Why so shy?

In the same way as the character in Hamlet, the First Minister doth "protest too much" (your report, 28 June).

However difficult the truth may be for him to accept, more than David Maddox and one newspaper noticed his personal shift and the gradual easing away of his party from in some cases even mentioning the "i" word.

The recent SNP general election campaign is a case in point. Infinitely more time and energy was spent complaining about Alex Salmond's ego puncture by not getting on TV with the big boys than on propounding the party's raison d'tre, the break-up of the UK.

The "i" word has become the core SNP policy that dare not speak its name.

In the same way as the character in Hamlet, the First Minister doth "protest too much" (your report, 28 June).

However difficult the truth may be for him to accept, more than David Maddox and one newspaper noticed his personal shift and the gradual easing away of his party from in some cases even mentioning the "i" word.

The recent SNP general election campaign is a case in point. Infinitely more time and energy was spent complaining about Alex Salmond ego puncture by not getting on TV with the big boys than on propounding the party's raison d'tre, the break-up of the UK.

The "i" word has become the core SNP policy that dare not speak its name.

ALEXANDER McKAY

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh