A WEE wee bit of fuss seems to have been generated about the appointment of an “ally of Alex Salmond” by Ash Regan MSP (Row breaks out in SNP as Ash Regan recruits ex-Alba member, thenational.scot, May 11).

I have never met Kirk Torrance but he appears to have a fairly impressive political CV.

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There are surely other members of the SNP and employees of SNP politicians who have been members of other political parties. Gavin Newlands MP was quick to criticise Mr Torrance’s appointment but perhaps, for example, he should look closer to home in the shape of his colleague Tommy Sheppard MP who was, at one time, assistant general secretary of the Labour Party’s Scottish branch office.

At least, as far as I know, Mr Torrance is not straight out of university with zero life experience, an SNP councillor claiming a second or third salary, or a family member of another MP or MSP.

John Baird
Largs