Johann Lamont – leading questions will obviously produce a specific outcome

Sir, – Malcolm McCandless (Letters, August 6), is very quick to stick the knife into Johann Lamont, the Scottish Labour leader.

However, a poll looking at one party and listing “untrustworthy”, “out of touch”, “incompetent” and “boring” as options is clearly biased and focused on achieving a destructive outcome, for whatever reason.

When you ask people leading questions, you will get a biased answer.

If you were to ask the Scottish public whether they trusted Alex Salmond, there would almost certainly be a very significant number, even within his own party, who would reply in the negative.

I watched Johann Lamont in one of the televised leadership debates earlier this year and even as a member of another party, I have to say that the audience reacted very well to her good humour and groundedness, and it was obvious to me that she had learned the lessons from 2011. Their election results demonstrate this, gaining even in Perth and Kinross.

Johann Lamont is very obviously persuaded that our future lies with a better devolved settlement, not with the country being independent. Be that right or wrong, she appears clear and sincere in her beliefs and we should respect that.

I don’t recall any Labour politician or party member coming forward to contest their recent leadership contest on the basis that Scotland should be independent. Victor Clements. Mamie’s Cottage, Aberfeldy.