Salmond’s status

In the run-up to the referendum, he may have won a few battles but in the end he lost the war. Hence, as that was the overriding objective of his political career, he is a “failure”. Try to console any sportsman who lost the final with the argument that they won earlier games and their response will be “that is  irrelevant, only winning counts and I failed”.

The sight of a despondent and deflated Mr Salmond in his car once he realised he was going to lose said it all; he knew he was a “failure” despite all his subsequent blustering.

Those who do not believe that the country is divided obviously move in different circles from me. SNP conferences give a completely distorted view of that issue.

Current opinion polls are irrelevant: the only one that counted was on 18 September, and there is not going to be another one for a very long time.

It must be pointed out that whilst the separatists continue to spout their views which the media print, because the unionists won there is no current organised counter-argument from the unionists to remind the population of all the misleading statements made by Mr Salmond and Ms Sturgeon during the campaign.

For example, I note none of the responses refer to the point I made about the current (possibly permanent) low oil price and the effect it would have had on the SNP’s financial projections.

Although revenue from oil was a central issue in the campaign, it is currently receiving virtually no media coverage.

Raymond Paul

Braid Farm Road

Edinburgh

It’s a shame that the grumpy brigade’s gaggle of letters published in Saturday’s Scotsman were so angry and bitter towards Alex Salmond.

To my mind he has in abundance all the attributes sadly missing from the grey, speak-your-weight machine, third-rate politicians we have become so accustomed to. A man of history and literature, who possesses the common touch, equally able and comfortable discussing football with guys in the housing schemes as economics with Nobel laureates.

A true leader with savvy,  humour and humility, so aptly demonstrated by his reaction to the recent burning of his  effigy when he expressed more concern for the plight of Nessie than himself. A political giant who so nearly took what was once a pipe dream to near reality despite being up against a state sponsored propaganda machine operating at full pelt.

I suspect he has a few more tricks up his sleeve. I for one cannot wait to see them.

Kenneth Paterson

Priory Road

Linlithgow