Shifting policies

Colin Hamilton claims that the SNP helped to put the 
Tories in power in 1979 (Letters, 17 November).

Mr Hamilton is no student of political history and he trots out this hoary old myth even though it has been thoroughly filleted in these columns on several occasions and he must be aware of the reality.

The fact is that following Jim Callaghan’s betrayal and failure to honour the delivery of devolution, only the most unprincipled of parties could have continued to prop up that inept Labour government.

Mr Hamilton expresses his views but never indicates which party he actually supports. I suspect it is because his opinions would immediately be thrown open to challenge with comparisons made to movements in policy made by other political parties. In Mr Hamilton’s world any such sign of policy shift in the SNP is a sign of opportunism, and to him change is to be viewed with deep cynicism. However, we should not be too surprised if supporters of the Union are locked in a reactionary world of post-imperial past glories.

After all, other than the ludicrous scare stories which are being debunked daily, that was all the No campaign had to offer.

Douglas Turner

Derby Street

Edinburgh