I WRITE in response to Bill Bishop’s letter to the Times last week which raised a number of concerns. I would hope this could be added to next weeks letter's section.

Firstly there is Bill’s potentially slanderous implication that Camelot bribed their way to running the national lottery. A claim that appears to not be supported by evidence beyond Bill’s fervent imagination and paranoia.

Secondly, Bill’s frankly bigoted rantings regarding Muslims and Jews were quite frankly shocking. Muslim and Jewish Scots are Scottish despite Bill’s nonsensical diatribe to the contrary.

Many have been here for several generations. They are free to participate in all facets of Scottish life in any way they wish and that also includes criticising its shortcomings if they wish.

They, like ALL Scots, have such a freedom of speech regardless of Bill’s views.

Both groups also have the freedom to live their lives and conduct themselves as they see fit and this includes how they seek to practice their religion. This also includes new immigrants to the Country who often bring some elements of their old culture with them - exactly in the same way Scots who have emigrated have done to nations across the globe over the last few centuries.

Bill’s praise for Boris Johnson in his letter also speaks volumes. Johnson is a buffoon who is stoking bigotry by mocking women who wear the Niqab and the Burqa. Far from being concerned for the rights of the wearers of the Niqab and Burqa, Johnson is opportunistically exploiting the issue to capture the far-right of the Tory vote in his egotistical obsession with becoming the Prime Minister. The man is a Poundshop Trump, a bigot and a bully.

Of course, in certain situations such as passing through airports, it is appropriate for wearers of the Burqa or the Niqab have to show their faces for the practical purpose of identification - this already occurs at airports across the length of the nation as well as globally. Often it occurs in public or in a private room with airport staff.

This fact makes a mockery of Bill’s illogical concerns which appear to be more rooted in his apparent distrust or dislike of people who live differently from him.

It is time we stood up to Gammons like Bill and his outdated and nonsense rants that are not based in fact.

CONCERNED RESIDENT,

Cowdenbeath.