MY Mondays are quite often enlivened by reading David Torrance's column because, very often, part of the fun is trying to work out just how far his tongue is embedded in his cheek.

Today, however, I actually felt moved to respond to him seriously because of what I think is a misunderstanding on his part. He says that Edinburgh councillor Frank Ross was showing “existential nationalism” when he made the “extraordinary assertion” that Scottish Unionist parties didn't exist (“United kingdom? The people are more divided than ever”, The Herald, April 17). I know nothing of Councillor Ross's private views, but I don't think what he was reported as saying was evidence of his engaging in ontology at all. I'm fairly prepared to be convinced that he does believe those parties exist. My reading of his remarks, however, is that he was arguing they are “ not Scottish” in the quite specific sense they are not headquartered in Scotland. In the SNP councillor's interpretation of this situation he follows, in a spirit – however improbable – of cross-party unity, the former Labour leader Johann Lamont. She memorably confirmed that “Scottish” Labour was a branch office. And of course the leading Tory, Murdo Fraser, when he stood as a candidate to lead the “Scottish” Conservative and Unionist Party based at least part of his campaign on his wish to have the HQ of Scottish Toryism actually based in Scotland. This approach led in that horribly divisive election, as I remember, to the propelling forward by the Scottish Tory establishment of the inexperienced Ruth Davidson to thwart his cunning plan. Recently, such following – in the rape clause controversy – of the Central Office line may not have continued to help Ms Davidson.

The councillor's point was not existential. It was organisational. Its validity is plain to see. Like Homer, even Mr Torrance may nod. He should not be disheartened, though. It surely can't be every Monday he's compared to Homer?

Professor Ian Brown,

34 Dalmeny Avenue, Giffnock.

DAVID Torrance claims that the comment by Councillor Frank Ross that the three brands of "Scottish " Unionist parties don't actually exist is "an extraordinary assertion".

The “Scottish” Labour, “Scottish” Conservative and “Scottish” Liberal Democrat parties are not registered as separate parties with the Electoral Commission.

The SNP and the Scottish Green Party are registered as political parties.

The leader of the Labour Party is Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May is the leader of the Conservative Party; both for the whole of the UK

If David Torrance is so sure that there are indeed separate Scottish Unionist parties, perhaps he could produce a membership card with the title of these "Scottish" Unionist parties in the text.

Willie Douglas,

252 Nether Auldhouse Road, Glasgow,

IT is hardly ground-breaking news from David Torrance that Unionist attitudes to the First Minister and the prospect of another independence referendum are "vitriolic". Mr Torrance concedes that the rape clause "is undoubtedly a nasty piece of policy-making" but suggests that it won't have a demonstrable impact on voting intentions at the Council elections next month. The point is that the rape clause has illuminated the Conservative party in all its true blue nastiness, and that lurking beneath Ruth Davidson's cheery facade is iyet another Toom Tabard "empty coat" Scottish leader who will always jump when the boss in London cracks the whip.

Meanwhile, Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser clearly has no interest in the impact local government has on all our lives when he advises the electorate to "back anyone but the SNP" at the council elections. One can only presume that Mr Fraser is delighted with the record of Labour-run councils, and has fond memories of campaigning alongside Labour and the Liberal Democrats during the 2014 No Campaign. Mr Fraser will no doubt be hoping that his smoke-and-mirrors intervention will distract the electoral audience from Ms Davidson exposing herself as just another stony-faced Tory politician, but it is not so much what Mr Fraser has said but what he has not said that leaps to the eye. Where is the apology to the 62 per cent of Scots voters who voted to stay in the EU and who now face being dragged out by a Tory Government which has no mandate in Scotland? And the fact that every Scottish local authority area voted to remain in Europe might be a point on which Mr Fraser may wish to ponder.

Ruth Marr,

99 Grampian Road,

Stirling.