I AGREE with Keith Howell (Letters, March 20) that abuse should not occur, but it has existed as long as humans; I have had some ugly (and anonymous) correspondence because of my views. There was a survey for the Express newspaper (I think) which showed pro-independence views were vilified three times more than Unionist views. That is never reflected by news platforms like the BBC in Scotland, which has a “thing” for cybernats.

Turning to the question of the civil service bias: Mr Howell talks of "the politicisation of the Scottish civil service". It should be remembered that the most senior civil servant at the Treasury, Sir Nicholas Macpherson, who was criticised by a Select Committee of MPs (five Tory, five Labour, one LibDem) for compromising the perceived impartiality of the civil service during the independence referendum, stated: “Impartiality guidelines do not apply in 'extreme' cases like the Scottish independence referendum” ... “Her Majesty’s Treasury is by its nature a Unionist institution. The clue is in its name”. We will know in the next referendum, wont we? Interestingly, he also admitted, in relation to the unity of the UK parties in favour of the Union, "a high degree of consensus often means we’ve all got it wrong”.

But the main point I was making in my letter of March 19 was that Scotland has not had the extreme vitriol of the dreadful Brexit debate down south. At least two murders (one a politician) and a huge spike in hate crimes. A fracturing of normal political discourse and attacks by newspapers on the judiciary and intemperate editorials. In Scotland, we had an egg thrown, though the fuss from the media made it seem like something more serious. A previous generation more used to soapbox politicking would have laughed. I happened to see Mr Murphy in Ayr, ranting, shouting and finger pointing at a few astonished and amused shoppers, some of whom shouted back (as Scots tend to do). No one wasted an egg.

GR Weir,

17 Mill Street, Ochiltree.

KEITH Howell continues his ubiquitous and selective onslaught against independence and the SNP. Ubiquitous in the sense that he writes the same casuistry to all who will publish, and selective because Mr Howell does not use facts that might spoil his story. I do not know the people to whom Mr Howell refers and who suffer daily abuse and intimidation but among my own friends and acquaintances, I think a majority probably favour the status quo and we are able to discuss the topic without rancour and I have yet to meet a single person suffering daily intimidation.

Mr Howell goes on to dismiss Alex Salmond’s comment that the 2014 referendum was an exemplar of its kind and the debate certainly generated passion among the Yes campaign and ill feeling among Unionists. Independence campaigns worldwide have invariably been accompanied by bloodshed and the loss of life and already history can tell us that the Scottish independence campaign was marred by a single politician being hit by an egg. If that is not some kind of exemplar, I don’t know what is.

The Scotland’s Future White Paper was an attempt to be transparent and to provide information but also in the knowledge that it would provide the No side with ammunition for ridicule, and it lost no time in doing so. That the paper was regarded as politicising the Scottish civil service is debatable, unlike the decision of Sir Nicholas Macpherson, then Permanent Secretary of the Treasury and its most senior civil servant, when he politicised the civil service by entering the debate and advising George Osborne against a currency union.

Mr Howell says the latest Survation poll shows 60 per cent do not want another independence referendum in the next five years, but omits to point out a majority would seek independence if the UK left the EU without a deal.

Alan M Morris,

20 Kirkhouse Road, Blanefield.

Read more: Wounds of the independence campaign still run deep

THERE has been increasing hysteria amongst the pro-independence camp in Scotland who are trying all tricks and lies (what happened to no further referendum for a generation?) to force a second referendum.

To those thus inclined, and to any who may be "on the fence", let me ask for honest answers to the following:

Regarding any independent Scotland’s financial state, as there is now a clearly separated Scottish income tax, and it is possible to accurately detail other income and expenditure, why has the SNP not been boasting about how wealthy the independent country could be? Could this be because the books wouldn’t balance, let alone be in the black?

We know that Scotland’s rail transport is currently a shambles as is the proposed integration of Police Scotland and the Transport Police, and let’s not even go into detail about the current state of the NHS and education. If the SNP administration cannot even get these to work for us how bad would things be if they had full control of our country?

How can any administration with ambitions to have full control of a country be trusted on the legal front given the mess, and wasted money, surrounding the Alex Salmond case?

When we see the extreme difficulties being faced in Brexit negotiations, why would anyone think that negotiating an independent Scotland, or indeed its joining the EU could possibly be competently handled by politicians from an administration that cannot even adequately manage the aspects highlighted above?

After all these years controlling the Scottish administration the SNP has very little to be proud of and certainly hasn’t shown itself to be capable of delivering a successful independent Scotland.

Dr Elizabeth Galbraith,

Tannoch Drive, Milngavie.

FINANCE Secretary Derek Mackay has accused the UK Treasury of ripping off Scotland, which is impossible to justify when Scotland is protected by the Barnett Formula to ensure enhanced payments.

The only "rip-off" currently being applied in Scotland is the massive 200-300 per cent increase in commercial rates which is crippling Scottish businesses and commercial development. This was of course introduced and approved by the SNP administration.

Dennis Forbes Grattan,

3 Mugiemoss Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen.