BEFORE criticising the SNP, I think William Loneskie (Letters, July 30) should look at the recently published document by the Institute for Government (Preparing Brexit: No Deal, Joe Owen, Maddy Thimont Jack, Jill Rutter) on the possible effects of a no-deal Brexit before he assumes that all will be well. I have referred to this document in some of what I have said below.

Boris Johnson would like to achieve an ambitious domestic agenda but will be faced with a Whitehall which will need to work flat out for months and perhaps years to handle the issues arising from the sudden Brexit. Negotiations on a trade deal will also need continue. Parliament will also need to ensure that that UK legislation on standards continues to keep pace with EU standards, necessary if we wish to trade with the EU. Is this “taking back control”? I assume that with a cabinet of Brexiters the advertising and pamphlets to be produced will be full of lies, similar to those told at the time of the referendum, about a no-deal Brexit being a no-problem Brexit.

In the event of a no-deal Brexit the border in Ireland will not suddenly disappear; in fact it will immediately become a problem if there is any divergence between the EU and the UK. If devolved government has not been re-instated there would even be a need for Westminster to take some sort of direct control of Northern Ireland departments to ensure that they can respond appropriately to Brexit.

As far as amazing trade deals with the US are concerned, as John Milne has said in his letter (July 30), Nancy Pelosi has more than once stated that if the Belfast Agreement is weakened by Brexit, no matter what Donald Trump says, Congress will not approve a US UK trade deal.

The Nirvana of Mr Loneskie's vision is only a dream.

Louie Macari, Motherwell.

AS befits a one-time academic, Dr Frederick Hay ("We will rue the triumph of rhetoric and ambition", Agenda, The Herald, July 29) has given a brilliant and rational demolition of the supposed case for leaving the EU. His destruction of the tired “will of the people” mantra and all the other shibboleths of the Brexit faction should be required reading for every MP whose concern is for the interests of their constituents, rather than seeking preferment in their party.

If only.

Dr RM Morris, Ellon.

IT is exquisitely appropriate that Boris Johnson, with no democratic mandate, should visit Faslane when venturing into darkest Jockistan on his mission to preach the glories of our Precious Union ("Sturgeon: Johnson lacks guts for avoiding Scots during trip north", The Herald, July 30).

This vile place is the Holy of Holies of Britishness. Here we guard our sacrosanct talisman, our Ark of the Covenant, Trident, the sacred symbol of our divine right to possess the world’s most powerful machine for the mass killing of human beings, a privilege denied to lesser breeds.

In the bad old days they put people into cattle trucks and trundled them off to be burnt in ovens. Nowadays, thanks to wonderful advances in science, we can incinerate them while they are sleeping, having lunch, or watching telly. We operate a kind of home delivery system for obliteration, and Faslane is our Belsen sur-le-Clyde.

Human malevolence can conceive of no more wicked an object. Trident is the worst thing in the world. Since global suicide does not constitute a rational defence policy, it is also clinically insane. This obscenity is supported by all the Unionist parties, but rejected on principle by all who support independence.

With the best will in the world, I simply cannot understand why any thinking person should choose Trident and Unionism over independence and no Trident.

Can somebody – anybody – please explain to me how someone can hate independence more than they hate Trident?

Brian M Quail, Glasgow G11.

AS if it isn't cringeworthy enough to hear Ian Blackford whinging with his victim persona on display every time he speaks in the Commons chamber, yesterday we had to suffer the sight of hate-filled nationalist faces screaming foul mouthed abuse at the British Prime minister whilst at the same time waving the misappropriated Saltire.

These people continue to bring disrepute on the majority of us in living in Scotland and what is more appalling is that the broadcasts are seen throughout Europe and beyond; what on earth must these viewers think other than we all must mirror and share the intolerant ignorance on show?

It is the office of PM that is being reduced by the wanton display of boorishness and not the actual incumbent. Ah, they would say, but we didn't vote for him and indeed he wasn't duly elected other than by a coterie of like-minded individuals. This argument of course does not stand up to scrutiny as in the UK system the party given a majority choses who will be PM not the electorate.

Nationalism is a nasty creed as is shown throughout history and yesterday in Edinburgh it was on display for all to witness ... pathetic and embarrassing.

James Martin, Bearsden.

DID the Prime Minister ask to sneak out the back door at Bute House, or did Nicola put him out?

David Hay, Minard.

AS I listened to the bluff and bluster yesterday when two leading politicians met in Edinburgh, I realised that neither of them is burdened by any principles ("Johnson and Davidson try to paper over no-deal rift", The Herald, July 30).

On one hand we have Boris Johnson, who has been sacked several times in his career for lying. He only chose to support leave as he decided it would be beneficial for his career. He has displayed no aptitude in any of his official positions and is willing to offend anyone to boost his own ego. The powers behind the throne in the Conservative Party wanted him as PM because he will do anything for self-advancement and should he show any resistance he has innumerable skeletons in his cupboard which can be used to "persuade" him.

On the other hand we have the one-trick pony which is Ruth Davidson. It was truly stunning to listen to the absolute nonsense she poured out after her meeting with the PM. She has changed position on virtually every policy she told the electorate were her core values. Now she really thinks that we can be conned into believing the next fantasy, namely, that she can work with Mr Johnson to achieve a deal which is beneficial to Scotland.

This latter-day vaudeville act are intent on using any script to drag us down the rocky road of Brexit just as long as they remain in power. Donald Trump was right when he said: "Politicians can't manage. All they can do is talk" and in this pair's case it is a comedy script.

David Stubley, Prestwick.

Read more: Letters: Scots Tories need an independent party