I COULD not agree more with Neil Mackay’s fine article on Donald Trump (“Could Trump lose the US election but ignore the result?”, The Herald, June 2). I have spent time in the United States, have American friends, and consider the American people among the finest in the world; with the usual exceptions.

Donald Trump is already making a big deal out of postal voting: US states have the power to appoint members to represent their state in the Electoral College, irrelevant of the popular vote, and we could have a Republican version of Tammany Hall. Mr Trump shows us the dangers of a “chancer” gaining ultimate political power, and having no restraints as to its use in his own, rather than for the nation’s, benefit. Sadly the US is, and will, rue the day he was elected. As will the rest of us.

GR Weir, Ochiltree.

Racing strife

SO the first “sport” to be allowed under lockdown is horse racing (“Masked riders at Newcastle as racing makes its return”, Herald Sport, June 2). Loads of super-rich individuals and companies have been trying heroically to persuade us to keep on gambling via social media by inundating us with messages of caring and concern. Here we have horses running around as fast as they can; some, sadly, will be exhausted, injured or die, but that doesn’t matter. The great thing about this “sport” is that we are allowed to try and guess who will win though. Unfortunately, most have to lose their money so that a very few can live off our losses.

Soon the shops owned by these super-rich companies will be open again and sad, lonely men can give away their money again. Wonderful sport.

Brian McKenna, Dumbarton.

Rainbow history

FOR the benefit of Nathan Terry and all other LGBTQ+ types never happy unless whining about their perpetual “victimhood” – even in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century – complain all you like about rainbows being used to show support to health workers (“Hundreds protest at rainbow for NHS”, The Herald, June 1 and Letters, June 2). Rainbows were never yours to claim as a brand.

Gays have only used a rainbow flag since 1978 – stolen from the 1960s peace movement, itself a reverse rip-off of Indian guru Meher Baba’s 1924 “unity” flag. The international Co-operative movement used one pre-war, Buddhists have flown various rainbow flags and banners for centuries, and ships flew rainbow flags in the era of sail to indicate neutrality during war or maritime disputes.

Mark Boyle, Johnstone.

Sum difference

BARRIE Canning’s article today (“Johnson will pay the price of ignoring the British public”, The Herald, June 2) reveals that in a recent poll 71 per cent of British people believed that Dominic Cummings broke the lockdown rules and that a further 59% believed he should have resigned.

That’s 130%. How on earth did I pass my arithmetic exams?

David Miller, Milngavie.

Thank you

AS we take the first tentative steps out of lockdown, I would like to say a big thank you to all involved in producing The Herald and the Herald Magazine. You have kept us informed and entertained. My thanks, also, to the letter contributors who have kept the conversations going.

Stay apart and stay safe and keep up the good work.

Jacqui Mair (Mrs), Irvine.