PLEASE vote at the EU election; the possibility of Nigel Farage representing us in Europe is very real, which should motivate both sides equally. We haven’t left the EU yet. Whatever happens, the elected MEPs will have the opportunity to influence the EU.

Alongside parties standing across the whole UK – Green, LibDem, Change-UK and others – Scottish voters also have a unique choice of nationalisms/unionisms to consider. Either SNP-wise, and in union with the EU, or Ukip-Brexit wise, and as British nationalists.

And will Remain/Leave voters vote Conservative or Labour in the EU elections? That is a good question. Neither of these parties supported remain or leave, and their approach to "delivering the mandate of the people in the referendum" is a mixture of damage limitation and Brexit-in-name-only, which appears solely to allow these two parties to save face, having delivered "something", a leave-to-remain, or some such.

Then consider the endless projections about how either an independent UK, or a Scotland, would cope with cutting off its major economic partner, or whether it’s better to stay within the bigger group, as a voice for enlightenment and change. And many will say the former won’t work, or that the latter "hasn’t worked to date".

But the vote is, for me, principally about supporting international co-operation and transnational regulation, and the tax spend that allows communities of countries to undertake social actions and attempts to balance the world's environment and its societies.

Politicians rarely propose moderation of economic growth, or flexibility about sovereignty – but that’s what I’ll vote for, and the values of humility, ecology and transnational equality and co-operation and any amount of bureaucratic effort that this costs – regardless of where anyone wants to draw our progressively meaningless national boundaries.

But mainly, I’d just ask you to vote – because the forces against us are also able to vote, as is their right.

David Tollick, Forfar.

WE had the EU referendum in 2016 and Scotland voted to Remain. We are now on the eve of EU elections no one thought we would be taking part in. The country is in political paralysis as a result of the inept politics from Westminster having been brought on as a result of Brexit. Conservatives in the Government are fighting amongst themselves like ferrets in a sack, with the Labour opposition in the same scenario. Elections this week costing the country millions and potentially electing extremist right wing candidates, begs the question, what must Scotland do?

Scotland must rise to the challenge on Thursday, send a clear message that Scotland’s voice must be heard and that we voted to remain in the EU and we will not be dragged out of the EU by the Westminster Government and extremist candidates which will not represent the interests of Scotland.

Catriona C Clark, Falkirk.

WITH the rise of "new" populist political parties all across Europe, the mainstream of politics is rightly worried. It is not just Nigel Farage's Brexit Party, it is a whole host of others too. ("Farage's Brexit Party faces probe after Brown funds claim", The Herald, May 21). This probe" is a last desperate attempt to derail the juggernaut. It is too little, too late.

Thursday's European Parliament elections might not just shake up UK politics, it will undoubtedly do the same all across Europe. Nicola Sturgeon has pinned her independence dream on winning "freedom" for Scotland and then giving it away to Europe. She might have been better advised to wait until she sees the shape of Europe once the counting is over before making her move, as is exactly the same case for not committing yourself to indyref2 before Brexit is actually mapped out for the UK.

Ms Sturgeon's previous cautious approach seems to have been overturned and the haste with which she is committing her party to this and other huge changes, such as the "climate emergency", are beginning to look like panic. Look before you leap?

Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow G77.

IT is ironic that the current Tory Government's shambolic Brexit crisis was brought about by David Cameron, whilst running scared of Ukip and puting his party before the country in trying to defeat it.

Theresa May then followed his example, dithering for two years, thus giving Nigel Farage and his like a massive boost in the polls, enabling them to re-enter mainstream politics at the expense of the Tories.

David Hay, Minard.