Polls ponderings

Over the course of the weekend two leaders will have reflected in their respective official residences of 10 Downing Street, London, and Bute House, Edinburgh, as how best to react to messages arising from the result the opposite of what they had hoped for.

Since becoming Prime Minister, Theresa May has undoubtedly faced one of the biggest political challenges in the modern era in seeking to chart a course through Brexit.

There was a logic to seeking a strengthened mandate but despite an increased share of the vote the first-past-thepost system has delivered fewer seats, potentially making a hard job even more difficult.

Yet the tone of EU leaders’ reaction to the result appears much more positive than might have been expected. Perhaps the Prime Minister will find an EU seeking a mutually beneficial outcome from Brexit more amenable than “friends” at home.

Meanwhile, while Nicola Sturgeon tried to play down the importance of independence in the general election campaign, the people of Scotland showed they had been paying attention when she had a draft referendum bill prepared and sought Scottish Parliament support for pursuing a referendum rerun.

She now knows what the majority of people do not want. Will she nevertheless decide to use a parliamentary majority to trump public opinion?

KEITH HOWELL West Linton, Peeblesshire The “longest suicide note in history’’ was supposedly the Michael Foot Labour manifesto of the early 1980s.

That dubious honour must surely now be overtaken by Theresa May’s effort for the general election. Not only was it demonstrably a not-thought-through document, she then proceeded to U-turn twice on its contents.

What should have been a cakewalk ended up with a hung parliament. Near-defeat was snatched from the jaws of certain victory. Mrs May came over as aloof, weak and indecisive during the campaign and she should have taken her cue from the positive, forwardthinking, ebullient Ruth Davidson.

Against all the odds, Jeremy Corbyn did well, his campaign was superb and captured the votes of the young, although all the severe doubts about him for many remain. Labour in Scotland are back in business, as are the Lib Dems and the Tories, who are thriving north of the Border.

We are on the road back to real politics. Nicola Sturgeon was hoisted on her own petard.

There is plenty to cheer – a second referendum is now dead in the water and Scotland is no longer a one-party state.

ALEXANDER MCKAY New Cut Rigg, Edinburgh Another successful election for Nicola Sturgeon. She pushed a second referendum so strongly that she caused a resurgence in Tory support.

Independence is dead for now, but the extra Tory MPS in Scotland are allowing the Conservatives to survive as a minority government, continuing to wreak devastation on Scotland, and conveniently giving Nicola Sturgeon an excuse to start agitating all over again.

Without these Tory MPS it might have been possible for Labour to govern in the national interest on a “supply and confidence” arrangement, reversing austerity and staying in the single market.

At the next election there will at least be an opportunity for Labour to displace these Tory MPS once Scots realise they don’t actually like the Tories on any issue other than Indyref2, and we can get back to some sense again.

Nicola Sturgeon now needs to give her full attention to Scotland’s failing education system and the NHS. The loss of the Barnett formula would be devastating, resulting in higher taxes and slashed benefit payments.

Far better to use the powers which have been devolved and leave Scottish independence for another generation.

PHIL TATE Craiglockhart Road, Edinburgh Although saying this sounds strange, coming as it does from an avowed Unionist, I rather hope that, after due consideration, Nicola Sturgeon reverts to type and continues to demand a second referendum on Scottish independence.

Why should I hope for this? Simple, really. Ms Sturgeon, Mr Salmond et al are the best recruiting sergeants for the Union there are and the results of the general election bear that out.

Despite putting a brave face on things, as one would expect them to do, the SNP’S result was simply terrible and signals the beginning of their ultimate downfall at the next Scottish election.

More talk about Indyref2 can only be helpful to the continuance of the Union, to which there is now, clearly, no end in sight.

ANDREW H N GRAY Craiglea Drive, Edinburgh It is rather ironic that the SNP have helped Theresa May to stay in power at Westminster and pursue her austerity policies.

Nicola Sturgeon’s unwillingness to put aside the second referendum issue being the main cause in Scotland – this allowed the Conservatives to win 12 more seats here, and if this had not happened Theresa May would now only have 306 MPS, 20 less than the magic 326 required.

We would not now be faced with the Democratic Unionists, whom even Ruth Davidson has serious concerns about, determining what happens.

Perhaps the more “progressive” alliances Nicola talks of could have now been formed. So when our First Minister gets up in Holyrood complaining about Tory policies and in particular austerity, I wonder if she will reflect on her contribution in allowing these to continue and accept some of the blame. I doubt it, but the Labour and Lib Dem MSPS will no doubt remind her.

PHIL D’ARCY Glen Avenue, Dyce, Aberdeen Ruth Davidson and the rightwing press should acknowledge, that based on the election result, the SNP has a stronger mandate to hold a second self-government referendum than the Tories now have to negotiate a Brexit deal on behalf of the UK.

However, there is no point in holding another referendum unless you are pretty certain of winning it, as losing again would put the independence cause back for at least a generation.

It was Alex Salmond’s gradualism that brought the SNP into power and while “the dream shall never die”, the SNP must concentrate on standing up for Scotland’s interests in the UK and in Europe, but modern politics is so volatile that no one can put a time constraint in place as circumstances can change at short notice.

It is ironic that having seen off Ukip, the Tories are now getting into bed with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), an organisation that makes Ukip look like left-wing progressives. It is also ironic that Labour’s adoption of the Tory anti-referendum rhetoric, thus encouraging tactical voting for the Tories, denied Jeremy Corbyn his chance to form the next UK government.

MARY THOMAS Watson Crescent, Edinburgh

Mrs May deserves beatification as far as we in Scotland are concerned.

Almost single-handedly she has turned the political tide in favour of the old two-party politics, started reducing the nationalist surge to a dribble, provided the means for us to rid ourselves of several political human carbuncles and in effect saved the Union.

A vigorous socialist opposition should provide the necessary moral compass to policies and help see an end to the “greed is good” attitude of previous right- wing administrations, and inviting an Irish input is a welcome advance in that situation.

All-in-all, then, not a totally disastrous night’s work, and one that shows that even the darkest cloud enjoys a silver lining or two.

TIM FLINN Garvald, East Lothian On the face of it, the SNP did well in the elections – most seats, and the highest percentage of the votes.

However, this cannot mask the fact that they lost one-third of their seats.

If this had happened to one of the UK parties, eg, the Conservatives, this would have meant losing 100 seats, which would have meant the leader resigning, or being removed. Why does Nicola Sturgeon not resign?

No doubt they will claim that they started from a unique height, but the seriousness of the situation cannot be hidden, and the leader should go! WILLIAM BALLANTINE

Dean Road, Bo’ness