On principles

On reading the Scottish Perspective page (23 September) I was struck how the first desire of The Scotsman in 1816 was to be honest, but on the same page in 2015 you should criticise leading Scottish politicians for being just that.

Regarding your editorial, 
surely lessons must be learned from the election of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader that honesty and freedom from spin are desirable qualities.

It is no secret that many Labour supporters and members voted last year for independence. I am sure that this was also the case with Liberal Democrats. Many of those voters would find it difficult to join such a controlling and centralising party as the SNP.

Liberal Democrats have 
always supported, and still do support, a federal structure for the United Kingdom.

Unfortunately, this did not come across during the campaign of last year.

With the reluctance of many regions in England to support a federal plan, and with a Conservative government being in control for the foreseeable future, it is hardly surprising that some members and supporters will be attracted to the idea of independence.

(Dr) Charles Corser

Friars Way

Linlithgow

Willie Rennie says: “We’re 
Liberals.” In fact, his party is called the “Liberal Democrats”, the latter word the result of the merger of the Liberal Party with the SDP, which I joined just before the merger.

So his party is only partly “Liberal”, but also supposed to be social democratic.

Unfortunately, the policies of the SDP have got lost in a Liberal takeover.

Allowing anyone in the 
Lib Dems to campaign for Scottish independence is taking 
liberalism too far and, as you claim (editorial, 23 September), “unprincipled”.

Steuart Campbell

Dovecoat Loan

Edinburgh