Swinney is playing a key role in the downfall of the SNP

The Scottish Greens have always seemed more suited to being a protest group than a party capable of handling the complex tasks of real government. When given the chance they proved beyond all doubt that this was indeed the case.

Meanwhile, the SNP rode the wave of post-referendum populism with Nicola Sturgeon performing as a political illusionist, who ultimately ran out of tricks to keep her audience happy.

After a short period under Humza Yousaf in which he always looked to be managed by events rather than the other way round, we now find ourselves in the John Swinney era. Fortunately for those desperate for more effective government, the SNP marketing of its new First Minister as “honest” and a “safe pair of hands” has quickly been undermined by Mr Swinney’s disdainful attitude to an important and clear-cut decision by a Holyrood standards committee. For good measure he has chosen to do this at the start of an election campaign.

As the SNP once again proves to be its own worst enemy, we must hope that the result emerging after the July 4 vote will indeed prove beyond all doubt that the SNP’s spell has been well and truly broken.

Keith Howell, West Linton.

Thanks, but no thanks

NICOLA Sturgeon has said that she will be on the campaign trail for the General Election and that she would support SNP candidates from "time to time". John Swinney has said that she would be "welcome" and is an "asset" to the SNP. I expect that for the unfortunate candidates she would be about as welcome as King Herod turning up unannounced at a midwifery unit.

David Bone, Girvan.

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Matheson's brass neck

WENDY Alexander had a one-day ban proposed in 2008 by the SNP as a sanction for not declaring leadership campaign donations as gifts on the Parliament's register of interests, despite having been told by parliamentary authorities that there was no need to declare them. To prevent this hanging over her and her party, she resigned.

Henry McLeish, First Minister in 2001, didn’t declare that he had been subletting part of his constituency office in Westminster. He did not benefit personally from this as the money was spent on constituency matters, but he repaid the £36,000 income and resigned.

Michael Matheson makes those two look like kids who stole a sweetie from the jar. He tried to get the taxpayer to pay £11,000 for what was wholly a personal expense. He lied to parliament and although he finally repaid the money, this was covered by the severance payment he received when he stood down as a cabinet minister. He has received the harshest punishment ever meted out at Holyrood ("Holyrood votes to bar MSP Matheson for 27 days", The Herald, May 30) and yet he stays in post. I think all those sitting around him need to be provided with sunglasses to cope with the glare coming off his brass neck.

Jane Lax, Aberlour.

• THERE is not a scintilla of doubt that had the Three Wise Monkeys been in the public gallery to witness the SNP’s corporate abstention, they would have given them a standing ovation.

D Macintyre, Greenock.

Voters will not forget

I WONDER how pleased today the electorate of Falkirk West are to have Michael Matheson as their MSP? Lack of pleasure will be tinged with a distinct feeling of disappointment for some that they do not have the same rights with regard to deselection as those voters who cast their votes for MPs. What is for sure is the fact that the ineptitude of the SNP in handling the iPad data roaming bill episode will have done little for its chances at the General Election in July.

For all the debate associated with the matter, Mr Matheson had no escape from the fact that he sought to have the iPad bill in question paid by the taxpayers. That is surely something which is unlikely to be forgotten by the voters in Falkirk West should the SNP have the temerity to submit Mr Matheson as its candidate for that seat in 2026.

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.

Will Michael Matheson stand again in 2026? (Image: PA)

Bias from the broadcasters

WESTMINSTER is being blocked by ITV in the first leaders’ debate ("SNP hit out as ITV snub party from first televised debate", heraldscotland, May 29). It is widely acknowledged that Stephen Flynn has often led the opposition at Westminster PMQs as Keir Starmer backpedalled on Brexit, Gaza, immigration, NHS privatisation, nuclear energy, Trident, the two-child benefit cap and Waspi women, to name just a few issues. This gives credence to reports that Labour refused to allow the SNP to take part as Mr Flynn would have provided a political left of centre social democrat perspective that Keir Starmer has lost. A flawed Scottish leaders’ debate on devolved matters that excludes the fourth-largest party at Holyrood is no substitute for a place at the top table in a supposed United Kingdom parliamentary election TV debate.

The broadcasters’ biased coverage is further illustrated by this week’s BBC Question Time which includes the BBC’s long-term favourite panellist Nigel Farage, whose party has no MPs, while the SNP is ignored again.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government has been forced to postpone four major announcements, on John Swinney’s Programme for Government, medium-term financial strategy, energy strategy, just transition plan, and oil and gas policy plus new independence papers due to General Election restrictions, but the UK Government can announce policies that affect Scotland during a Scottish election.

“England is the mother of parliaments” (the original quote), but only if you are part of the Establishment, as evidenced by the Speaker refusing to let Diane Abbott speak during a debate about the abuse Ms Abbott suffered and caving into Keir Starmer’s bidding to sabotage the SNP debate on Gaza.

Fraser Grant, Edinburgh.

• JOHN Swinney has protested too much about his exclusion from the leaders debate on television. Given current circumstances Mr Swinney would be letting himself in for a number of embarrassing questions to which he has no credible answers. In an effort to promote his oft-used "Scotland ignored" tactic, Mr Swinney has missed out on the cardinal rule of politics in these tricky situations: Silence is golden. Be careful what you wish for, Mr Swinney.

Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow.

Beware Labour profligacy

MARY Thomas (Letters, May 30) gives a timely warning about the Labour Party. When Labour came to office in 1997, the national debt was a mere £350 billion. When voted out in 2010, after 13 years of spending that gave a false illusion of prosperity, that debt had risen to £900bn.

The Labour government of James Callaghan had to borrow from the International Monetary Fund in 1979, and also left us with 26% inflation, which doubled prices every 30 months.

Be very careful what you vote for.

Malcolm Parkin, Kinross.

VAT is yet another con

I SEE that the Tories and Labour are pledging that there will be no VAT rises.

I was pretty sure (but checked anyway) that VAT was introduced in 1974 as a price for joining the European Union. As such, when we left, it should have reverted to zero or been abolished.

Another con by the major political parties.

Ken Mackay, Glasgow.

Tax pledges not to be believed

BRIAN Wilson ("Why can't we have common sense in the energy debate?", The Herald, May 30) comments on unrealistic greenhouse gas emission targets set by the Scottish Government. I can’t be the only one who thought the same about the A9 dualling target, completion by 2025, back in 2011 when it was first set. A vote-winner then but lack of progress could be a vote-loser now.

In similar vogue, I take current pledges of no tax cuts by the two principal parties with large doses of salt.

Willie Towers, Alford.

It's not all over

OH what a cynical commentary from Denis Bruce (Letters, May 30). Far from the “forlorn photograph” of Mr Bruce’s view, sheer professionalism came to my mind as the PM tackled, head-on, the incessant rain plus the background musical rant. The music was obviously intended to derail him, it did not; and job done, he retired, composure intact.

Well done, Mr Sunak. “All over,” Mr Bruce? We shall see.

Brian D Henderson, Glasgow.