MY MP, Ian Murray, is a fine constituency MP, the last Labour MP in Scotland, and I admire him greatly. I can even agree with him about borders, and the prospect of a border between me and my English-domiciled relatives brought me to vote against Scottish independence last time.

However, such has the political dynamic changed that questions of borders, currency and historic UK union are now of no importance to me. What Ian Murray can’t guarantee is freedom from Tory austerity politics, its assault of those on low incomes and benefits, and its threat to the NHS.

He can’t persuade me that Westminster will ever hold Scotland in any regard to treat us as partners. Or that our future can be assured in a global world other than as a North Britain backwater.

The Better Together campaign lied to us. Nothing of what they promised has transpired. We are not partners in the UK union as evidenced by how we have been ignored throughout the Brexit debacle. Not consulted. Ignored. Tory dogma imposed against our will.

We were promised if we voted remain our EU future would be assured. It was a lie. The 63% of Scots who voted to remain in the EU now know that only independence can deliver it.

Sorry, Ian, but your talent would be better served joining the rising tide for Scottish independence. Your input would be invaluable to make Scotland the best small country in the world. Come on board. Build a better Scotland for and with us.

Jim Taylor
Edinburgh

A CERTAIN amount of energy has been expended over the last few days concerning the views of various contributors and their difficulties with the fact that candidate lists only contain the names of those who fit into one category of our electorate.

That usually means all “male” or all “white”; in other words no-one representing “ethnic communities”, no-one “female”.

READ MORE: Yousaf attacks SNP’s all-white Westminster candidate list

It is suggested that local organisations should be forced to consider only candidates who fulfil a certain set of conditions that will be seen to apparently re-balance the perceived injustice in the system. While this would, to a certain extent, achieve this, it could also lead to a situation where the voters were left with the option of voting for a second-rate candidate.

When I go to vote, and like quite a lot of your readers I’ve been doing this for well over 60 years now, I want to be able to vote for the best candidate available, not someone who is going to achieve a “balancing act” result.

Perhaps the way forward is for the party headquarters to insist that the committees taking the decisions as to who gets onto the candidate list is properly constituted in that it is made up of equal numbers of each perceived category, and that the final decision then selects the best person for the job.

Personally, watching the various performances on the parliamentary channels, I often think we would be better served if, like Iceland, we had a majority of lady members keeping our feet on the ground.

George M Mitchell
Sheriffmuir, Dunblane

I WRITE in reply to the comments of Mile Fergus of Norway (Letters, October 19). Mr Fergus questioned the all-white roster of candidates for the Westminster election, as did Transport Secretary Humza Yousaf. Whilst I personally don’t answer for the SNP or any other party, I would like to remind both Mr Yousaf and Mr Fergus that nobody put anyone up for selection.

Everyone who is a member is invited forward to stand. It is down to the individual to put themselves forward; nobody is coerced into standing. Maybe Me Fergus is unaware of how things work but I’m damn sure that Mr Yousaf knows very well. Utterly disgraceful from someone in his position.

Darren Campbell
Wick

I WOULD have been more impressed by Douglas Turner’s response to me (Letters, October 19) if I did not feel that his “strategic nous, discretion and pragmatic loyalty” did not translate as “only the SNP leadership have strategic nous, don’t speak out of turn and agree with everything regardless of whether you actually do”. I do not think Unionists are salivating over the SNP membership questioning anything. They would more likely be happy if, as Douglas Turner wishes, we did just sat down and shut up. What is more likely to have an impact on policy? Discussing things, differing opinions, lively debate, or a membership too scared to rock the boat? It was disgraceful the way Chris McEleny was booed. He was only voicing the concerns many of us have.

Julia Pannell
Arbroath

WHY did the Scottish Government not deliver leaflets to every household in Scotland urging those over 16 to register to vote for the upcoming General Election? We need to maximise the SNP vote and I would hope the Greens now urge people to choose the SNP so we can gain our independence. That now comes first over party politics.

Stevie, Motherwell
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