Letters to the press, 17/03/22: "If the SNP want to keep alive their raison d'etre of Scottish separatism, their best course is to demonstrate how efficient, competent and honest devolved government in Scotland could be. They have failed signally, in almost 15 years, to do that."

After the twin crises of Covid and Russian aggression in Ukraine, it is clear that trying to break up the UK – the SNP’s single policy – is a thoroughly bad idea. That is not only because it would suit Vladimir Putin very well, which it would. Covid has shown that only the strength of the UK was able to provide for the whole of the UK with furloughing and other support funding, as well as the ordering, purchase and distribution of a succession of vaccines. Ukraine shows us what happens to states confronted with unreasonable demands by a large predatory neighbour when these states try to resist. Formerly influential separatist cheerleaders, including bloggers and journalists, admit that the separatist cause is at least in abeyance, if not finished. If the SNP want to keep alive their raison d’etre of Scottish separatism, their best course is to demonstrate how efficient, competent and honest devolved government in Scotland could be. They have failed signally, in almost 15 years, to do that. Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh.

In Scotland, we seem to be surrounded by wind farms and are accosted by the SNP and Greens about how much better we are at producing renewables. In that case, why is the price of energy shooting up here if we are producing so much close to ‘free’ power from wind, tide and waves? Ought electricity not be as cheap as chips if the SNP hype is true? Something is not adding up. Gerald Edwards, Glasgow.

Murdo Fraser nails the mindset of Nicola Sturgeon and, for that matter, on that of her followers (Perspective, 16 March). A perfect example of this came on the BBC Good Morning Scotland radio pro-gramme on the question of whether or not to wear a face covering. Someone texted in claiming that there was a distinct political divide between those who favoured wear-ing and those who wanted to throw caution to the wind and ditch their masks. No prizes for guessing who the texter considers are more responsible and correct in their approach. The bad boys are, of course, the Unionists. There is, of course, an elephant in the room. Covid is exploding all over Scotland but not in the rest of the UK. Here in Ross-shire it is rife in the east and spreading fast in the west. For the first time since the pandemic began there are two cases no more than 100 yards from my door-step. It doesn’t seem that being different north of the Border is working, does it? Stuart Stephen, Ross-shire.

It was John Swinney who used the phrase “too wee, too poor, too stupid” although the separatists like to make out that it is something supporters of the UK believe. Perhaps Mr Swinney could explain to us why Scottish shipyards can’t build ferries for our island communities? Four years late, double the contract price and no windows doesn’t shout that this SNP Government has a grip on how to build ferries successfully. Perhaps that is why a shipyard in ‘flukey is the preferred bidder for the contract for the two latest CalMac ferries, despite the Inverclyde yard bidding for them. It needs the right leadership to make sure the designs are in place before the contract is signed, something the SNP failed to do. It’s not Scotland or Scottish shipyards that are too stupid but the sitting government who have the reverse Midas effect on everything they touch. Jane Lax. Craigellachie, Aberlour.

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