Little challenge from opposition

Sir, – The SNP rides high in the polls because there is no government in waiting at Holyrood.

Labour shamefully voted with them on the ‘Continuity’ bill.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn’s performance in the Skripal affair has spooked the whole country.

On a recent edition of Sunday Politics, Richard Leonard couldn’t explain or defend Labour’s Brexit policy.

The Lib Dems will hopefully unveil their policies at their April conference, and the Conservatives avoided scrutiny because theirs was cancelled.

So while the opposition keeps its powder dry until 2021, the SNP get away with all sorts.

A party that was serious about winning power would surely declare, even now, that its ‘first 100 days’ will include a drains up, independent review of the finances, management and opportunities for efficiency in all devolved agencies.

They could start on day one by scrapping the curriculum for excellence and the new welfare agency – after all, it cost £400 million just to set up with no guarantee of better value for taxpayers or, indeed, claimants.

Unbelievably, even the Conservatives support both.

The SNP might well scrape enough seats at another election but the fact that 63% and 67% of voters didn’t vote for them at the general and council elections, coupled with the loss of 500,000 votes, suggests they wouldn’t muster even 46% in another referendum. Allan Sutherland. 1 Willow Row, Stonehaven.