IAIN MacWhirter’s article ("Why a second Scottish vote on independence is now inevitable", The Herald, May 23) was rather timely on the day after Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said that "it would be economically possible for an independent Scotland to have a currency union with the rest of the UK". This announcement from the Governor was welcomed regardless of which currency would be forthcoming in an independent Scotland.

Like Mr Macwhirter I believe a new referendum is inevitable as a result of numerous events since the 2014 referendum. The biggest event is Brexit, something Scotland did not vote for – yet the Unionists jump up and down continually highlighting the 2014 referendum result while ignoring the 2016 referendum result in Scotland.

Mr Macwhirter rightly highlighted that the UK is not a caring, sharing society, one committed to social welfare as promised, whereas Scotland with its new devolved welfare powers is creating a welfare system with dignity and respect at its roots.

Scotland’s future needs to be in the EU for economic reasons and for free movement which is crucial to our infrastructure and employment needs and the only way to secure this, in light of the complete contempt for Scotland’s wishes in the 2016 referendum, is for Scotland to become an independent country.

Catriona C Clark,

52 Hawthorn Drive,

Banknock, Falkirk.

IAIN Macwhirter sets out what he views as the shortcomings of the UK and Scotland’s place in it, whilst also promoting the positives of an independent Scotland being a part of the EU. Only the most diehard supporter of separation from the UK would not spot the flaw in this analysis that ignores the positives of the UK that have benefited Scotland through generations of interdependence, whilst imagining the EU as some kind of faultless union of equals. There is surely a glaring contradiction in viewing the UK union as being nothing but bad, despite Scotland having significant influence over its future through devolution and representation in Westminster, whilst seeing only good in an EU union in which an independent Scotland would have only peripheral influence on major decisions.

When Mr Macwhirter tells us that “no small country has sought to leave the EU”, he no doubt intends that to be evidence of how happy they are with their membership. Yet given the difficulties a major economy like the UK is having in extricating itself from this "club" that seems determined to make exiting members suffer, perhaps those small nations simply realise that for them, once in, there is no way out?

Keith Howell,

White Moss, West Linton, Peeblesshire.

PETER Swain (Letters, May 24) asks when we might expect Better Together to “once again resort to using the same lies, distortion and general chicanery in the next referendum that it used last time”. Perhaps he might refer to some of the claims on the same page.

Jill Stephenson reminds us that Nicola Sturgeon promised in 2015 there would be no referendum till “it is clear that a majority of the people of Scotland want independence”. Ms Stephenson then goes on to criticise the First Minister for “talking about “restarting” talk of the separation question?. It must be obvious to Ms Stephenson that restarting a debate, or even just talking about independence is quite different from calling a referendum. Could it be though that Ms Stephenson’s concern about even talking about independence is that this could lead to “a majority of the people of Scotland [wanting] independence”? After all, in 2013, according to Better Together, support for independence stood at approximately 28 per cent, and look where it ended up 18 months later. The same again might be expecting too much as it will be the more devout adherents to the Union who must be persuaded, but the necessary 14 per cent increase in support is much smaller than was achieved last time. Perhaps, Ms Stephenson’s concern is understandable.

Dr Gerald Edwards meantime continues his litany of doom, pointing out that the Scottish economy is “is doing very badly right now, prior to Brexit”, and then remarkably suggesting that “the despair of another independence referendum, rather than Brexit, will cause more really serious economic problems for Scotland”.

In fact, we already know the likely consequences of Brexit, as a leaked UK Government analysis shows that, without a trade deal in place, Brexit would hit Scottish economic growth by nine per cent. This is comparable to a Scottish Government prediction a few weeks earlier which was described as "completely over-the-top scaremongering" by the Scottish Conservatives.

We know therefore the severe consequences we might expect from Brexit, a policy that was rejected in Scotland in the EU referendum. Dr Edwards may seek to blame talk of a referendum for poorer economic performance, but the Westminster Government’s own figures show that Scotland will be disproportionately harmed by Brexit. Of the 12 economic regions in the UK, only the north-east and north-west of England, West Midlands of England and Northern Ireland will be more harmed by Brexit alone than Scotland will.

As to the effect of the referendum, it was found by EY (Ernst & Young) that in 2014, at the end of the last referendum debate, foreign investment into Scotland was at its highest level for 16 years. Perhaps we really should do it again, even if only to mitigate the negative consequences of Brexit?

Alasdair Galloway,

14 Silverton Avenue, Dumbarton.

WE should all be grateful that the SNP's new economic report calls for cross-partisan policies ("SNP unveils blueprint to emulate best small economies, The Herald, May 24). However, their dilemma is that independence is the single most divisive policy Scotland has ever known.

The only way to get beyond partisanship is for either devolution or independence to be dropped: two into one does not go. And the only one of those which has been rejected by Scotland is independence.

Peter A Russell,

87 Munro Road, Jordanhill, Glasgow.

THE best way Jeremy Corbyn could have secured harmony in Ireland (and frankly the whole of the UK) would have been to campaign unambiguously to remain in the EU during the 2016 referendum. This latest trip to Ireland (" Corbyn will call for revived peace process", The Herald, May 24) smacks of more poor judgment, a pathetic attempt at distraction from Labour’s current political paucity and makes me think of out of control horses and stable door.

Amanda Baker,

Saughton Gardens, Edinburgh.