Theresa May right to claim SNP duplicity on Brexit as party starts Indyref2 drive

Theresa May is right to call out the last two years of the SNP leadership’s duplicity on Brexit, from their tabling of impossible proposals as “compromises”, then seeking to undermine the process at every turn, and all the while stirring grievance to justify a second independence referendum (“May ‘knew from the start’ St urgeon would use Brexit to move towards independence”, The Scotsman, 4 May).

This underhand approach on the part of the SNP leadership continues.

Before getting the necessary approval from the UK government for a second referendum, Nicola Sturgeon has fired up her own side to start campaigning and has set in train legislation at Holyrood with a view to putting the SNP’S preferred terms for Indyref2 in place before any inconvenient discussions with the UK about what a fair approach might be.

While it is perfectly reasonable for the UK government not to give Section 30 approval just now, given continued Brexit uncertainty and clear polling evidence of the lack of appetite for another vote anytime soon, our First Minister pushes on, aiming to slop e the playing field to the SNP’S advantage.

She perhaps imagines that a more malleable Prime Minister at some point in the future, who for whatever political expediency, might be more willing to let her get her way.

If that should ever happen, we must hope that wiser heads in Westminster ensure that the terms of any referendum are renegotiated for fairness, and sufficient time given for prop er campaigning, given the head star t that the SNP have tried to get on the majority that still do not agree with them.

KEITH HOWELL West Linton, Peeblesshire

Theresa May moaned that Ni cola Sturgeon“never wanted a good Brexit!” Very true in every way because there is for Scotland no such thing as “a good Brexit”. That is why S cots voted to remain in the EU and that the momentum for Indyref2 is gaining because our vote has been overridden by Westminster.

The only good exit now for Scots is a Scot exit from the UK. The nearest Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish government came to was remaining in the customs union and the single market with the four freedoms.

But Theresa May’s foolish and hubristic red lines pre - vented that too. Incompetence is now to be found in Mrs May’s government and the latest local government election in England shows how the Tories under Theresa May have fallen. So bad that at their Welsh conference a delegate shouted for her to resign. Her popup at the Tory Scottish branch conference was spectacular as she was unable to comment on the English results; so much beyond hope now is she that her party are now clamouring for her to name her date of departure.

Her jibe against Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP government pale into triviality given her own recent performance on the political and parliamentary stage .still, the EU elections will indicate where Scotland stands at this juncture.

JOHN EDGAR Langmuir Quadrant, Kilmaurs