I MUST congratulate on your front page of May 28; it displays in graphic form what actually happened in the European elections, where the SNP was the lead in 30 of Scotland’s seats. The only two it did not lead in were Orkney and Shetland, which voted Liberal Democrat.

We are now in a complete mess with no obvious solution. Various plans – a rerun of the EU referendum, a General Election, a vote of confidence in the government – are awkward as they would involve the Tories scrapping their 1922 Committee rules, cancelling their holidays and getting some further leeway from the EU (fat chance that).

Westminster has had three years to take action and what have they done? Well they managed to spend £30 million on a non-existent ferry company, and they have refused to involve the other devolved nations, apart from coughing up about a billion and a half of our money to the DUP for their support.

The British Empire per se started to come apart when the natives got the guns; are the remnants of that Empire going to be destroyed by the ballot box?

The whole Westminster system is a bloated meringue, and the sooner we stand on this frippery the sooner we can achieve a democratic country. One option would be if Her Majesty did not say “La Reine le veult”, which is required to put through any law; she would not risk her job or a loss of votes, because she does not get any votes. At a stroke she could destroy their establishment to benefit her subjects.

Think about it – it should concentrate minds very quickly!

Jim Lynch
Edinburgh

I AM very pleased that the process of having a second independence referendum has started. I hope much more thought is put in to securing a positive outcome than last time or another failure will end the independence dream for far longer than the proverbial generation, perhaps forever.

Brexit, quite rightly, is given as a major reason for Scotland having the right to determine our own future. We know that Brexit actually means many things to many people. One thing that has been overlooked is that for many English Leavers, Brexit was seen as a proxy vote for English independence. I therefore believe that this idea of English independence must be put to the fore when presenting our own case.

It would be advantageous to have an English independence movement running in parallel to our own. If we Scots can make such a strong case for our own independence, it should be equally powerful for English people to see the positives gained for English independence.

Instead of it being seen as Scotland leaving the Union, we should be looking at a new model for the Union with the British nations being equal members of the “new Union model”. It would be difficult for the Brexiteers to argue against this logic as they are insistent that leaving the EU doesn’t mean the UK overnight becomes anti-Europe. They are adamant that a close relationship will continue and ultimately will benefit the EU and the UK.

Let’s use that logic to our own advantage. Let’s become the best of neighbours rather than the one-sided relationship that we now endure.

Even the staunchest of Unionists would have their positions undermined if we campaign for independence of our nations whilst retaining a newly defined sense of Union. For example, Norway and Sweden are proud independent countries but are also proud Scandinavians.

Instead of butting heads with Westminster let’s look to beat them at their own game this time around.

Harry Key
Largoward, Fife

I VOTED to remain in the EU despite many misgivings, like the head-in-the-sand attitude to events in Catalonia, the treatment of refugees throughout Europe when these poor souls were washed up on many Mediterranean beaches, and internal EU structures, rules and methods that we were lead to believe were written in stone.

I still feel it is unwise to tie the cause of Scottish independence to EU membership. Many SNP voters said to me on the doorstep that they would not vote this time, some said they would vote for other parties because of the SNP’s policy on this. Nothing remains the same and the EU must adapt and change for the good of all.

Cameron M Fraser
Bannockburn

THAT this paper allows space for a Tory (albeit one who supports independence) is I suppose admirable, even if his espousal of discredited neoliberal economic policies for a new Scotland does bring a little sick to my mouth. However, his praise for Rory Stewart (Stewart gets my backing for the Tory leadership, May 28) is just too much.

Frankly, I do not care if Rory possesses “an easy charm”, even less that he has a “boyish grin”. We are assured by Michael that Rory has said he would not serve in a Tory government that pushed for a no-deal Brexit and so it seems clear that by Michael’s standards Rory is a thoroughly decent chap and is infinitely preferable to Boris as the leader. Aye ... well there’s nothing like aiming low and missing.

The man is a Tory minister and serves in a government which has carried out policies deliberately aimed at the poor, the sick and the unemployed. They have impoverished hundreds of thousands of citizens and caused widespread misery, desperation and death and have been condemned for this by the UN. Tell me no more about Rory’s old Etonian easy charm – he is as responsible and as despicable as every other Minister in this government, so please Michael, desist from peeing up my leg and telling me it’s raining.

George White
Fife

RORY the Tory’s bid is dead in the water before it starts, anent the EU results. The Tories will not vote for sensible, they will vote for a leader who can “out snake oil sale” Farage as their future survival, in England, will be dependent on it. That means Boris and only Boris.

Peter Thomson
via thenational.scot