Stand up for us all

The latest quarterly report from the Federation of Small Businesses adds to the mountain of evidence that Scotland’s economy is falling behind the rest of the UK. Business confidence in Scotland continues to fall while the rest of the UK has shown a substantial increase in confidence. Other surveys show our economic growth and job creation are way behind all parts of RUK

No doubt the uncertainty over Brexit is a contributory factor in this, but that applies to the whole of the UK, not just Scotland.

Therecouldbemanyreasons for the drop in business confidence but Nicola Sturgeon’s shenanigans on Indyref2 are just adding to the uncertainty.

Many people still vote for the SNP as they are “standing up for Scotland”. As it becomes increasingly obvious that they are not standing up for anyone but the SNP, their electoral success may start to decline. KEITH SHORTREED

Cottown of Gight Methlick, Aberdeenshire

Mike Russell, Scotland’s Brexit minister, will once again be demanding the SNP gets its way in his latest meeting with David Davis, the UK’S Brexit minister (your report, 11 January). Hopefully it will be pointed out to Mr Russell that some form of compromise will be required to get the best deal for all concerned.

That will not be achieved by asking for what you know cannot be delivered by either the UK or the EU. It will also not be helped by threats of another independence referendum, particularly when polls suggest the SNP government are not speaking for the people of Scotland on this.

KEITH HOWELL West Linton, Peeblesshire John Dorward (Letters, 9 January) is spot on. We are leaving a trading bloc, not Europe.

According to the SNP we face economic disaster, losing 80,000 jobs. But can they tell us from where? Perhaps I’m being naive but won’t the revalued pound assist our exports as well as boost tourism? With regard to imports, if you own a Mercedes car and the dealer informs you that there is a 10 per cent tariff (I’m not quite sure why Germany would wish that) you have a personal choice of purchasing it or looking at a Jaguar.

This should apply to any imports, which could result in a boost to UK manufacturing. I appreciate there may be more paperwork but there will also be access to global markets .

As for Ms Sturgeon’s concern over immigrants currently working in Scotland, I predict their presence will continue long after Brexit. It’s just a pity she doesn’t show the same concern for Scots expats. Could it be because they don’t have a vote in a future referendum?

LEWIS FINNIE Larkfield Gardens, Edinburgh

The UK Government’s Brexit strategy will be announced this year, possibly when Article 50 is triggered.

A decision to leave the single market would contravene Nicola Sturgeon’s Brexit options paper and force her – in 2017 – to name the date, or trigger the biggest ever climbdown British political history. ALLAN SUTHERLAND Willow Row, Stonehaven

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon threatened on Sunday’s Andrew Marr Show to hold a second referendum unless Scotland gets to stay in the single market.

Since when have politicians the right to disregard the outcome of a democratic election and plan a re-run because they didn’t like the outcome.

It would be like the Westminster government saying that they didn’t like the Brexit outcome, ignoring it and planning another referendum until the vote they wanted comes out. The SNP, apart from aligning themselves with the trading concerns of the Irish republic post Brexit, want the opinions of the Scots to be respected and to have more impact on the big decisions in Westminster, but this is really about the SNP wanting to implement their independence agenda and not about cultivating Scotland’s national pride

ALISON MCKAY Wingfield Court, Oxford

On the Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Nicola Sturgeon yet again claimed there was an overwhelming reluctance in Scotland to leave the EU. If national feeling runs so deep, why did only 67.2 per cent of the electorate vote? And of those who did vote, just 42 per cent of the total electorate voted to remain.

There can be many reasons people did not vote, but these are the facts, Ms Sturgeon, so please tell the facts to your UK audience. I voted to leave and when asked why I reply, if we voted to remain, to remain in what? One can virtually guarminster antee that in 5-10 years the EU will not be as it is now and we would have very little influence over any changes.

I do not wish to remain a member of a “club” with unvalidated accounts, whose committee, rules and regulations are so ill defined, to say nothing of the fact we have just a vague indication of the future membership fee. GEORGE STEWART

Clachan Seil Seil Island, Argyll