With polls lukewarm on independence, it's time for SNP to focus on government

The Scottish economy is currently showing a deficit of almost 10 per cent of GDP '“ equal to some £14.9 billion '“ a position which would be unsustainable without the support received from being an integral part of the UK.

The SNP proposal for Scotland to establish its own currency and banking system with a view to becoming a stand-alone EU member state – provided of course it will actually be accepted into the “fold” by the existing members of the EU – would more than likely make matters worse.

The SNP impress on us that Scots should vote for independence to save the NHS, education, welfare, etc., etc. – but the Scottish Government already has complete control over these services.

We should possibly ask the question: “How well are these, and other public services, faring under the SNP administration?”

With the polls indicating that support for independence is no higher than it was in 2014, at about 46 per cent, there is absolutely no way Nicola Sturgeon will risk attempting to stage another independence referendum in the foreseeable future. Any continuation of “nationalistic fervour” will lead to Scotland’s political and economic downfall in the medium/long term – it is up to all fair-minded people in Scotland to ensure that it is kept at bay.

Robert IG Scott

Ceres, Fife

So independence is back on the agenda at October’s SNP conference. Yet independence opinion polls show she’s 13 points behind where she wants to be before demanding another referendum.

Ms Sturgeon’s Brussels’ trips seem to have resulted in Scots preferring the UK to the EU. Increasingly senior SNP politicians admit tax increases and cuts in public services are the price to be paid for the nationalist leader’s separatist dream. Some admit they’ll seek the end of the monarchy if we ever vote for independence while the odd one encourages a boycott of businesses that oppose the SNP’s number one goal.

Martin Redfern

Royal Circus, Edinburgh

The SNP are the architects of the current heightened confusion over Scotland’s future.

While the Brexit result inevitable meant we faced uncertainty until the terms of the UK’s future relationship with the EU are made clear, the SNP have made things much worse. In the weeks following the Brexit vote we have had a stream of mixed signals from the SNP leadership about whether and how quickly another independence referendum will come.

Apparently, the First Minister is about to launch a “hearts and minds” campaign to convince us to leave the UK, this time building much of their case on trying to stay in the EU. What we need is honesty. Is it to be independence at any cost? If so please say so, and let us see how the people of Scotland react to that news.

Keith Howell

West Linton, Peeblesshire