COULD someone explain to me why the losers in this election are going on about refusing a referendum, before any case has been made, because the losers say that the country is divided 50/50?

Was the UK not obviously divided in similar proportions (as proven by the end result) in the Brexit referendum?

Should Brexit therefore be declared null and void as, according to the losers’ logic, it should not have taken place? Or is it a case of one rule for Westminster and another for Scotland?

And on a final note, what percentage of the vote did the Tories get to validate their victory at Westminster and what percentage of the vote did the SNP get in this election? How many of the losers in the Scottish election returned MPs to Westminster?

Prediction: Boris and his fibbing machine will bombard the Scottish people with a string of false promises and lies. There is one difference – he may have fooled the English voters so far, but he will simply stoke the fires of independence here in Scotland. Johnson is our best weapon in the armoury for the argument for independence!

Colin J Buchanan

via email

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THE campaign is over. The votes have been cast, counted, calculated and the seats in the Scottish Parliament have been filled. The SNP and Green constituency votes amount to a percentage figure rather close to a certain referendum I recall being held in 2014, almost seven years ago.

I have no doubt that SNP spin doctors will be hailing the Scottish Parliament result as a great victory. Mention might even be made of the “R” word – when the pandemic has been defeated, of course.

There will be calls from some party members for a referendum this year. Others will ask for a definition of the end of the pandemic. Some will call for caution.

In the seven long years since the previous referendum there has been relentless Tory rule peppered by scandal after scandal and a Brexit campaign and referendum resulting in Scotland being dragged out of Europe. The SNP have completely failed to take advantage of this situation, preferring to well manage the limited affairs of a devolved Scotland in the hope that the electorate will be impressed enough to let them take the final step to financial and political independence.

A few weeks ago I met a couple I have known for more than 30 years. It was in the car park of a local supermarket, so not breaking Covid rules. To say they are not nationalists is an understatement.

I nearly dropped my reusable Saltire carrier bag when, without prompting from me, they declared their admiration for the way the First Minister was handling the Covid crisis. They are not the only anti-SNP folk I have met who have expressed similar sentiments.

A wee bit of careful probing however revealed that they are far from convinced of the economic case for independence and won’t be voting for it anytime soon.

The SNP have managed to prove that, on a whole, they can manage rather well the functions of the Scottish Government, but at least half of the Scottish public still remain unconvinced of the economic argument. The results of Thursday’s election have shown the fatal flaw in this position. The SNP have failed to educate the Scottish public as to the economic benefits of independence. Sadly, if a referendum was to be held this year I suspect the result would be, at best, a repeat of 2014.

The SNP have been given another chance, another mandate for another referendum. Please, please don’t waste it again.

Glenda Burns

Glasgow

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SOVEREIGNTY – that is the word I have been waiting for. When Scotland regains its full sovereignty it will then start to use its available powers, showing the naysayers of what this country is really capable of without the restrictions of Westminster and thus join the other independent countries of the world.

It would allow us to catch up and make proper unfettered way with Europe and the rest of the world nations, and even at my advanced age I will look forward to that developing in a way that will show the world what we as an independent country is capable of. Some may not like that, but too bad – bring it on and thank goodness Scotland has woken up!

Many congratulations Nicola, as also the SNP team, the candidates and the voters.

W D Mill Irving

Kilbirnie

THE SNP victory was fantastic. An unprecedented fourth term is unique, unbelievable, world-beating – yet reported as “short of an outright majority”.

The Tories were praised for stopping it. Labour’s worst result praised for not being a disaster. What a biased Unionist UK world we live in! We need to get shot of this corrupt country. Once and for all!

Robin Maclean

Fort Augustus

WILL the new Scottish Parliament be the first in the UK to be governed by a party with a majority of women?

Female First Minister, first woman of colour and now a majority of women too. Not a bad example for others to aspire to.

Archie Drummond

Tillicoultry

IS there any truth in the rumour that the Electoral Commission has received applications to form two new parties, one called The Scottish Conservative and Labour Unionist Party and the other The Scottish Labour and Conservative Unionist Party?

Richard Easson

Dornoch