Attack on Nicola is predictable

KENNY Farquharson's attack on Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP (Insight, 14 February) was as predictable as his eventual use of "Gate" somewhere in the text.

Does Mr Farquharson remember Jack McConnell, and indeed Gordon Brown, committing similar errors of judgment to Ms Sturgeon and did he apply the inaccurate epithet "Fraudgate" to them?

Mr Farquharson criticises former education secretary Fiona Hyslop – "she could have ringfenced cash or legislated". His attack on such action would have been just as predictable. His further attack on the SNP government leaving "the tough decisions to a triumvirate of Wise Men" is also puzzling, since his unionist favourites at Westminster take advice from the Monetary Policy Committee, Financial Services Authority, Finance Committee of the Commons, the CBI and Labour's other friends in big business – and still we are in the biggest mess of any developed country.

Can Mr Farquharson envisage Labour back in power and all of us subjected to more Labour dishonesty and incompetence and, worst of all, the newly discovered sincerity of Gordon Brown. His timely adoption of the Blair/Campbell School of Acting in an attempt to retain power is worthy of the epithet "Cringegate"!

Bill McLean, Dunfermline