Nicola Sturgeon herself invites comparisons with ‘Iron Lady’ Margaret Thatcher

I note that Darren Mcgarvey has taken offence to Nicola Sturgeon being compared to Margaret Thatcher by Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard (Perspective, 23 January). Almost certainly, his motivation for doing this will have been simply to get people to talk about whether Nicola Sturgeon is divisive or not and to get people riled up.

He has succeeded fairly spectacularly in doing this. It seems that we may have a Labour leader in Scotland who doesn’t say very much but knows how to make an impact when he does.

The comparison is actually absurd. Mrs T was a convic- tion politician who took on vested interests, transformed the kind of country we live in (for better or worse, take your pick) and was a politician of genuine standing on the world stage. Ms Sturgeon? Not so much, although she has, in the past, not been above trying to promote a likeness.

In March last year, when writing to Theresa May on bringing forward another referendum, she was pictured on her Bute House couch, in a way that replicated a famous picture of Margaret Thatcher.

Where the two are really alike is that they both enjoyed an overly long honeymoon period during which their own politicians and the press seemed to lose all powers of critique, with the result that initiatives took place that would not have been implemented had everyone been paying attention, rather than being enthralled to the point of stupidity and silence.

It will be interesting to see if Ms Sturgeon falls as quickly when faith in her powers wanes and we can then make a proper comparison of achievements between her and Mrs Thatcher. It will take more than baby boxes to save her. VICTOR CLEMENTS

Taybridge Terrace Aberfeldy, Perthshire Darren Mcgarvey’s contributions to The Scotsman are usually interesting, balanced and temperate. However, his latest contribution is anything but.

He attacks Richard Leonard for saying Nicola Sturgeon is the most divisive political leader since Thatcher. He concludes by saying that he looks forward to seeing in hell anyone who disagrees with his view of Mrs Thatcher, a dreadfully and worryingly hate-filled sentiment in itself.

Mr Mcgarvey’s polemic article picks actions and outcomes from the Thatcher era to support his view and, of course, ignores the positives. Prior to Mrs Thatcher, the whole of the UK was sliding rapidly downhill into a far-left trades union-induced nightmare. Many of the industrial closures that caused the social problems listed by Mcgarvey were brought on, or at least greatly assisted, by the unions. Think only of the weekly (sometimes daily) walkouts at Linwood and the regular shipyard strikes.

Yes, Mrs Thatcher was divisive, particularly so in Scotland, largely due to the socalled Poll Tax. However, Mr Mcgarvey has his head deep in the sand if he doesn’t see how Ms Sturgeon has deeply divided Scotland. She and her party have divided families, friends, communities and regions. Politics is now largely a taboo subject for conversation. She is even causing a backlash against Scotland and Scots in England, something that never existed before.

Ms Sturgeon has admitted that for her independence transcends all, but has been firmly and regularly told that the electorate disagrees. Meanwhile, Scotland’s education, policing, health services and economy go ever further down the tubes on her watch. But we have baby boxes.

Richard Leonard is absolutely correct, Mr Mcgarvey.

DAVID K ALLAN Hopper Gardens, Newcraighall