TASMINA Ahmed-Sheikh writes in Monday's National: “Our party has been very supportive of the wise counsel of President Michael Higgins of Ireland in seeking an immediate ceasefire, justice for the Palestinian people and the provisioning and safe evacuation of Israeli hostages and civilians from a war zone.”

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Where has she been? Has she not been listening to the First Minister, other prominent Scottish ministers and senior SNP figures? ALL have proposed what is contained in her writing. Is she so biased against the SNP that she cannot acknowledge the “wise counsel” of Scotland’s First Minister?

Can I also ask why the Alba Party, which according to latest polls is polling at 1.68% in the list vote, gains an inordinate amount of space in The National for its prominent members to express their views? Any political party with the exposure Alba has had, that can only convince (at present) 1.68% of the electorate to vote for it, has already (it would seem) been rejected by the people of Scotland.

David Howie
Dunblane