I MUST confess to being a tad confused with Alasdair Sampson’s polemic on “minorities ruling majorities” (Letters, April 24), because, of course, that is very much the norm in the UK. He may not have noticed that Westminster exercises the bulk of political and economic muscle, and the present Conservative Government was only elected by 37 per cent (15 per cent in Scotland) of the electorate only two years ago.

The SNP Government at Holyrood is not a representative majority (though much closer than Westminster), but can command a majority of MSPs on its mandated constitutional proposal in the Scottish Parliament, but is then being overruled by that same minority-elected Conservative Government at Westminster. Confused? Aren’t we all?

As for referendums, The SNP stated it would not hold another unless there was a “material change in circumstance”, which obviously Brexit constitutes and is a direct negation of promises made during the independence referendum. The SNP then also stated it would take independence off the table if Westminster negotiated that Scotland could have access to the single market.

Here is my difficulty: Scots have been told they cannot have a referendum during the time slot when the SNP was elected with a mandate for a referendum, with the support of the Green Party. So the democratic process is a failure as far as that election is concerned - unless you are of the view that Scotland has no sovereignty, which would be a constitutional anomaly to say the least. “Taking back control” seems to be restricted only to Westminster and is denied to Holyrood.

As for the EU itself, Mr Sampson surely recognises that Scots voted 62 per cent to remain. I am not a member of any political party and my preference would be to join the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), with access to the EU through the European Economic Area (EEA). This would allow for trade deals both with the EU and outside the EU. I would be open to negotiating with the EU to join, but it would be very much dependent on the conditions of membership.

GR Weir,

17 Mill Street,

Ochiltree.

I NOTE the letter (April 24) from a correspondent in East Ayrshire arguing that council elections should be solely about local issues and lambasting the SNP for making them about independence.

I can’t speak for East Ayrshire but out on Peebles High Street on Saturday while the SNP were campaigning on local schools, roads and housing, across the street the Tories had a banner saying “No to IndeRef 2”.

I know which party is fixated about Independence.

Christine Grahame, SNP MSP,

The Scottish Parliament, Holyrood, Edinburgh.

IT been said that a Tory gain of eight to 10 seats in Scotland in the General Election would derail ScottisiIndependence for the foreseeable future. If 56 seats last time around and 49 per cent of the vote in the Holyrood elections were not considered a "mandate" for another referendum why should these paltry gains be regarded as a mandate against? If the SNP returns a majority of Scottish MPs to Westminster for the second time, surely the democratic case for another referendum is once again made.

Kay Cameron

10 Castlebank Drive, Partick, Glasgow.

JOHN Hamilton (Letters, April 24) asks in what way have Theresa May and the Conservative Party earned our trust.

I would quote the old Spanish proverb, "a wise man changes his mind, a fool never does".

David Miller,

80 Prestonfield, Milngavie.

ALEX Gallagher (Letters, April 22) waxes lyrical about quantum physics, quantum theory, quantum mathematics, wormholes, black holes, strings and parallel universes in his vain attempt to provide an answer to the question he poses regarding Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP contingent holding a Westminster-majority Prime Minister to account.

Perhaps instead of theorising about how Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP could possibly hold the Westminster Government to account he could instead consider why Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party haven't, despite many excellent opportunities to do so.

Perhaps Mr Gallagher might wish to consider the following equation: Labour Party + Voting for a General Election = Certain destruction of a once-great political party.

John S Milligan,

86 Irvine Road, Kilmarnock.

YOUR correspondent William Thomson (Letters, April 22) questions the Labour Party's continuing opposition to a further referendum on Scottish independence. In fact, the reason for this is really very simple.

The back of every Labour Party membership card bears the following statement: "by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more then we achieve alone." This is simply the application of our philosophy that humankind is most successful when we work in unions. This applies to our personal lives, in the world of work, in our communities and in the relationships between regions within countries and between nations.

There is no evidence that Scotland is so special as to be the exception to this rule. Indeed, the history of the United Kingdom shows that all of the progress from which we benefit today has been made through collective achievements at all levels.

In contrast, nationalism has achieved nothing whatsoever, and indeed has proven to be a destructive and divisive influence. Can anyone really truthfully say that Scotland is a better and happier place than it was 10 years ago before the SNP took power at Holyrood?

Or indeed that another independence referendum is what we need to heal the divisions and enduring harm of the last one?

Peter A Russell,

87 Munro Road, Jordanhill, Glasgow.

I READ with interest the letter from Alasdair Galloway (April 22) but was left somewhat confused. He quoted a former British Ambassador, Craig Murray, saying that Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Croatia all achieved independence without a referendum.

I have looked at this several times over the past few years and want to correct this assertion. Latvia and Estonia held referenda on the same day, March 3, 1991 returning Yes (for independence) votes of 74 per cent and 78 per cent respectively. Lithuania had a Yes vote of 93 per cent on February 9, 1991. Slovenia led the way with an 88 per cent vote for independence on December 23, 1990 and Croatia held its referendum on May 19, 1991 with a positive vote for independence of 93 per cent. I do not know where Mr Murray or Mr Galloway got their facts from.

Only the Czech Republic and Slovakia split without a vote after President Havel could not get his federalist plans accepted.

If you add to this that in 1905 Norway broke away from Sweden after a vote of 99 per cent in favour of independence you see that these were countries which overwhelmingly wanted their freedom, not a group of people wanting independence. The best thing the SNP could do is go away, do some thinking and some persuading and if they want to offer us independence do it when it has more than 75 per cent of the population in favour. Then we will be a nation wanting independence and probably make it work. At present Scotland is divided and division does not work.

David A MacKenzie,

12 Torridon Place, Kinross.