AS the UK Government bungles perhaps to a no-deal Brexit with the real possibility of damaging financial consequences, the hypocrisy of the SNP leadership knows no bounds. Nicola Sturgeon indignantly states her dismay at the possibility and warns of how it might affect Scotland. At the same time, Ian Blackford savagely attacks the Westminster Government with the same argument and at Tuesday’s Covid-19 briefing the effect of Brexit was referred to with regard to financial hardship to come (so much for not politicising Covid).

Perhaps Ms Sturgeon has suffered the same memory loss as she experienced with the Salmond affair and has forgotten that she stated that, at the very least, she would accept a customs union as part of the Brexit terms. That option was tabled by Ken Clarke as an amendment to Theresa May's Brexit Bill. However, the entire SNP block in Westminster abstained on that vote, which was defeated by only a handful of votes and, if the SNP had been as good as its word, a customs union would have been approved and we would not be heading for a potential no deal now.

My own opinion is that this would have satisfied the majority electorate who voted to leave as, from my discussions, it was not trade with Europe that promoted a No vote but general concerns about perceived immigration and our laws and parliament slowly being eroded to soon be taken over by Brussels. In any event, if the SNP had cared not just for the UK but the potential collateral damage on Scotland it should have voted for Mrs May’s customs union option. As it was, it chose to endeavour to inflict economic damage in the hope that it would further its cause for independence. It can use the entire stock of hand sanitiser at its disposal but its hands will never be clean of this despicable course of action. And by the way, I voted to remain.

Duncan Sooman, Milngavie.

BORIS Johnson's threats of a no-deal Brexit in the middle of the pandemic he is currently mishandling simply underline the fact that the words pragmatism and common sense don't feature prominently his vocabulary.

How, exactly, can any nation in our global world reclaim sovereignty? The fact is, such a state of autonomy is an illusion. We all share rules, laws and standards unless we are determined to become North Korea Mark II.

The double whammy of a no-deal and Covid-19 is too much to bear. Mr Johnson should bin his kamikaze rhetoric and Brexit slogans which made no sense in the first place and act for the economic and sustained good of the country.

Rev Dr John Cameron, St Andrews.