I HAVE no doubt that top of David Torrance’s Christmas wish list is for infighting to break out in the SNP over the EU, but he needs to prepare himself for a new year of disappointment (“Brexiters in her ranks remain central problem for Sturgeon”, The Herald, December 11).

Unlike the Conservative and Labour parties that know they have to thole their leaders meantime, SNP members are solidly behind theirs and Nicola Sturgeon leads a united and settled party, something Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn can only dream about.

David Torrance reminds us of last week’s intervention by Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson who claimed that “geographically differentiated deals would unravel” the Union” but I would remind him that, just over a year ago, Ms Davidson was warning that “Scotland must retain access to the European single market to protect jobs, the economy and public services”. However, Ms Davidson was prepared to stand back while Scotland was hauled over the hard Brexit cliff with the rest of the UK in order to maintain a Union that neither respects the wishes of the Scottish electorate regarding the EU nor delivers democracy to Scotland.

Clearly, sticking “Scottish” in front of Conservative Party is nothing more than a meaningless marketing slogan; Ms Davidson, like all her predecessors, will always put the unequal Union first.

Ruth Marr, 99 Grampian Road, Stirling.

DAVID Torrance highlights one of the flaws at the heart of the SNP’s position on Europe, namely that a significant proportion of its own support is as much against the EU as against the UK. Yet when it comes to the majority in Scotland who voted to remain in the EU referendum, the SNP’s position is arguably just as badly conflicted.

Many who preferred to remain in the EU strongly support Scotland’s positive place in the UK and resent their vote for EU membership being misrepresented by the SNP as somehow adding weight to its continued focus on using Brexit to break up the UK.

While there are SNP supporters who are happy to see Brexit used as an excuse to try for another referendum, Nicola Sturgeon knows she has no chance of ultimate success in that endeavour unless she can win over previous “soft” No voters. Yet how many who voted No before will be convinced that an independent Scotland could be more in control of its own destiny as a “bit player” in the EU’s ever closer union project?

Keith Howell, White Moss, West Linton, Peeblesshire.

KEITH Howell’s letter (The Herald, December 11) refers to Nicola Sturgeon, Ruth Davidson and his concern over a future independence referendum. He misses one important point. At the last Holyrood election, the SNP was elected with more votes than any other party. Its manifesto said that, in the event of Scotland being taken out of the EU against the wishes of the majority, a referendum on independence would be held.

The SNP is simply carrying out a manifesto pledge. This concept seems foreign to some Tories.

Duncan Stirling, Woodcroft, Cardross.

I AM old enough to have voted to join the EEC (as it was then) 43 years ago. We were being asked to join a trading entity that held out the chance of greater prosperity.

Over the years it delivered and then the politics took over and more countries joined.

Many were not democracies and some fiddled the books to meet the fiscal criteria.

When the USSR collapsed the United States applied pressure on the EU to take in many of the former Iron Curtain countries, thus ensuring that the old communist buffer with the West was removed.

None was ready for joining and the present state of play within the EU is not good and likely to worsen.

Many (also unelected) want the EU to become a United States of Europe. Why else have an anthem, a currency and a flag with talk now of an army? More former communist countries are in the queue along with Turkey.

All of this will mean that those that contribute will be asked to pay more and more and, with our present level of debt, that could be suicidal.

Increased trade because there are more members doesn’t necessary follow.

Scotland’s trade with the EU is at virtually the same level as when figures were first collated in 2002. The UK over the last few years is selling less and less to the EU but has seen a significant increase with the rest of the world.

The EU may be the biggest trading block in the world but the benefits we derive are becoming harder to see.

When you throw into the mix that we were being asked to pay more into the kitty to be managed by an undemocratic and corrupt organisation that refuses to balance the books, I for one decided I would vote to leave. Others no doubt have different reasons.

A simple question, I suppose, is: would I want to join the local golf club if it operated in a similar fashion?

Roy B Hudson, 29 Heather Avenue, Bearsden.

WHAT does it take to galvanise those who wish to stay in the EU, however imperfect it may be, to face down the political wing of Britain First (or should that be England First?) which infects the Tory party at Westminster?

The old saying “empty vessels make the most noise” was never more true when applied to the Brexit bandwagon.

Where is the voice that will unite all those – surely now a majority given the often-repeated exposures, lies and obfuscations of Brexit bullies for what they are – who need effective leadership?

We must now allow thew likes of Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and so on to trick us into a disaster of so far incalculable (apparently proportions.

As for the EU’s imperfections, the UK can only help promote reform from within. By all accounts we would not be alone.

Douglas McKenzie, Crawhill Lodge, Westfiels, West Lothian.

THE Democratic Unionist Party has done us all a favour, apparently (Letters, December 9). As wise old Confucius might have said, with the Democratic Unionist Party calling the shots, “She who would sup with the DUP needs to bring silver spoons.”

R Russell Smith, 96 Milton Road, Kilbirnie.