HOW comfortably the media and politicians have found it to proclaim and posture about the undoubtedly disturbing and vile racism that interrupted a football match in Bulgaria ("England win marred by racist chanting", Herald Sport, October 15).

And yet – Donald Trump, President of privilege in the US – not so long ago claimed that at a murderous rally where fascist and ant-fascist clashed at Charlottesville there were "good people on both sides" and refused to condemn the Nazis.

Our own Prime Minister – product of the most elite school in the UK – racially insulted the then-President Obama and was corralled by expensive and celebrity friends when he referred to Muslim women looking like ‘letter boxes’.

I am black – and – controversial as it may sound – no football thug or neo-nazi ever passed me over for job promotion or gave a grant to their white friends over me. No – it was usually a white "liberal" with an apologetic smile on their faces.

Amanda Baker, Edinburgh EH12.

AS a Scot who supports England once we're out of everything (that is, pretty much for most of my lifetime), may I say: those who suggest Gareth Southgate and the England players should have walked off in Bulgaria on Monday night, before or during half-time, are treading a dangerous path for our beloved sport, indeed all sport .

Uefa made the latest three-stage rule, and Southgate stuck to it with immense dignity, as did his players. Walking off would have been a victory for the hooded pro-Nazi hooligans (who, by the way, are a tiny majority of Bulgarians.

P J Davison,

Richmond upon Thames.

Queen’s discomfort

I THOUGHT that the Queen in your front-page picture ("Queen's Speech sparks storm", The Herald, October 15) was looking particularly pensive.

Maybe she was feeling a bit disappointed and used. No doubt during her reign, since her coronation in 1953, she has faced many troublesome times and challenging issues involving her position as Head of State with many Prime Ministers, Labour and Conservative and male and female.

I do wonder what she really thinks of the developments she has been faced with under Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He involved her in a prorogation of Parliament, which was subsequently found to be illegal unanimously by the Supreme Court. This week she was presented with the task of submitting to Parliament the Tory Party manifesto for the next General Election, the content of which has little or no chance of being passed by this House of Commons. Oh, to be a fly on the wall at Buckingham Palace to hear on these topics what is in her mind in her private conversations with Prince Philip.

As an aside, let me ask when are we going to deprive those supernumeraries, political appointees, and over-remunerated pensioners in the House of Lords of the opportunity to dress up in their pantomimic garb?

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.

WHO are the pages who tended the Queen’s "train" during the Queen’s Speech procession? If they are the offspring of the aristocracy, is it necessary that this be so? Could not they be boys and girls from the public at large?

RM Arbuckle, Largs.

Stinging rebuke

IN reply to Robin Brown's letter (October 15) about the absence of wasps, they have been here in Inverclyde; I have pictures of my allergic reaction to their sting to prove it.

Having paid for and had two visits from pest control we await someone today as we still have a problem, and opening the hatch to the attic ready for his inspection showed they are still active.

Alison Masterson, Inverkip.