THE feminist virtue-signalling Olympics continues in the Scottish Parliament.

Recent proposals have included using taxpayers’ cash to skew the democratic process in favour of women (£500,000 for women leaders of tomorrow", The Herald, February 6) – a gold medal to Nicola Sturgeon for that one.

Campaigners call for a law to force political parties to have 50 per cent of candidates female – including parties that utterly oppose such cultural Marxist practices ("Holyrood lags behind in gender balance breakdown", The Herald, February 6) – silver medal to taxpayer-funded feminist campaigning groups. Just to clarify the situation here: the Scottish Government takes my money and gives some of it to organisations who then call for the state to interfere in the political party that I lead, demanding that it be run contrary to its core principles.

Politicians call for Suffragettes to be pardoned. While their cause was just, their methods were often reprehensible. If we retrospectively endorse arson, cultural vandalism, attempted murder and bombing in the pursuit of political causes, don’t be surprised if some extremists today are emboldened by such irresponsible gesturing (gold medal to Ruth Davidson).

And a bronze medal goes to the SNP's John Mason, who ponders on Facebook: “Maybe I should be replaced with a woman.”

Please, can we not have just one MSP stand up and strike a blow for the vast majority of men and women who reject the tiresome and destructive obsession of the gender warriors?

Richard Lucas,

Leader of the Scottish Family Party, 272 Bath Street, Glasgow.

I NOTE that the politically correct brigade are at it again; this time, its a retrospective pardon for the suffragettes – even Jeremy Corbyn is committing to this delusion.

Of course, what happened to many suffragettes was terrible, but that was then and this is now. we can't change history or salve our feelings about what happened by attempting to amend past injustices from today's perspective; whether it be the "righteous" tearing-down of statues, or issuing of posthumous pardons for historical figures now judged heroines, it is all delusional.

So, to all the politically correct involved in such things as mentioned: calm down and get a life; you must surely have something better to do.

History was what it was. Let it be.

Philip Adams,

7 Whirlie Road, Crosslee.

AS a country we rightly celebrate the 100th anniversary of some women (those who were householders and over the age of 30) being given the right to vote. This was truly revolutionary in its day, not only for those women but a real success story of taking on the government of that day and succeeding. Women worldwide have gone forward in leaps and bounds since then and are today taking leading roles in all aspects of living: politics, business, campaigning for the under privileged and much, much more.

One of the largest campaign groups in our country today has women at the heart – the Waspi group (Women against State Pension Inequality), campaigning for women born in the early 1950 swho are suffering disproportionately the effects of the Westminster Government's legislation to equalise state pension age, something WASPI has no object too, but does object to the lack of fair notice of increases to one’s state pension age. Like the Suffragettes of 1918, protests have gone to parliament, securing debates, early day motions and a 193,000-signature petition. Funding for this campaign has come from national organisations which recognise the injustice. So, in the year of celebrating votes for women, let us hope the Waspi campaign secures justice for those women born in the early 1950s who are being forced into poverty as a result of becoming dependent on state benefits through no fault of their own.

Catriona C Clark,

52 Hawthorn Drive, Banknock, Falkirk.

EVENTS marking the centenary of securing votes for women remind us of the great strides made in the intervening hundred years in democracy and equality of opportunity. Many have also noted how much more there is still to achieve, for women as well as others who continue to be treated unfairly. Hopefully, the positive momentum will continue.

Yet unfortunately some of our modern advances and freedoms of expression have come with a new cost. There appears to be a growing tendency for personal attacks over the internet and in general discourse on issues about which people feel strongly.

Perhaps the worst examples appear on social media, involving all kinds of unacceptable abuse and intimidation. Even letters pages are not immune as some choose to primarily focus not so much on the real issues but instead in trying to mock and deride those who do not agree with them. We all need to remember that respect for others is as important today as it was a hundred years ago.

Keith Howell,

White Moss, West Linton, Peeblesshire.