Hostile Tories

While Scottish Tory MP David McLetchie may be confident of victory over the SNP (your report, 1 February), this is unlikely to be achieved unless the Conservatives in the Scottish Parliament abandon the notion that they must automatically be hostile to any proposal espoused by the SNP which is manifestly in the national interest.

Conservatives supporters have never, traditionally, been identified with an anti-Scottish profile, and although their leaders vigorously opposed the creation of the Scottish Parliament, they would not have survived politically in Scotland if it did not now exist.

DR DAVID PURVES

Strathalmond Road

Edinburgh