Before the crunch, banks were panned for giving credit cards to anyone with a pulse.

Now we have payday lenders wiring money to hard-up Scots in the obvious hope they miss repayments and trigger huge interest rates.

It's a disgrace. But a bigger disgrace is that no-one cares – not the Bank of England, not the Financial Services Authority and seemingly not the Government.

Meanwhile, MPs want a substantial pay rise at the very same time when voters' living standards are falling. They should be ashamed.

George Drummond Glasgow

I AGREE with the reader who criticised Alistair Darling's leadership of the referendum No campaign (October 17).

While he is clever, he lacks the 'cutting edge' the leader of Better Together Campaign must possess.

The only one in my opinion who has the drive is Jim Murphy.

Arrangements should be made for him to be seconded to the Scottish Party and to spearhead a taskforce to explain and discuss the vital need to keep the Union intact.

James Murray Glasgow

I WAS so pleased to read the happy news of Lewis Archibald (October 19) and his family.

We often read tragic stories about young people with terrible illnesses so it was heart warming to hear a tale with a happy ending.

The family sound like they have worked so hard together through Lewis's three-year cancer battle and I want to wish them the very best of luck for the future.

Janet Grant Bothwell

WATCHING the You've Been Trumped documentary on BBC2 on Sunday night made me feel ashamed to be Scottish.

You could be forgiven for thinking Alex Salmond, the SNP, Aberdeenshire Council and Grampian Police all worked for Donald Trump.

Hazell McKay Via e-mail