Count them all

In some ways the SNP success is not unexpected, since 45 per cent voted Yes at the referendum and all of these presumably supported them. Plus at least 5 per cent of No voters could be expected to vote SNP for left-wing rather than nationalist reasons.

What is amazing is that the first-past-the-post system awarded them with 95 per cent of the seats with only 50 per cent of the vote. The fascinating part of the result is the way the system they dislike has rewarded them so disproportionately.

It means that the 50 per cent who did not vote for them are left virtually unrepresented – just three non-SNP MPs.

Hopefully in their euphoria, the new SNP members will not forget that 50 per cent of us did not vote for them and will not take the result as licence for a one-party nation. Whatever they do is in only half our names.

John Scarlett

Near Gorebridge

Midlothian

It is extraordinary that Peter Jones confused “the Scottish total electorate” with the “number that actually voted in Scotland” (Perspective, 12 May).

The SNP received the votes of 36 per cent of the total Scottish electorate.

AA Miller

Clackmae Road

Edinburgh

It is understandable that unionist supporters would like to put the best possible gloss on what has been a very bad result for them.

However, as it has been widely reported (including in The Scotsman) and accepted, that the SNP support of 1,454,463 votes was slightly more than 50 per cent of all votes cast, I wonder if Robert I G Scott (Letters, 13 May) could explain from where he has conjured up the additional 232,000 supporters of the union he quotes in his letter. Does he consider voters for the Green Party to be supporters of the Union?

DouglasTurner

Derby Street

Edinburgh