Farm cash scandal

For years now, it seems, acres of print have focused on agriculture's "slipper brigade"- those not actively farming but still collecting subsidies - yet, to my mind, this issue is one big red herring (Farming, 16 August), a mere detail within a major scandal.

With pious enthusiasm, tut-tutting stakeholders have leapt aboard this herring boat, chasing 24 million in single farm payments (SFP) while quietly netting circa 500m, most of which could be far better spent to the benefit of the Scottish economy.

The National Farmers Union of Scotland and others want to be rid of the naked acres farce. Now the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association is having a canary because the slipper money will be removed from the Scottish rural economy and returned to the European Union.

Jimmy Reid was mourned by many last week. He will be remembered for his mantra - the right to work. We need more than that: we need the right to land on which to work and our SFP is destroying that right.

TOM GRAY

West Park

Braco, Perthshire