I FIND disingenuous your reports and letters highlighting the odd SNP member spitting their dummy oot because of perceived slights to other SNP MSPs, after the leadership election, as evidence of the SNP falling apart.

All long-term members of the SNP have been here before and interestingly Mr Salmond has been involved in all the biggies – his expulsion from the party, the Nato vote he nearly lost, his admitted over-friendliness with co-workers – all were going to doom the SNP to the pit of despair, the dark chasm of collapse, splitting the party and an end to independence for the foreseeable future.

So what happened over the last month was not a fight to the death but a leadership contest and, yes, there was a serious stairheid rammy during the process of electing a new leader – but what did anyone expect?

The winner then offers the loser a “goodwill” post which they know the loser will not accept, a standard political practice and it happens every time. The losers have to accept the outcome rather than go off on Trumpian-style announcements and cries of “it’s naw fair” or “we wis robbed”.

I am one of those losers, I voted for Kate Forbes, but more importantly, I vote SNP as it is still the only political game in the ring if you want independence.

To quote another of Mr Salmond’s “over-friendliness with co-workers” predecessors in politics, President John F Kennedy, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

Peter Thomson
Kirkcudbright

FROM what I heard of his first FMQs, I must say Humza Yousaf hit the right notes in response to questions, giving sound reasons rather than attempting to demean the questioner with a personal quip.

With hardly a topic raised by the opposition which cannot be directed straight back to the failing of their masters in Westminster, or the restrictive shortcomings of the Union itself, I suspect maintenance of this stance shall in time have a lasting and enlightening impression on those currently doubting our need for independence.

Tom Gray
Braco

HUMZA Yousaf’s first experience at First Minister Questions was certainly a baptism of fire. Over and above the expected onslaught from opposition party leaders, Mr Yousaf had to endure no fewer than five suspensions of business due to disruption from the public gallery just to add to the drama. The Conservative leader Douglas Ross tried to trash the new

First Minister’s ministerial appointments, however, I am sure the country would take this assault on the new Scottish Cabinet with a pinch of salt, considering it came from the Conservatives.

The Conservative Party’s ministerial appointments in the recent past have left a lot to be desired and have resulted in the current cost of living crisis, fuel poverty and increased use of food banks. They should hang their heads in shame.

Catriona C Clark
Falkirk

IMAGINE Jackie Baillie commenting on “B-rated politicians”. She would definitely know as she shares a seat with one, and is surrounded by others well below a “B” rating.

Ken McCartney
Hawick

DOOGIE Ross actually attacked the First Minister and the SNP for saying he would do on the tin, by appointing a Minister For Independence. Bastards, eh?

Whit next, Sunak appointing a minister for justice and human rights? Or less humorously, Sir Keir delivering, or appointing, a minister for socialism?

Donald Anderson
Glasgow

PROPOSALS by the UK to sign a trade deal with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) would effectively serve to lock the UK out of the European Union indefinitely and bring little economic benefit.

The UK, it has been reported, is close to signing a deal with the 11 members of the trade pact, which includes Japan and Australia.

Economic gains for the UK are, however, minimal, even according to the government’s own projections, and will do little to offset the European trade losses incurred as a result of Brexit.

It has been estimated, for example, that the consequences of the deal will see an increase in our economic output (GDP) of a minuscule 0.08% over the next 15 years. On the other side of the balance sheet, the loss of GDP due to exiting the EU single market is put conservatively by the independent Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) at 4% of GDP by 2030, at least 50 times greater.

Accession would also mean that the UK will not be able to rejoin the EU customs union. Since the pact requires that the UK has control over its own regulatory system, alignment of UK regulations with the EU would not be feasible, except in those areas where EU regulation passes CPTPP muster.

For those under the belief that there is a chance of the UK rejoining the EU in the foreseeable future, accession to CPTPP would mean this would just become a whole lot harder.

Alex Orr
Edinburgh

ONE was intrigued to learn in Saturday’s National that the “Demise Honours” recognise, among others, the Marquess of Cholmondeley, which brought to mind these verses (author unknown) culled from an old school magazine:

A lad called Cholmondeley Colquhoun
Kept for a pet babolqhouhn
His mother said – “Cholmondeley,
Do you think it colmondeley
To feed a babolqhoun with a spolqhoun?”
See yon “received pronunciation”? Ye canny whack it!

James Stevenson
Auchterarder