Letter: Right response

I HAVE to agree with Brian Monteith (25 April) that the real and substantive issues are not being addressed in the Scottish elections. Our politicians are content to ignore Britain's massive deficit and its implications.

The main reason for this is that Labour, the SNP and the Liberal Democrats all represent solely the public sector and are entirely uninterested in the wider picture.

They take for granted the creation by the private sector of the wealth necessary to pay for public spending. They have nothing useful to say about creating the conditions for a thriving private sector. The Greens represent the same thing only in a more extreme form.

The only real mystery is why the Scottish Conservatives do not provide any real opposition from free market, conservative or libertarian perspectives.

Mr Monteith's conclusion that the centre right in Scottish politics requires a realignment is indisputable. Only then can we have intelligent debate and a choice between alternatives.

Otto Inglis

Inveralmond Grove,

Crammond, Edinburgh

WE ARE asked by Ewan Crawford (26 April) if we really need to be told the raison d'etre of the SNP. Answer: "Yes."

They have gone out of their way not to mention the one sure vote loser and hope that Scots will sleepwalk into breaking up the UK.

We are asked by Gavin Corbett (26 April) to believe that a Break-Up Britain referendum will put the matter to bed for the "foreseeable future".

The morning after the SNP lose the first referendum, preparations for the next, and the next, will already be in place.

Alexander McKay

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh