AN often-used message by Nicola Sturgeon to justify another referendum was that there had been a "material change" since the 2014 referendum following the UK-wide vote to leave the EU in 2016.

Moving on, we find ourselves in unprecedented times as we struggle (regardless of cost) to save lives in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Indeed, some estimates suggest the extra shared cost for the UK could be around £1 trillion, which would increase the national debt by 50 per cent.

Basically, this means that there has been a significant "material change" in Scotland's financial position since the last SNP conference when all sorts of fanciful promises were made about establishing our own currency and so on. Compounding the problem for an independent Scotland has been the crash in oil prices, which at the current level would produce little or no tax revenues. Furthermore, there are serious divisions opening up in the EU with key politicians in Italy and Spain calling for "common debt" (coronabonds), otherwise the "very existence" of the EU would be at stake.

Taking the above into consideration there are now no credible commentators left who believe there is the slightest chance that Scotland could leave the UK or that it would be in our interests to join a divided EU. Perhaps it is now time for Ms Sturgeon to be honest with her followers and explain that there has indeed been a "material change", but this time it means they need to accept the cost of leaving the UK is too great for at least a "generation" or more to come.

Ian Lakin, Aberdeen AB13.

I FOUND much to agree with in Doug Maughan and Iain Millar's letters (April 10) about Labour and its new leadership. In fact,when I read Neil Findlay's letter (April 9) I started to write a reply which began "Well, that (my green shoots of optimism reconciliation) didn't last long".

It showed the enormity – impossibility, I'm beginning to think – of the task, and the stupidity and pigheadedness of the people Jackie Bailie, Ian Murray and Sir Keir Starmer are up against.

I've spoken to many Labour supporters, including an MSP, whose needles are stuck in the groove that the SNP wedged them into, marked "you lost in Scotland because you sided with the Tories in 2014".

No they didn't, they squandered the huge thanks and goodwill of two million No voters by failing to unite in their opposition to Indyref2 and come up with the leadership and policies to win any of the subsequent elections; indeed, as Mr Millar quotes, democratically "ridding Scotland" of its SNP Government.

And now this capitulation into federalism or more devolution appeasement, an unworkable approach (for all the reasons that Mr Maughan and Ruth Marr in her letter of April 10 gave) that was theme of a frustrating speech by Gordon Brown, one of my heroes of 2014, at the recent These Island conference.

For all the economic, social, security, Covid, and Brexit reasons that are regularly aired in these columns I disagree with the conclusion that independence is the answer. In fact, I'm one of a growing number who think devolution has failed and should be morphed into something more agile and effective.

Reduce the bloated 188 MP and MSP count to 59 talented MPs, boost the Scottish Office's power in Westminster and power in Scotland by having ministers in political charge of the main devolved departments and a civil service immune to the bullying and patronage that seems to have infected Holyrood.

And get behind Andy Burnham's City Region vision that is working so well in Manchester.

I have heard it explained at These Islands and a conference run by Aberdeen City and Shire, whose administrations, frustrated by SNP centralised, back the idea.

Scottish Labour leaders could do worse than pay a visit to Aberdeen, see how effectively the joint Labour and Conservative administrations are working, copy their ideas and reverse the bulky, vindictive suspension of its Labour group.

There is a long way to go.

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven.

IF the Scottish Labour Party is serious about trying to regain lost ground, and to provide a credible opposition to the SNP, it must get rid of its current ineffectual leader, who has been a complete disaster. As a floating voter, I feel a team of Jackie Baillie and Anas Sarwar might just begin to appeal as an alternative, provided the party can overcome what appears to be its many prejudices.

John N E Rankin, Bridge of Allan.

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