Whither the Constabulary? (Letters to the Editor) – 13 April 2005

SIR - Reluctant though I am to resurrect the controversy over the recent debate-that-wasn't on multiculturalism, there is, I feel, one issue which has been left without comment, namely the role of Fife Constabulary.

I should say at this point that I attach no blame in the affair to Mr Blair; throughout he acted with fortitude and good sense, under near-intolerable pressure, and, while I regret the fact of the cancellation of the debate, I understand the reasoning behind it.

However, there was a telling phrase in your editorial in the last edition of the Mitre: "The decision [to cancel the debate] was made after it became clear that the event would require a strong police presence, with leftist groups announcing that they would travel to St Andrews to disrupt the debate, perhaps even with violence".

What, one is left to wonder, was the police's attitude to this? That the debate should be cancelled because of the threat of violence? Surely it is the duty of the police to provide adequate manpower to prevent or control anticipated violence, rather than simply to advise the abandoning of the event in order to avoid the violence. If this was the attitude of the police, then it was they who succumbed to quite improper pressure. In any event, I think we should be told.

Mr. Eliot Wilson, MA, MLitt
Reformation Studies Institute, University of St Andrews

T H E M I T R E

SIR - May I first congratulate you on your coverage of the U.D.S. debacle concerning Nick Griffin. But I fear you may have misguided your readers into thinking that this 'wee auld toon' is fascist-free. I'm not in anyway suggesting that the place is overrun with people who hold such views, but having heard several conversations of late, it confirmed my belief that the reception that Mr Griffin would have received may not have been as tepid as you suggested.

Having overheard talk of 'sweaty imams' and the current weather conditions of Constantinople, I think it may not only be the staff of the Saint that need to undergo cultural diversity training. After a little digging, it came to my attention that there may be even a B.N.P. member among the student body, however unlikely this may seem. I know that certain members of the student body consider the University (or the higher echelons) to be 'fascists', but I think this allegation seems to be unfounded, and would add that it is highly unlikely the Principal, nor our beloved Rector, are members of the gangland political party that call themselves the B.N.P.

Marat J.P. Robespierre
Sous-de-Nîmes, France