It was a relief to read that Scottish Trades Union Congress general secretary Grahame Smith strongly supports the leadership shown by Nicola Sturgeon on opposing a hard Brexit, while attacking the ineffective stance of the Scottish and UK Labour Parties on the issue (Corbyn and Leonard savaged over ‘lack of leadership’ on Brexit, Brexit News, February 11).

The UK Government report on the likely economic consequences of Brexit demonstrates that Scotland is likely to be worse hit than the UK as a whole, and confirms the findings of the Scottish Government’s own study. Time is now fast running out for Labour to abandon its quixotic pursuit of a "jobs-first Brexit" – the warning from Japanese car manufacturers that they might take their business elsewhere in the event of a hard Brexit shows just how illusory this policy is. Scottish Labour should set aside its differences with the SNP over independence, and join with the party and other bodies, including the STUC, in a concerted campaign to oppose a hard Brexit in Scotland. With its current policy it is failing to oppose the Tories, failing its supporters and failing the country.

Paddy Farrington

Edinburgh

Keith Howell accuses the SNP of imagining or exaggerating grievance over each step of the Brexit process (A tale of 'Toxic Tories' and 'Brexit grievance', Letters, February 11). Scotland voted against Brexit, which is being forced upon it by David Cameron's miscalculation and a riven Tory party. The UK scorned the Scottish Government's projections on Brexit's adverse effects on the Scottish economy, yet, when their projections were wrested from them, they confirmed the Scottish Government's figures. No exaggeration or imagination is required to be aggrieved at both these events.

Keith Howell thinks the SNP assumes that voters "will fall into line" with its stance on Brexit: the SNP has been through the fire of many elections and never takes voters for granted.

Colin Campbell

Kilbarchan

Keith Howell talks about "exaggerated grievances". What is exaggerated about being continually ignored by the Westminster Government when we had a large majority voting to Remain? To being equated in respect to our needs as an independent nation with the Home Counties town of Maidstone? With the Conservative Tory MPs voting as a block to postpone the resolution of devolved powers after Brexit to the House of Lords where on principle the SNP do not choose to have a voice? The list goes on and on.

What is that Mr Howell fears about Scotland running its own affairs?

Victor Moncrieff

Lanark

I just wondered whether, when he refers to the SNP's “manufactured grievance” over Brexit, Keith Howell had noticed that the UK Treasury impact statements actually paint a worse picture of the negative impact of Brexit than the SNP’s assessments?

Douglas Turner

Edinburgh

THE SCOURGE OF LETHAL WEAPONS

David Pratt and Peter Swindon’s articles highlight the increasing adoption in the Middle East conflict of easy to use on-the-shoulder weapons with the accuracy to bring down an aircraft at up to 15,000 feet (Arms to Syria: the devil’s bargain and Israeli F-16 fighter jet shot down over Syria, The world, February 11).

In the classic combination of manufacture, manipulation of proxy war by major powers, and black market arms dealing, one plane too many may yet see their use being the trigger for an escalation of conflict between Israel and Iran, followed by the Russian-American stand-off taking a more serious turn.

Scotland is being used by a major US arms company as part of its manufacturing empire. Let’s not talk about jobs, missiles or Trident, surely an independent Scotland would have the decency, never mind common sense, not to participate in the killing game.

Iain R Thomson

Cannich

Those who believe tougher gun laws in the US would be the panacea required to end to the ongoing slaughter of the innocents are mistaken. With millions of weapons already in circulation and unlikely to be surrendered in a meaningful way in any form of amnesty, it would be, at best, a start.

What is surely needed is a change in the way of thinking. With drunk driving this was achieved in the UK by education and a quantum leap of change in public perception. It took a generation at least.

The best case scenario for the US is a gradual change over the coming generations towards ridding their country of this cancer of readily available weapons. There is no quick fix and it will most likely get worse before it gets better.

Alexander McKay

Edinburgh

CHILD ABUSERS CAN’T BE ‘TREATED’

“Paedophile” therapy sessions don’t work (How paedophile therapy sessions actually work, News, February 4). Even if courses did work, it would require a lot longer than 10 weeks; it is more realistic to realise that, even after, 10 years worth of “courses” or any form of “treatment”, the chances of such people changing their way of viewing children and so their ways, is remote – certainly far too remote to risk when young children’s welfare should be the top priority.

Some of the methods used in the Stop It Now project are also suspect. It is well known that when sex offenders talk about their offending in groups they actually get off on hearing others talk about it.

As for getting them to confront the impact their abuse on their victims, they are already well aware of the devastating consequences that their perverted actions can and do have on survivors and victims of sexual abuse. They don’t need a “course” to tell them that.

Those who work in Stop It Now should stop deluding themselves. Those who derive pleasure from viewing images of child abuse have minds every bit as twisted as those who actually carry out the abuse. Some, a minority, may manage to curb their actions, but their perverted feelings will still be there.

Sandra Busell

Edinburgh

MASONS AREN’T ALL PRIVILEGED MEN

It was sad to see Vicky Allan joining in on the attacks on Freemasonry (Whisper it: Freemasonry’s on the way out, Comment, February 11) February.) She describes the United Grand Lodge of England as “that poor secret society of mostly white, privileged men”. I am a member of an English masonic lodge. (I lived in England for many years.)

I am certainly white, but I have met many masons who are not. As for “privileged”, I was brought up in Shettleston and Easterhouse in a working-class home. My dad was a slater and my mum a shop assistant. I was educated in State Schools. My children were educated in state schools. Those of my grandchildren who are of school age attend state schools. I regard myself as “working-class”. And guess what? I am the norm in my lodge and, as far as I can see, in the other lodges with which I am acquainted.

Ms Allan ends by referring to “the yowl of the privileged white man who sees that his power is under threat”. Could she please let me know what this “power” is so that I can use it before it disappears? However, I won’t hold my breath.

Douglas Morton

Lanark

WISE WORDS ON YOGA … AND SHIVA

I’d like to say how much I enjoy reading Val Burns’s columns, and reading last Sunday’s article reminded of a plaque on the wall of the Birla Mandir Hindu temple in Hyderabad, India (Shopping for yoga will make you feel good but it won’t make you a better person, Week in perspective, February 11).

The plaque said: “He who sees Shiva [one of the principal deities of Hinduism] in the poor and the oppressed sees God, he who sees Shiva in the image only is at a preliminary stage.”

Jim Towers

Isle of Skye