Cabinet and SNP have been seriously weakened by departure of Keith Brown
Did SNP deputy leader Keith Brown jump or was he pushed from his Holyrood cabinet post (your report, 27 June)? He can hardly be held solely responsible for the relatively low growth rates in Scotland in recent years.
As a minister and cabinet member he has proved to be one of the most reliable and conscientious of the entire contingent. He stepped into the snow chaos of December 2010 as transport minister with a tenacity that was a tribute to his military training. He can claim some credit for the progress made on, indeed the completion of, the Queensferry Crossing and other projects.
He has always struck me as being on top of whatever brief was afforded him by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. She herself combined the roles of deputy leader, indeed, Deputy First minister, with a number of influential cabinet posts for more than seven years under Alex Salmond. So what lies behind the decision to remove him from a position of government responsibility?
Clearly there are some advantages in having one minister in charge of the economy, jobs and fair work brief in the same way accountability for key areas like health and education rest with one source.
But the argument that Mr Brown can play a crucial role in putting the case as Deputy Leader for independence, free from the constraints of office, is less credible. Mike Russell has been put in charge, among other things, of putting the argument on the constitution; this is bound to diminish Mr Brown’s influence. Certainly the previous two deputy leaders – Stewart Hosie and Angus Robertson – must have found it difficult to combine their parliamentary responsibilities with the deputy role.
But the evidence suggests that that role is more respected if members, and the public, can see that it is enhanced by the gravitas of government office.
The Cabinet and the SNP have been weakened by Mr Brown’s departure from it.
BOB TAYLOR Shiel Court, Glenrothes
Rather than Keith Brown being snubbed (Letters, 28 June), it is more likely his considerable talents will be used to take charge of the independence referendum campaign.
In light of recent revelations on TORY/DUP donations, it is important that the next selfgovernment referendum is fair and only those registered to pay income tax in Scotland should be allowed to make referendum donations.
The Electoral Commission is already investigating the Scottish Unionist Association Trust and the status of unincorporated organisations which are often created to exploit loopholes in electoral law to shield Tory donors from any public scrutiny.
This follows revelations by BBC Northern Ireland and others that lift the lid on the DUP’S secret EU referendum donation of £435,000 organised by ex-scottish Tory vice chairman Richard Cook through his Constitutional Research Council organisation, thus enabling the Leave campaign to exceed its spending limit.
FRASER GRANT Warrender Park Road, Edinburgh