The performance of the SNP in government continues to be put under the spotlight, with Kevin McKenna penning a hard-hitting column yesterday.
Today one of our readers pens a response.
Mary Thomas of Edinburgh writes: "Although the SNP has made several mistakes during its 17 years in government, its performance on health, education, transport, housebuilding and more stands up very well when compared to the previous Scottish Lib/Lab Executive or with the current Labour devolved government in Wales while independence remains the only real change open to Scotland.
"The quirky first post the post voting system means that Labour with 33 per cent of the UK vote is triumphant, and the SNP on 30% of the Scottish vote is humiliated, but it masks the fact that around 50% of voters in Scotland believe independence is the only way in which we can match the prosperity and quality of life enjoyed in Denmark, Finland, Ireland and Norway, as devolution without full fiscal powers cannot resolve the cost of living crisis or UK-wide poverty, yet many blame Holyrood, rather than Westminster which is the root cause of austerity and lack of economic growth.
"The fact that Labour is not supporting any democratic route to self-government is no reason to give up. John Swinney is well-liked and a safe pair of hands but the SNP needs a Kamala Harris-type figure to re-energise the party and inspire Scotland going into 2026.
"It’s not too late for a Kate Forbes/Stephen Flynn fresh-faced ticket with plenty of new ideas and strategies to show that Scotland, with our vast energy resources and balance of trade surplus, would be better off as an independent nation, particularly within the EU or EFTA."
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