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Starmer is wrong on his Union stance

After last Friday court ruling that Matt Hancock broke the law by not disclosing billions in pandemic contracts to Tory cronies, Monica Lennon called for Hancock's resignation but Sir Keir Starmer has been silent.

Tory sleaze is well documented. In December, the New York Times laid bare the breathtaking corruption of the “VIP fast lane” for a select few Tory-connected companies who reaped over £11b in Covid non-bid contracts.

The British Medical Journal blasted UK government appointees for cherry-picking the science and indulging in “anti-competitive practices that favour their own products and those of friends and associates.”

Editor Kamran Abbasi said “When good science is suppressed, people die.” As a result of UK government corruption, arrogance and rank incompetence, the country has suffered over 120,000 Covid deaths, one of the world’s worst rates.

Boris Johnson’s hard Brexit is inflicting huge economic pain on an economy reeling from the pandemic. Meanwhile, Sir Keir has banned criticism of the execrable deal he whipped his MPs to vote for, fearing backlash from former ‘Red Wall’ Labour voters. His flaccid solution for ‘saving the Union’ is to wave the Union flag more vigorously.

If Scottish Labour is to have any chance at revival from its moribund state, it must break from its English masters and back the people’s right to leave this failing Union and choose their own government.

Leah Gunn Barrett, Merchiston Crescent, Edinburgh.

Tory election leaflet leaves indyrey on

I was struck by a leaflet from the Scottish Conservatives that popped through the door. This noted that they were the only party able to stop the SNP gaining a majority of seats at the forthcoming Scottish Parliament elections, thereby preventing the holding of another independence referendum.

Clearly for those independence supporters there is welcome acknowledgement here that should the SNP win a majority, there will be another referendum, which is pleasing to note.

It is disappointing, however, that beyond this the Tories have nothing to say on key issues such as education, health and employment.

Given this, it would more than a little hypocritical that should the SNP gain a majority, the Scottish Tories given these statements then turn round and oppose the holding of such a vote.

Alex Orr, Marchmont Road, Edinburgh.

Salmond evidence should be open to see

The claims and counter claims in the Salmond Inquiry go on and on. Wouldn’t it be simpler if the Inquiry were able to continue with all available evidence before it?

Ms Sturgeon says she looks forward to refuting Salmond’s claims against her. If his evidence is as inadequate as she suggests, why is her government at pains to suppress it? Why not let it be presented and then she can show it up for the nonsense that it is? According to her.

Jill Stephenson, Glenlockhart Valley, Edinburgh.

Missing message

In my opinion piece (News, February 22) I incorrectly stated that Cllr Kate Campbell had not mentioned that a rent freeze had been agreed in a letter she wrote to a voter shortly after the council meeting.

I was incorrect in this and now see that she did mention the rent freeze at the end of paragraph 12 of her 13 paragraph email.

Cllr Iain Whyte, Conservative Group Leader, City of Edinburgh Council