Stephen Flynn being interrupted on Question Time was unsurprising

I lost count of the number of times she interrupted him and talked over him (and also allowed Labour MSP Anas Sarwar and Tory MSP Meghan Gallagher, as well as right-wing broadcaster Iain Dale, to do the same) in a shamefully disrespectful and unprofessional manner. When licence fee payers are funding a salary of around £400,000 per year, surely the public have a right to expect better?

READ MORE: 'So rude': Stephen Flynn interrupted almost 40 times on Question Time

When former BBC presenter Andrew Neil became chairman of GB News he revealed his true political colours, which were already evident in his BBC roles to even casually scrutinising viewers. Mr Neil’s protege, Jo Coburn, perpetuates the arrogant and overt disdain of SNP politicians on the BBC’s daily Politics Live. Perhaps it is not surprising that the UK Government’s propaganda channel appears to be almost exclusively staffed by reporters and journalists opposed to Scotland’s right to self-determination, especially as even BBC Scotland, like the Tory and Labour parties, is effectively controlled from London.

The fact that Ofcom persists in ignoring the reality of the BBC clearly and consistently not providing the politically impartial news and current affairs programmes that at least 50% of Scots wish to watch reflects a similar level of disrespect and lack of professionalism. It’s time for fundamental change in the UK broadcasting structure in order to provide the people of Scotland with the constitutionally balanced information necessary to objectively determine their own future.

Of course the UK Government, backed by “Scottish” Tory, Labour and LibDem politicians, will resist such significant “democratic” change because it knows that as soon as we have a more level constitutional playing field across mainstream media broadcasts in Scotland, majority support for independence will be undeniable.

Stan Grodynski
Longniddry, East Lothian

WHY is anyone surprised that Stephen Flynn was interrupted so often on last week’s Question Time? That is the norm with every independence-supporting panellist and SNP representative. Even Fiona Bruce, who should have been preventing it, was herself guilty of this. So why was Alex Salmond not?

As soon as I saw him there, I was sure that he had been asked in the hope that, because he has recently made attacks on the SNP which undermine them and the cause of independence, he would help to undermine Stephen and damage the audience’s view of these subjects. I hope that the BBC was disappointed, as Alex actually added some good points to the discussion.

READ MORE: Don't watch BBC's Question Time if you're prone to heart attacks

If anyone is surprised at this treatment of the SNP, they must have missed a recent Debate Night, where at one point, Anas Sarwar and Alex Cole-Hamilton were allowed to lean across Jamie Hepburn, jabbing a finger and shouting when he was trying to speak, so that very little of his answer was heard. Sadly the same is true of Daily Politics, where even Jo Coburn herself interrupts, but if anyone tries it on the Tory, they are told, “let him speak, you will get your turn”.

My gripe also includes the fact that so many false statements are never contradicted, even though they are verifiably untrue, such as “the Scottish NHS is the worst in the UK”. The BBC should be asked whether this results from the ignorance or lack of preparation of the interviewer, or simply the culture of bias in their organisation.

L McGregor
Falkirk

LET’S get real on the question of a referendum on Scottish independence. Westminster will NEVER agree to another one, as they are scared that they will lose it. No matter if 100% of Scottish people want it, it will not happen EVER.

In Saturday’s National a candidate for the role of president of the European Commission said she absolutely wants Scotland to be independent and join the EU. I would suggest that there are many leaders in European countries and organisations who would support this and immediately recognise an independent Scotland if we decided to declare independence.

READ MORE: Why branding Yessers as 'extremists' threatens Scotland's democracy

Instead of chasing the non-existent referendum, why not find out what the reaction from European and world nations would be to an independent Scotland and ask them to put pressure on the UK to allow us our right to self-determination under the charter of the UN?

The UK has never respected nations’ rights to independence in the past (ie Kenya, Malaya, Malta and so many more) until forced to recognise the reality, and will continue in this vein indefinitely.

The “gold standard referendum” has gone. Another route needs to be found.

Graham Smith
Arbroath

THE suggestion from Alister Jack that a Grand Committee of the unelected House of Lords might be set up to scrutinise legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament democratically elected by the Scottish people is doubly undemocratic. Jack cannot have failed to notice that such a body would inevitably fail to have any representation from one particular party: the SNP, who have long taken the position that they will not nominate anyone for such an antiquated, undemocratic institution.

READ MORE: Alister Jack calls for Lords 'grand committee' to probe Scottish laws

More widely, I would like to hear the SNP leadership be much more vocal in response to this and the other steps being taken by the Unionists at Westminster to undermine Holyrood and the Scottish Government.

Gavin Brown
Linlithgow