Anas Sarwar, Douglas Ross, and Alex Cole-Hamilton will never have a better opportunity to win back disaffected voters than they have now but that can bring problems of its own.

If there are floating votes to be captured the danger is that by splitting them three ways the power will still be in SNP/Green hands. For once, can they get their heads together in a tactical voting campaign in an attempt to achieve a common goal, get rid of the present Scottish “government”.

It would obviously stick in the craw of many followers of the Conservatives, Labour, and the Lib Dems but in a situation like we have in Scotland, desperate measures may have to be taken. Why split the vote just to let the SNP keep the majority? Go for the lot with a candidate best suited to a particular area. You only have to beat them once to get them out of power for the next five years, then anything can happen.

Can Scottish opposition leaders such as Anas Sarwar put aside their differences to coalesce around a common enemy?

Ian Balloch, Grangemouth, Falkirk

Paralysis over

While the unexpected resignation of an emotional Nicola Sturgeon will cause a huge vacuum within the SNP there is new hope that Scotland can emerge stronger from the paralysis of independence-driven and personality cult politics.

Ms Sturgeon largely caused political inertia through her self-confessed polarising views – an example being her “de facto” referendum plan for the next general election. If the SNP wants a de facto referendum it just needs to dissolve parliament and give its new leader a proper electoral mandate but given it’s nearly 70 years since a party won more than half the vote in Scotland this policy was doomed from the start.

SNP policy failings finally caught up with her and Sturgeon became bitter for not securing a referendum but if, as Professor John Curtice suggests, there is a hung parliament at the next general election this could yet be facilitated. Scottish politics must move forward now, become less personality-centric and more consensus-driven. Focus should be on issues that matter to all like health, education, transport and economic growth.

For all her party’s failings it was refreshing that a caring and personable conviction politician became leader of our parliament. I will remember her as the complete stranger who waved to me from afar over 20 years ago. Tributes have focused on her popularity and communication skills during the pandemic together with achieving sustained domination at the ballot box.

Her legacy is also a genuine concern for the marginalised and the disadvantaged by championing equality and income redistribution. We are unlikely to see her like again.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Irony bypass

We have another prime example to add the overflowing list of instances where nationalist leaders in Scotland show not the slightest sense of self-awareness or sense of irony. When Boris Johnson left office and was to be replaced as Prime Minister by a vote of Conservative Party members, the wailing and gnashing of teeth could be heard from SNP people could be heard the length and breadth of the country. This was an outrage. Scotland’s First Minister went as far as to say that having a general election was a “democratic imperative”.

But now she is gone and is being replaced in exactly the same manner as Mr Johnson, not a word of protest is heard.

I would make the point that this is very strange but no, it is exactly what the SNP do and always have done and what any fair observer would expect them to do. They have no sense of irony or self-awareness, full stop.

Alexander McKay, Edinburgh

Bitter legacy

While supporters of Ms Sturgeon will laud her supposed success as a politician, the real question will be about her legacy.

The reality is that she leaves a calamitous domestic policy record across education and a widening of the attainment gap, the worst ever NHS waiting times, a disastrous infrastructure policy such as the construction of the ferries and not forgetting the highest drugs death rates in Europe.

Further she leaves her successor a minefield to navigate having to likely deal with a flawed Deposit Return Scheme opposed by most businesses, an unaffordable National Care Service opposed by a cross-party Scottish Parliamentary committee and a Gender Recognition Reform BIll mired in controversy, opposed in all public opinion polls and blocked by the UK Government.

The First Minister herself declared that she could be a polarising politician and she should be clear that, on departure from office, she leaves a country far more divided and economically poorer than that which she inherited. Any part of her legacy that can be perceived as positive will be short in the memory.

Richard Allison, Edinburgh

Barrier removed

As an independence supporter I found myself initially disappointed and saddened at the resignation of the First Minister on Wednesday morning. Sad that a continued effort on the part of opposition politicians and hostile unionist media to discredit her, conflating issues on the substance of the Gender Recogniton Reform Bill and prison placement had cost Scotland a compassionate, credible, internationally recognised leader.

Having listened to her address at Bute House and her repeated use of the words “I’m only human” I was equally disappointed at the tone and style of the questions posed by the media, apparently tone-deaf to her pleas for a more reasoned political debate.

There was one part of her address which really struck a chord with me and was perhaps something I hadn’t acknowledged until our insightful First Minister said it out loud – that she has become a topic to be overcome in the debate on Scotland’s future as an independent nation.

I do speak with people who will not engage on independence because they don’t like Nicola Sturgeon. Perhaps they will now reflect on whether that is their true reason for not engaging properly on hearing the case for independence. I won’t hold my breath.

All that said, I’m not pro-SNP, I’m pro-independence. I’m more determined than ever to get out and speak to those who saw Nicola Sturgeon as a barrier to independence to dig a little deeper on what the real barrier is. So if you are rubbing your hands together with glee at the prospect of the case for independence being dead now that Nicola Sturgeon is moving on, or that we will suddenly realise the limitations of devolution will be enough for those of us who want real change, you should prepare yourself for some disappointment too. We’re not going anywhere.

Independence is and always has been bigger than one person. It is being driven and pursued by grassroots, people like me who do not have party allegiances (do not mistake my respect for a good leader with unconditional support and defence of SNP policy) who Nicola Sturgeon’s departure as simply a change in who is at the wheel of governance. Independence will be achieved when people like me have convinced enough of the electorate of the democratic, prosperous, more equal society we can be out of the Union.

Maggie Rankin, Stirling

A shining light

At a time when Westminster is mired in sleaze Nicola Sturgeon has been a shining light on the British political stage. She has helped to reassure us that not all politicians are in it just for themselves. If she now finds herself with time on her hands she might like to come down to London and sort out the problems there.

Andrew McLuskey, Ashford, Middlesex

Debate Fright

I attended BBC Scotland’s Debate Night in Pitlochry on Wednesday. The professionalism of Stephen Jardine and the crew was impressive, but the level of hostility towards Nicola Sturgeon and the aim of independence for Scotland displayed by some audience members was disturbing. In particular, panellist Tory MSP Tess White’s vituperative remarks about the First Minister and the prospect of Scottish independence were unpleasant.

The First Minister's dream will be achieved but the opposition to it can be disrespectful.

David Roche, Blairgowrie, Perth & Kinross

Pandemic ‘events’

Nicola Sturgeon’s career is defined by two pandemics: swine flu, in 2009, and Covid.

The first came early to Scotland from Mexico, and enhanced her profile as health secretary in a big way. because her management of it was seen to be successful, with only a few deaths.

But she had the devil’s own luck to help her, because the virus turned out to be a virtual dud, with a mortality rate that turned out to be a hundred times less than mathematical modellers had predicted. Covid is very different. By her own admission her responses to it took a heavy toll, and played a significant part in her decision to resign as First Minister.

Harold Macmillan was right when asked what worried him most as Prime Minister said “events, dear boy, events”.

Hugh Pennington, Aberdeen

Devil you know

You-know-who may, as some claim, have wisely gone before she was pushed, but joyful Unionists should temper their chortles as her departure is also the loss of their most effective secret weapon against the break-up of the UK.

Should the new FM prove by contrast to be self-effacing, smooth, intelligent and effective the nationalist cause will soon recover its momentum, its many drawbacks and unsolved problems cheerfully ignored as “matters we can deal with after we are free”.

Tim Flinn, Garvald, East Lothian

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Readers' Letters: Opposition leaders must now grasp the nettle

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