UNFORTUNATELY, Dr Gerald Edwards (Letters, April 21) has allowed himself to come into the chicken and egg cycle at the wrong point – it was the political guile of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that caught Prime Minister Theresa May on the hop, not the other way round.

My interpretation of Brexit is dominated by the incessant negative rhetoric coming from the EU and its spokespersons about what is open for negotiation by the UK – there is nothing whatsoever on the table so far as they are concerned. So, it is fantasy for “us” to expect concessions which the remaining 27 members would not have. I expect there to be no agreed negotiated Brexit, and that will become apparent well before the 18-month period for discussion.

So, given her alleged obsession with independence, it was shrewd of Ms Sturgeon to anticipate (in the literal sense of the word) that failure, and to instigate the spadework necessary to tee up the arrangements to implement an independence referendum, which may well be seen in a different light in the chaos of the UK being regarded as having left the EU with no relevant agenda even for transitional arrangements.

Having been upstaged by Ms Sturgeon, Mrs May had no other available source for her revenge but to call the election, whose main aim is to test support for Scottish independence, with only a minimum loss of Westminster seats by the SNP, say, down to 50, being represented as dismal failure.

Mrs May’s preamble to her decision was a contradiction as she praised her leadership and her achievements since becoming premier, despite encountering much opposition, so why else did she need to go to the country?

Douglas R Mayer,

76 Thomson Crescent, Currie.

IN Scotland we nominally live in a democracy. That means the will of the majority supposedly prevails and the minority requires to live by that. That does not of course disentitle the minority from continuing to argue its case to seek to become the majority. But here in Scotland because of the power enjoyed by Nicola Sturgeon it is the will of the minority that prevails.

I am certainly one of the 55 per cent of No voters who feels “huge resentment” (Dr Gerald Edwards, Letters, April 21), indeed very deep anger, that the substantial majority No vote has simply been totally disregarded by the SNP.

A sizeable minority of her own party, about 30 per cent as I understand it from the media, voted to Leave the EU. Some SNP supporters even said they would vote No in an independence referendum if rejoining the EU was a result of a Yes vote.

Despite both, Ms Sturgeon continues to wed her party and Scotland to Independence and to the EU come what may.

Council elections should be about local matters and in the General Election campaign no doubt Ms Sturgeon will continue her ever-grating grievances about Westminster and tiresome spin about Tory “austerity” (which she has the devolved power to amend but doesn’t for purely tactical party reasons). But, here in Scotland, it is inevitable that both elections will be all and only about Independence.

If the SNP is severely punished then Ms Sturgeon can hardly complain, as it was she who declared the issue of independence to transcend all and anything else.

Alasdair Sampson,

7a Loudon Street, Stewarton, East Ayrshire.

DOUGLAS Hurd's excellent book on Sir Robert Peel is relevant today. Twice, as Prime Minister, Peel changed his mind over Catholic Emancipation (admitting Irish MPs to the House of Commons) and the Repeal of the Corn Laws (removing tariffs to reduce the price of foodstuffs that had to be imported due to failed harvests). He was instrumental in making the changes but was accused of “ratting”. Instead, altered circumstances made him see things differently. Theresa May is in a similar place: opposition to Brexit is greater in the Parliament than outside. In a time of negotiation, with a high popularity, reducing opposition is sensible. Consistency is not desirable in a Prime Minister. Far better to learn from experience even while in office and even if attacked for it. Getting things right for the country is the first priority, not the apparent good of the party. That takes courage. Peel had to resign over the Corn Laws and his party suffered, but his legacy was cheap bread for the poor.

He also saw that tariff barriers were bad in the long run. Ideally, there should be no tariff barriers. The future of the world is a world government, as many from Kant to Russell have suggested. By its tariff barriers the European Union discriminates against other countries and against the ideal of world government. This means that the tariffs being erected against us for leaving the EU are unworthy and non ideal. They should be resisted. Our leaving the EU is one of the moves desirable for it to drive its approach to world government. The notion that some countries are not fit to be in the EU is itself discriminatory and contrary to the best ideals of the best people, one of them the worthy Mrs Merkel.

How does preserving the Union and Brexit square with Scottish independence? The latter is a disastrous mistake, financially impossible. That the Scottish Government has spent so much of its time fighting for independence instead of solving the problems of Scotland is a direct consequence of its unhealthy and, conceivably, unwanted obsession.

Brexit was necessary because of Islamic State, the need to control our borders; and the need to avoid the bureaucracy of unelected and unknown movers and shakers with their private agendas, some of them probably corrupt. The time for expanding the EU is not at hand. Its own borders cannot be managed. Countries like Greece cannot be made fiscally prudent. Nor is Greece alone. The EU cannot open its borders to the outside. If it ever does and removes all tariffs, then world government becomes closer.

The Union is worth preserving because of all it has achieved, not just for its own countries but the world as a whole. It saved the world just a century ago and, without it, the world of today would be very different. Of all the countries of the world the one that above all others that should never separate into its parts is the Union because that sum is greater by far than its parts.

William Scott,

23 Argyle Place, Rothesay.

ALL the current frenetic activity concerning Brexit, an imminent General Election, and the demands being made for the holding of a second Scottish independence referendum has reminded me of a telling story about Genghis Khan, his mother and his brothers.

Following the family being cast off by the tribe, the mother gave Genghis and his brothers an arrow each and asked them to break it, which they all did with some ease. Then she tied the five arrows together and asked them to break the bundle so created. They were unable to do so. The message she sought to convey to her children in their difficult circumstances was from unity, strength. It is a message of significance in these times, as the electorate is asked to put pen to ballot paper in June.

Ian W Thomson,

38 Kirkintilloch Road, Lenzie.

NICOLA Sturgeon has been quoted as saying Theresa May is putting her party first, instead of the country, by calling the General Election.

This is a classic example of the pot calling the kettle black.

There is not a day goes by but she is forcing independence down our throats, putting the wishes of the SNP before the wishes of the Scottish people

SNP before the wishes of the Scottish people.

If she ever gained this wish, what will she do, when within 18 months we are bankrupt?

James Reilly,

7 Craigiehall Way, Erskine.

IN their position of power and influence, Prime Ministers would surely be expected to be truthful when speaking of the outstandingly important matters of Government.

Glaring departures from this principle come to mind. We heard David Cameron state categorically that irrespective of the outcome of the June 2016 referendum he would continue in his duty and responsibility to lead the UK as PM. Within 24 hours of the result he announced his intention to resign.

Many times after her elevation as his successor Theresa May categorically ruled out a General Election, and castigated anyone with a contrary opinion on grounds of the necessity to avoid disunity. On Tuesday of this week she made a volte face to announce that June 8 would be the date of the next poll. She must surely have determined this date some weeks prior to the snap announcement.

These two occurrences must rank amongst the highest in the important matter of governing the country, yet on both occasions our PMs have lied to us .There is no other way of putting this fact.

The irresponsibility of the Labour Party in welcoming an election, according to the pundits, will result in its virtual annihilation. We can therefore anticipate many years of Conservative dominance post-June, with little opposition to any of their policies.

In what way have Theresa May and the Conservative Party earned our trust?

John Hamilton,

G/2 1 Jackson Place, Bearsden.

LISTENING to Theresa May I immediately thought of Maggie Thatcher and the devastation she caused.

People have been overwhelmed by elections recently but I would urge everyone not to give up, but to get out and use their vote again to try to keep Scotland's priorities out there.

Kay Allan,

76 Carnwath Avenue, Glasgow.