Salmond profile

I was surprised to see a recent televised response to the Chancellor's Budget statement delivered by the SNP leader rather than the party's official Westminster Treasury spokesman, Stewart Hosie.

I can understand this may be a question of tactics and strategy, to use a well-known face to build up support for his party's candidates in their local area.

Mr Salmond led his party to a narrow but historic victory in 2007, and has become associated in the public mind as something of a Scottish champion. But there is a downside as well. Too heavy a reliance on the reputation of one man can easily backfire, particularly in a heated campaign fraught with pitfalls.

It might put at risk the seats of some of the existing SNP MPs as well as the chances of potential new ones. The measure of success for the Nationalists in this election is simple. Will it have an increased number of MPs able to exert sway in either a hung parliament or one with a government with a very small majority?

This will not only enable it to tackle public expenditure cuts effectively; it will help in the push for Westminster to recognise and support the case for a referendum on independence. That might be better pursued by highlighting the achievements and attributes of the existing MPs and stressing the strengths of those candidates who will make excellent new ones.

BOB TAYLOR

Shiel Court

Glenrothes

In his general election analysis Eddie Barnes (6 April) seems to have ignored the results of last year's European elections (fought on the same Westminster boundaries) in which the SNP got the most votes in Edinburgh.

In this most recent contest the SNP won Edinburgh East, North and Leith and South West constituencies, in South came within 121 votes of beating Labour and within 3 per cent of the Lib Dems in Edinburgh West.

This goes to show that there is all to play for in Edinburgh.

CALUM STEWART

Montague Street

Edinburgh