IAN W Thomson (Letters, April 13) complains of TV presenters with an inflated sense of their own importance. This is becoming increasingly apparent in all the TV news channels, more especially the BBC, with presenters giving forth in what appears to be self-indulgent importance with long-winded questions to those they are interviewing. Indeed, one might say, haranguing. Whomsoever this is directed at finds difficulty in any meaningful reply before the next, as all it is, interruption.

One example of a programme so affected is The Andrew Marr Show of a Sunday morning with those invited, reduced to two of late, to review the newspapers continually denied the chance of giving any cogent replies by the host. The expression directed from one Victorian politician to another is somewhat apt: "intoxicated with the exuberance of their own verbosity".

John Macnab,

17 Grahamsdyke Street,

Laurieston,

Falkirk.

WITH reference to the letter from Ian W Thomson it may well be that Andrew Neil sees himself as being well- educated, but if he has been accurately quoted by Mr Thomson then sadly not well enough. The observation should have read “that one in five Scottish pupils leaves school”, not leave. The subject of the sentence is one not five Scottish pupils.

However, it would be wrong to single out Paisley Grammar since this error occurs every other day in every newspaper (including The Herald), every other form of the media and sadly in English classrooms the length and breadth of the country.

Robert Wilson (a proud pedant),

153 Invergyle Drive,

Cardonald,

Glasgow.