I DO not share the view of James Walker (Letters, April 22) that the Queen urged the electorate to vote for the Union. She urged people to think very carefully before voting. These are wise words for any election or referendum. I know of some people who thought carefully and decided that the Scotland should become an independent country and voted accordingly, whereas others, even those who agreed with that last sentiment decided not to vote in favour on the grounds that the proposals of the Scottish Government, as outlined in the White Paper, Scotland’s Future, could not be delivered and voted, as Mr Walker would put it, for the Union.

I believe that the Scottish Government organised and conducted a fair referendum on Scottish independence and that in the main those on all sides of the debate took part in an honest and fair debate. Those campaigning to leave the European Union did not copy the good practice of the Scottish Government, no doubt on the basis that the Scottish independence referendum had been lost on account of the honest way in which the decision to leave the UK had been set out.

Consequently those campaigning to Leave the EU did not prepare a definitive statement as to the terms on which the UK might leave the EU and as a result offered a multitude of different options in response to questions and comments regarding withdrawal. If the Queen’s advice of thinking very carefully had been heeded then more people should have decide to vote to remain in the European Union on the grounds that nobody had a clue as to how the United Kingdom would leave the EU, as is now all too apparent.

Sandy Gemmill,

40 Warriston Gardens,

Edinburgh.

THE arrogance of Professor John Kay is amazing. You report that he told a Sunday newspaper that “it would be open to question whether you (the Scots) would want to go through the bother of having your own currency “.

With all due respect to the learned professor it would not be open to the Scots to choose. If you think the Brexit negotiations are tough wait till the English are on the other side of the table – they owe us nothing. They are perfectly at liberty to let us sink with a banana republic currency with penal interest rates, galloping inflation and restriction on borrowing on international markets.

If we want to leave why should they let us lean on the strength of sterling backed by The Bank of England?

Nationalists need to face reality; our fairer socialist society cannot be built on liaison with the tiny EU market at the expense of a hard border between us and our largest market: England.

James Campbell,

Rubislaw Drive,

Bearsden.

GERMAN MEP Hans-Olaf Henkel of the European Parliament’s Conservatives and Reformers, has rightly observed that David Cameron’s referendum played into the hands of a French establishment which never wanted a semi-detached UK in the EU.

When the European Commission appointed veteran French trouble-shooter Michel Barnier as chief negotiator the die was cast. His demand that the UK come up with a solution to the Irish border before a trade agreement was discussed was pure Catch-22.

Instead of relying on Britain’s superb team of professional diplomats to nip this intractable strategy in the bud, Theresa May appointed the three arrogant, ridiculous Brexiters David Davis, Boris Johnson and Liam Fox, who walked straight into the trap.

Rev Dr John Cameron,

10 Howard Place,

St Andrews.

THE cornerstone of Keith Howell’s self-pitying grievance is his highlighting of what he regards as a grievance culture within the SNP regarding “anything to do with the UK” (Letters, April 17).

That merits examination. First, remember Enoch Powell’s edict that “power devolved is power retained”, so, from the start, devolution was not what it was cracked up to be. The economy is a matter retained to Westminster, yet when Scottish economic figures are disadvantageous, successive Scottish Secretaries have challenged successive Holyrood First Ministers about what they are going to do about it – but when the figures are favourable, that was due to that actions of Westminster governments. In the post-war years, they had poured extra money into Scotland to thwart the rise of the SNP, but the much-praised Barnett formula under-funded our block grant from the straight population ratio basis of year-on-year enhancements. Except that the 1979-97 Conservative government put more in that the formula allowed, so our 20 per cent per capita lead remained instead of being reduced to single figures, giving the impression that Barnett was responsible, thus enhancing the case for devolution.

Unionist MPs for English constituencies at Westminster, even those born in Scotland, used Scottish Questions to ask for how long their voters were going to have to continue to subsidise “these Jocks” from their taxation? When UK welfare measures were implemented, we had imposed on us the so-called bedroom tax (applicable where tenants had a spare room). That was not required here, as traditionally, the problem was solved by voluntary exchanges to suit new circumstances. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson challenged Nicola Sturgeon, that if she was not content, to remedy the situation (without suggesting how that should be funded). When the SNP raised income tax to cover it, it was met with a torrent of abuse from Ms Davidson’s own party for “making Scotland the highest tax-paying region of the UK”, even though the Conservatives were instrumental in “granting” Holyrood the extra tax powers in the first place.

So, grievances all around.

The irony is that it was the ineptness of the Unionist parties that effectively handed power over to the SNP – they had lost sight of the direction of travel of politics in Scotland. If Mr Howell wishes the return of a Unionist-supporting regime at Holyrood he would be better to write pointing out the error of their ways, rather than treat us to the unyielding rhetoric against the SNP, and consequently, against the huge number of voters who have demonstrated that preference.

Douglas R Mayer,

76 Thomson Crescent,

Currie, Midlothian.

NOTING that Ukraine has elected a comedian as their new president (“Comedian’s vow after he wins election in Ukraine”, The Herald, April 22), perhaps we should consider nominating a few of our top comics to parliament. They couldn’t be worse than the comedians we have at present.

JW Frame,

11 Lochside, Bearsden.