Council results show Yes will lose, so let’s have Indyref2 now

AS ever, Nicola Sturgeon and her followers are cock-a-hoop with her perceived success on Thursday (“Tories are overtaken by Labour in Scotland”, The Herald, May 7). The facts are: not including Independent councillors elected, pro-independence councillors elected (SNP plus Greens): 488; pro-union councillors elected (Con, Lab, Libdem): 583.

I believe there should be a referendum as soon as possible because there is no majority for separation and we can end this constitutional quagmire once and for all. Following seven abysmal, costly years, Nicola Sturgeon has consistently failed to offer any economic/financial/defence plans for a successful independent Scotland. Her supporters are stuck in an emotional independence, xenophobic bog.

Pro-union votes cast v pro-separation votes in the election again show that in any referendum Ms Sturgeon will lose. She knows that, hence her procrastination. Douglas Cowe, Newmachar.

DURING the council election campaign Nicola Sturgeon urged voters to “send Boris a message” and opinion polls forecast an “astonishing” 44 per cent vote share.

In fact the SNP got a 34% share of the vote. Only 641,000 – one in seven – of Scotland’s 4.3m voters voted SNP.

Scotland’s “message to Boris” is independence has been eclipsed by Covid, economic crisis and war, and dogged by SNP incompetence, scandals and cover-ups. It is running out of steam and into the buffers of voter anger and apathy.

Allan Sutherland,

Stonehaven.