EVERY time anything is reported about the relationship between the Conservative Party and the Scottish National Party, in my mind's eye the famous image of Brezhnev kissing Honecker appears. Those two British political entities display a horrible mutualism, they thrive on polarising opinion about each other, trying to destroy anything in between, while anyone with the (dis)ability of being able to think for themselves suffers. The most famous example of "the kiss" is the mural on the Berlin Wall, aptly, it has the title, "My God, help me to survive this deadly love". Two famous pieces of writing also spring to mind: "Ae fond kiss, and then we sever," and, "The lady doth protest too much, methinks".

Even the local council elections have been reduced to the ineffable tripe coming from the two lovers.

Dr Ronnie Gallagher,

5 Wyndhead Steading, Lauder.