Letter: Merger Gray area

Joan McAlpine (Comment, 25 August) rightly points to the absurdity of the SNP entering into a coalition with Labour in Holyrood, regardless of who emerges as the largest party next May.

Labour's pool of talent in Holyrood diminishes with each passing election and the SNP has nothing to gain by propping it up.

It is generally recognised that SNP spokesmen and women are more articulate and politically astute than their Labour counterparts, a reality which would be shown all too starkly if, heaven forbid, Labour was the largest party after the May poll and attempted to form a government.

Iain Gray is no doubt a decent man, but is frequently revealed as a political lightweight, while, like him or not, Alex Salmond is a man of substance and a political heavyweight. Just what would it say about Scotland if we voted for the former rather than the latter in nine months' time?

Gavin Fleming

Grassmarket

Edinburgh