ANDREW Tickell has written a good article pointing out the obvious, that the 56 Scottish MPs can howl as much as they like but they will never be listened to unless they align with the main parties, who are the only ones who can form a majority (Last year taught us that Westminster is a dead space for Scottish politics, The National, January 5). There is no democracy for Scotland in Westminster.

Clever and detailed arguments never win elections or referendums in the UK, it’s more about making a few easily remembered statements the voter can use to argue the case down the pub.

Our own Scottish Government, I would argue, has managed to do well for the country so far, but tiny steps of reform are not radical enough to change things for the majority and radical change is what’s needed to convince the independence support to vote.

As for Brexit, neither side made a convincing argument for Leave or Remain, perhaps because there wasn’t one to be made? In or out of the EU, for most of us, is just a change of factory manager.

Politicians appear out of touch with the voters and with reality.

Alan Finlayson
via thenational.scot