Sturgeon is wrong to claim Scotland is more tolerant of migrants than England

For sheer chutzpah and gall you really have to hand it to Ms Sturgeon. Here, at her opening speech at the SNP conference she was at her grandstanding best, first “Brexit-bashing” then demonising the nasty, xenophobic Tories as the cause of all Scotland’s ills .

All the “as expected” stuff, much to the delight and rapturous applause of her slavish faithful.

However, it was her statements “in Scotland we cherish diversity” and our “embracing multiculturalism” that astonished me, implying that we Scots are more tolerant than others; particularly the English. This is arrant nonsense, which unfortunately Ms Sturgeon goes unchallenged on.

Suffice to say England is probably one of the more multicultural societies in Europe. And yes, there are racist incidents just as in France, Germany, Sweden and other coun- tries with large immigrant groups.

But as ever with Ms Sturgeon you don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story. When we do look at the facts it makes for some interesting reading.

Though polls imply that Scots are relatively “more relaxed” on migrants than the English, we do not, however, have the mass uncontrolled migrant levels of England now adversely impacting their communities .When this is factored in by research pollsters, Scotland is seen to be no more tolerant than England.

Add the sectarian bigotry seen in parts of Scotland and the acrimonious/divisive country we now are following Indyref1 and this “we are more tolerant claim” is seen as completely bogus and ludicrous.

I don’t enjoy “talking Scotland down”, as Ms Sturgeon likes to say, but I do like the truth – not spin! Needless to say, as a pro-uk Scot I still see Scotland as part of the UK and a great country to live in, warts and all.

DEREK DREVER Campbell Drive,troon

As a non-snp member, I was very impressed by our First Minister’s conference speech, as no other UK political leader stressed inclusion as their core message, and who could fail to be moved by Nicola Sturgeon’s passionate commitment to improve the life chances of children in care?

More flexibility over child care and more financial control for schools are also to be welcomed, as is the extension of the living wage and small business bonus schemes.

Far too many people take for granted the benefits of free tuition fees, free personal care for the elderly and free prescriptions that have been maintained in Scotland despite UK austerity cuts.

No wonder the recent European Union Social Progress Index study confirms that Scotland is the best-performing country in the UK in respect of quality of life, health, education, tolerance and the environment.

MARY THOMAS Watson Crescent, Edinburgh

Ms Sturgeon in her latest attack on the Union has warned Ms May that she is serious about holding another referendum if all her impossible demands are not met.

To promote her cause the SNP have been stepping up the rhetoric against the Tories (the largest party in the UK and the second largest party in the Scottish Parliament and growing) which are classic diversionary tactics for a party with little of substance to say and wishing to avoid being held to account for their well-documented failures.

Before Ms Sturgeon drags us into another referendum (against the Scottish people’s wishes) and genuinely wants to be taken seriously, she should turn her attention to producing an updated version of the White Paper taking fully into account our £145 billion share of the debt, our fiscal deficit of 9.5 per cent of GDP (EU maximum 3 per cent) and the low growth compared to the rest of the UK.

However, if she does ever produce another version of what was described by Alex Salmond as the “most comprehensive blueprint for an independent country ever published” we will all have to ignore the economic consequences of massive cuts in public spending and job losses.

On a more serious note, if Ms Sturgeon refuses to publish a new White Paper laying out a fresh case for independence, showing there has been a “material change” for the better (not worse) since the last referendum, Ms May should refuse to sign a new “Edinburgh Agreement” and tell her that “once in a generation” referendum agreement means what it says, period.

After all, the SNP were quick to produce figures about Brexit, which has minor economic consequences compared to losing our much larger UK internal market.

IAN LAKIN Murtle Den Road, Milltimber

I gather the leaderene of the SNP has declared that she will instigate a second referendum on something called Scottish independence.

I have a well-sharpened stake. Where is Peter Cushing?

ANDREW H N GRAY Craiglea Drive, Edinburgh