Indyref2 now…

In February, theresa May and Ruth Davidson urged Scottish voters to vote Conservative in the council elections and send a message to Nicola Sturgeon saying: “No to a second independence referendum.”

The SNP, however, still won the council elections, with more votes and more seats. It finished as comfortably the largest party, boasting 431 councillors, despite the Conservatives making gains to finish on 276 and Labour on 262 councillors.

The SNP is indeed the largest party in Scotland’s four main cities, replacing Labour as the largest party in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, and maintaining its position as the largest party in Dundee.

The SNP is also now the largest party in 16 council areas – up from ten in 2012 – and joint largest in a further three councils.

Despite the Tory strategy of making the council election a referendum on a referendum, while they have done extremely well they did not win and are indeed well behind the SNP.

The general election is being fought by the Tories using this same strategy. However, it is anticipated the SNP will still finish as the largest party in Scotland, both in terms of votes and will have more than half the MPS. If this turns out to be the case, one hopes Ms May will do the honourable thing and meet with Ms Sturgeon as soon after 8 June as possible and make arrangements for the holding of the referendum.

ALEX ORR

Leamington Terrace, Edinburgh What have we done? On Thursday Scotland saw a coming together of Unionists at the local elections; that was clear to see with so many Labour losses while the Tories made gains.

Labour are unelectable due to a range of factions and its leader. Unbelievably, those Labour voters switched to the Conservatives. Quite frankly breathtaking for our local authorities.

How can this be when those parties are supposed to be opposites? Surely voters gave no consideration to what those elections were all about, running local services that we all depend on.

Surely a look at the bigger picture and not just Brexit should have sent shivers over all at the possibility of the hard right policies of the Westminster government arriving in our town halls.

Yet that is exactly what Scotland has voted for. What message are we portraying by this result and what are the prospects for 8 June? Can Scotland afford to repeat the election result of 4 May?

CATRIONA C CLARK Hawthorn Drive, Banknock