Time to take a more sensible approach

Sir, - Since 2014 the SNP has behaved like the winners of a constitutional supermarket trolley dash, raiding shelves stacked with political powers even though they actually lost the competition.

It started with scaremongering that ‘vow’ powers would not be delivered, and a list of referendum-triggering ‘material changes in circumstances’.

In fact they were delivered.

Now we have the great EU ‘power grab’ and a list of 111 powers which will be repatriated to the UK.

Nicola Sturgeon wants as many as possible to be devolved to Scotland.

Examples are animal health and traceability, control of major accident hazards, data sharing and Europol.

The SNP’s track record in this area is not good – one need look no further than the farm payments fiasco.

The Government is right to repatriate all these powers centrally then decide which to devolve to enable localisation, and those to retain as centralised functions.

It seems the SNP want to squirrell away as many ‘powers’ as possible so they can present Scotland as a de facto country, irrespective of the cost, confusion, complication and duplication it will cause.

It also enables them to use the period before a final settlement to stoke up as much anti-Westminster grievance as possible.

I would be delighted if they would join with other parties and come up with a sensible approach. Allan Sutherland. 1 Willow Row, Stonehaven.

Picture: DC Thomson Nicola Sturgeon wants more powers to be devolved.