen as an encouragement to him to adopt a more relaxed attitude to the exam marking and that he had no alternative but to take them away and burn them.
Sid Leslie, Kirkintilloch


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