Nicola Sturgeon, in calling for a second independence referendum, should have reflected on a number of sayings in common use such as "be careful what you wish for", "the law of unintended consequences" and "the operation was a technical success but the patient died".

A majority of the UK electorate voted to leave the EU, their decision based on half truths and dubious claims and assertions.

The consequences of the Brexit vote, which we are all seeing right now, are, among other things, a devalued pound, the increasing cost of fuel and food and much uncertainty and confusion about the future economic prospects for the UK.

Should a second referendum take place within the next 18 to 24 months, as Nicola Sturgeon wishes, this would happen before the full outcome of the Brexit negotiations is available. In which case the electorate of Scotland would be asked to cast their votes on the basis of incomplete information.

Nicola Sturgeon and her MPs refer to the "abyss" of Brexit. She chooses to ignore, because of her independence-at-all-costs tunnel vision, the potential abyss that would await Scotland and its people.

She chooses to ignore harsh economic and fiscal reality while plugging her desire to remain in the EU.

Brussels will make demands of an independent Scotland which would make a mockery of independence. Sturgeon would merely be substituting Brussels for Westminster.

As for her fixation for remaining in the EU single market, Sturgeon has withheld from the Scottish people the real facts about Scotland's trade with the rest of the EU. She consistently refuses to recognise and admit that the rest of the UK is Scotland's biggest trading partner, with the value of exports, without tariffs and trade barriers, to the rest of the UK four times that of exports to the EU.

Only nine per cent of Scotland's trade is with the EU, while 44 per cent is with the rest of the UK. If she is genuinely concerned for the future well being of this nation and its people, she should let us have all the bare, hard facts, unmodified and unadulterated - not distorted and twisted by the SNP spin machine purely for its own narrow nationalistic ends.

Stuart Smith,

Helensburgh

I write to introduce myself as an independent candidate in the Lomond North ward at the forthcoming Argyll and Bute Council elections.

I am 52 years old, grew up in Helensburgh and was educated at Hermitage Primary, Hermitage Academy and Durham University. I am an archaeologist and run a consulting and contracting practice.

I moved to Rhu in 2000. I am actively engaged in the community and have been a member of Rhu and Shandon Community Council since 2011 and I am currently chair of the Friends of Hermitage Park, having been a trustee since 2013.

I was the secretary and finally co-chair of Rhu and Shandon Gala 2010-2015; press officer, vice president and secretary of Helensburgh Dog Club 2006-2016; and produced the Helensburgh Theatre Arts pantomime from 2000-2012. I enjoy all of these activities and being able to contribute something to the community.

I am not a card carrying member of any political party and believe party politics should really have no place in local government, where decisions should be made solely in the best interests of residents.

I think Argyll and Bute Council requires some fresh thinking and a change in direction to better enable it to meet the needs and aspirations of residents.

With ever diminishing resources, new and supportive relationships between the council and residents must be encouraged and true partnership working developed to help deliver and improve the services we need.

There are many volunteers doing sterling work in our communities but all too often the willing and able ‘doers’ amongst us are discouraged and failed by an expensive, time-consuming bureaucracy which often appears to lack common sense.

I am sure it would be a frustrating task at times, trying to cut through the red tape and improve the council’s delivery of the basic services and find innovative solutions to the budget cuts.

I believe some new blood, fresh ideas and enthusiasm would benefit the council. I promise I would work hard on behalf of the residents of the Lomond North ward to try and improve services and find new ways of collaboration to all our benefit.

I would be honoured to represent the people of Lomond North and hope to meet many of you over the next few weeks. I will not be bombarding you with leaflets but I hope you will consider voting for me on 4 May.

Fiona Baker,

Station Road, Rhu

Monday, March 20 was the International Day of Happiness - but I wished that it had come a week earlier.

I wakened early on the morning of March 13 enjoying the nice sunny weather; feeling that spring was just round the corner; that we Scots were enjoying sharing each other’s company, as in La La Land. Even Brexit seemed a long way off, making no demands on mind or body.

By lunchtime tranquility and happiness were shattered. Indyref2 was back - invigorated, pumped-up, bold, determined, and confident with a hint of arrogance.

The Fourth Estate opened the champagne; broadcasters jumped for joy; journalist grabbed their tablets; and columnists had at last something to write about.

Already their pontifications are wearing me down. Every few hours yet another professor is pulled out of the hat to regurgitate their thesis.

On Saturday I immensely enjoyed Jenna Watt’s outstanding production of Faslane at the Cove Burgh Hall. Most of the large and positive audience stayed to participate in a discussion. But I felt that the left side of by brain was already overworked.

Please Lord, not another two years of bluster and debate on the merits or otherwise of being in or out of the UK, the EU, or even the Single Market.

Finlay Craig,

Shore Road, Cove

Scotland is at a crossroads. It hasn't voted Tory in 60 years but we have a Tory Prime Minister who will even drag Scotland out of the European single market despite a clear majority in Scotland voting to Remain in the EU - 62 per cent, or a majority of 24 per cent compared to the less than 4 fer cent that takes the whole of the UK out of the EU.

Whilst the UK as a whole may have voted to leave the EU, it is questionable it voted to leave the single market, since so many arguments by the Leave campaign were based on retaining that membership.

Even now, Tory support is no better than the lowest point of Margaret Thatcher's premiership.

Yet the Tories act as if they can do what they like to Scotland and Scotland will meekly accept it.

There are many reasons Scotland hasn't voted Tory in that time and all come back to Scotland rejecting the policies of the Tory party being imposed on us: the poll tax, the bedroom tax, the wholesale closures of industry, to name but a few.

Scotland will have a choice on whether it wants to be an independent country or not. But the question will be more than just 'Do you want Scotland to be an independent country?'

It will also be 'If you could never vote to have a Tory government for just five years, why vote No to have Tory governments Scotland doesn't elect for decades to come?'

Bill Wallace

Wyndford Road, Glasgow

I'm wwriting to encourage your readers to join thousands across Scotland and be part of the world’s biggest environmental campaign, Earth Hour, this Saturday, March 25.

WWF’s Earth Hour is a simple idea that’s become a global phenomenon, with hundreds of millions of people turning off their lights to show they want action on the threat posed to people and the natural world by climate change.

In 2016, the event spanned 178 countries with the lights going out on a thousand iconic landmarks from the Eiffel Tower to Sydney Opera House.

More than a hundred Scottish landmarks, including Edinburgh Castle, Eilean Donan and the Kelpies, went dark whilst more than a million individual actions were taken globally to change climate change.

This year Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, March 25 at 8.30pm and we’re asking local communities – be that your school, workplace, street, village, pub or club - to sign up at wwfscotland.org.uk/earthhour and think about holding their own Earth Hour event.

Events are being held across Scotland from ranger-guided walks and acoustic music nights to religious services and family fairs.

Visit our website to see events being held by groups across Scotland and put yours on our Earth Hour map.

Make your Earth Hour matter by bringing your community together on Saturday, March 25 to change climate change.

Lang Banks,

Director of WWF Scotland