I’M beginning to believe that the MSP who told me last year: “Mark my words, the Salmond inquiry will be the end of Nicola Sturgeon” was right after all.

Finally MSPs have “grown a pair”, officially complaining, calling Ms Sturgeon a liar in the Holyrood chamber, and deploying a range of legal and procedural tools to force witnesses to spill the beans, culminating in Ruth Davidson’s waterboarding of Ms Sturgeon at Thursday’s First Minister’s Questions. And now we hear the SNP has hired a top legal firm as party chief executive Peter Murrell’s minder (“SNP hires top law firm for Salmond inquiry as Sturgeon and husband under fire”, The Herald, October 2).

The inquiry must succeed, otherwise the final screws on the coffin of open, inclusive Scotland will be in place.

Time is running out. Thankfully, finger by finger, the gloves are coming off. And if, one of these days, it gets on the teatime TV news, we’ll know the SNP’s time is up.

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven.

HAS Rebecca McQuillan just experienced every journalist’s nightmare of having an article published at the worst possible moment? (“The moral bankruptcy of the Tories is destroying UK values”, The Herald, October 2). This was on the same day the story broke of an SNP MP travelling to Westminster and back with coronavirus (“SNP MP is suspended for 400-mile Covid trip”, The Herald, October 2). But this entire week has been one big story of moral bankruptcy from the SNP, starting with Derek Mackay’s claims for more taxpayer’s money (“Shamed MSP Mackay still claiming expenses for Edinburgh accommodation”, The Herald, October 2) and highlighted by Nicola Sturgeon trying desperately to defend the indefensible handling of the Alex Salmond Holyrood inquiry at First Minister's Questions.

These three politicians are linked by one over-riding thought, that of Scottish independence. This is a genuinely morally bankrupt idea.

Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow G77.

I QUITE understand that Nicola Sturgeon feels unable to answer questions about what her husband may or may not have done. It seems very odd, however, if the leader of the SNP and the SNP’s chief executive did not discuss any tactics for dealing with the problem allegedly posed for the SNP by Alex Salmond. Almost as odd as the SNP’s chief executive not being present at, or informed about the substance of, a meeting between Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond on “party business” when Peter Murrell was under the same roof.

It would not take a suspicious mind to wonder whether Margaret Ferrier’s Covid rule-busting jaunts were a welcome distraction from intra-SNP feuding and machinations.

Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh EH14.

I DO not agree that Margaret Ferrier should have to resign from Parliament for breaching Covid-19 restrictions – she has made a serious error, but this is a confusing time for everyone and I can accept that mistakes will be made.

I would also be more impressed by Nicola Sturgeon’s pious demand that Ms Ferrier quit if she had directed it at an SNP MP representing a more marginal constituency, like Gordon (majority 819) or East Dunbartonshire (majority 149). As it is, with Ms Ferrier’s majority of 5,230 in Rutherglen & Hamilton West, Ms Sturgeon can safely make such a grandly self-important boast of supposed moral principle without any actual cost or penalty, confident that Ms Ferrier will be straightforwardly replaced by another loyal nationalist.

The SNP could demonstrate genuine contrition by not contesting the seat in the subsequent by-election, but in an environment where livelihoods are uncertain, it seems grossly unfair that Margaret Ferrier’s whole career is being destroyed for Ms Sturgeon’s political convenience.

Robert Frazer, Dundee DD2.

IT’S scary that someone with Margaret Ferrier’s lack of judgment can actually be elected. What’s scarier still is that there are probably others in Westminster and Holyrood.

James Miller, Glasgow G12.

The disgraceful breach of the law by Margaret Ferrier underlines the total lack of power in both Westminster and Holyrood to sack such offenders for blatant and irresponsible behaviour.

We have seen MPs and MSPs exposed for the likes of sexual harassment, theft and assault, but refusing to resign and continuing to draw a large salary and expenses.

The people of this country deserve justice and honest representation within our parliaments and the rules must be changed so that elected politicians can be sacked without any financial compensation.

Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen AB21.

THE SNP has on many occasion accused the current Westminster Government and the Prime Minister’s Chief Advisor of self-serving action, incompetence and subs-standard performance. As regards the breaching of Covid-19 rules, Margaret Ferrier has certainly raised the bar on Dominic Cummings.

Laurence Wade, Ayr.

I TRAVELLED several hundred miles to attend a debate when I could have done this online, despite having had a positive test result. Prior to that I entered my local supermarket not wearing a mask. This was after meeting a group of my party members, more than six I think. Earlier in the year I travelled many miles during lockdown to test my eyesight.

I confess that I have made many mistakes, I did not realise that what I had done was wrong and I deeply regret my misdemeanours.

I was thinking about going on a pub crawl tomorrow and if this is wrong, please accept my expressions of deep regret for this mistake. I am confused. Help.

Malcolm Rankin, Seamill.

Read more: Margaret Ferrier: Everything Nicola Sturgeon said about fiasco