Devolved powers will need careful analysis in a post Brexit world

Victor Clements’ letter( Scotsman ,22 september) makes the SNP look 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, resulting in higher income taxes,the acquisition of British Transport Police, and the creation of a new Social Secu- rity service with 1500 employees and a £400m set-up cost.

Now we have the “great EU Power Grab”. The Government’s integration of these 111 powers must secure and further the UK’S ability to function as a single economic, social and political union. This should drive decisions on which powers are devolved to enable localisation, and those to retain as centralised functions, but any offices distributed around the country.

It seems the SNP want to squirrel away as many “powers” as possible so they can present Scotland as a de facto country, irrespective of the cost, confusion and complication and duplication it will cause. In the process they can stoke up as much anti-westminster grievance as possible and hasten what now seems to be their objective, the weakening of the Union and break up of the UK.

Why can’t they, for once, work towards the betterment of a union whose goodwill and trade they will rely upon even if they do win independence?

Difficult times for Nicola Sturgeon as she ponders whether to push for a second referendum on Scottish independence.

Clearly, Spain’s anger at their own separatists may be giving her a misplaced inspiration.

If she attempts to hold such a referendum without permission, how might the Government react?

Could she twist things in the usual way to pretend that Scotland is some kind of victim?

Could she expect Scottish voters to support her, despite her party’s recent mauling at the polls?

Have Scots still got a victim mentality, or have they seen through the transparent SNP machinations which are now thoroughly cranky and betray a lack of ability and even interest in performing the role of governing Scotland?

Perhaps she will go for the kamikazi option - hoka hey! It’s a good day to die, as the Plains Indians were noted for saying - and plunge Scotland into another divisive civil war?

Don’t hold your breath.

I was encouraged to hear First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Hoylrood using valuable Parliamentary time and getting behind the Catalan independence movement and would encourage her to go to Spain and do what she did for Scotland in the matter of independence.

She would be well advised to take her crony ministers with her as they are currently not doing very much for Scotland going by the recent performance tables for essential services. . .

And they look like they need a good holiday.