Too much power

Brian Wilson (Perspective, 7 March) emphasised the SNP’s solidarity at Holyrood. This rests, as it has done for years, on there being no apparent dissent in public over the leaders’ policies – which like the US Republicans’, focus on denigrating the opponents rather than on pursuing constructive multi-party agreements.

Cracking down even harder on dissent in the ranks just now is to ensure that the UK general election does indeed lead to a large SNP group at Westminster holding the balance of power – thus putting the Tories’ noses out of joint.

Just today the new First Minister is quoted as saying that getting shot of Trident is no longer key to the SNP’s forming a coalition with Labour at Westminster. The lust for power is obvious, the end result is an unstable UK, which is to no-one’s benefit.

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Is it all about declaring independence unilaterally when the UK is teetering even more on an economic brink? Democracy seems to be in abeyance. 

It would be better if Labour managed to hold on to more seats in Scotland than Lord Ashcroft’s polls predict – any one party’s being in such a commanding position leaves real concern that authoritarian attitudes will be applied yet more to the general populace and not just to the politicians. There are signs already of the desire for this – Council tax freezes, ­compulsory wind farms and likely seizure of land from the big ­estates.  

Joe Darby

Dingwall

Ross-shire