Who can we trust about future power?

A quote by Linda Fabiani MSP (your report, 18 June), in which she states that “past experience has shown that promises on further powers are quickly forgotten by the Westminster parties”, is typical of the recent statements coming from all and sundry in the SNP that the promises of further powers for the Scottish Parliament by those same parties and the Better Together campaign cannot be trusted based on their  previous records.

By The Newsroom

Published 20th Jun 2014, 01:00 BST

These tiresome statements, based on falsehoods and designed to mislead, have no basis in fact as a glance at recent history shows.

Labour delivered on its promise to have a referendum in 1997, which resulted in the Devolution Act of 1999 and our parliament at Holyrood.

More recently the Conservative/Liberal Democrat coalition has extended the powers of Holyrood with the Scotland Act.

Nothing there resembling “no delivery”.

Of course the Conservatives have been a bit slow in coming round to the idea that devolution is a positive thing, but what counts is that they have. God always welcomes a sinner who repents, so perhaps we in Scotland should welcome the Conservatives’ change of heart.

Throughout this period the SNP has sat and sulked, delivered nothing towards the devolved powers of Holyrood and moaned about their inadequacy – but without actually using those that exist to their full extent as some political ploy; child care is an example of this.

As for trust, the First Minister has been shown to be someone who is very economical with the truth. The twists and turns he took to prevent the truth of his actions on European membership being revealed are a clear demonstration of this.

This is something his senior ministers supported and they therefore are themselves tainted.

John B Gorrie

Craigmount Gardens

Edinburgh