Letter: Political carping

So, 20 years after leaving the SNP, Jim Fairlie believes that he deserves a better description of his join-the-dots carping at Salmond and Co for having the audacity to do better without him? (Letters, 11 September).

This Nearly Man can kid himself another 20 years for anyone cares. The fact that this so-called Scottish Nationalist actually said "the majority of Scots oppose independence… so why even bother trying?" says more about Fairlie than it does about any nationalist he has the gall to criticise.

He and the others who jumped the sinking ship under the bumbling Gordon Wilson were dismayed to find that the ship made it to port after all and worse, after repairs, sailed to far sunnier days. The same scenario played out later with Margo MacDonald.

Career politicians are always the first to accuse everyone else of "selling out" when events prove they jumped too soon. They believe they only need to get it right once to be proclaimed political prophets.

The cult of Tony Benn has a lot to answer for insofar as British political thinking is concerned.

MARK BOYLE

Linn Park Gardens

Johnstone, Renfrewshire