GR Weir (Letters, January 4) lightly skips over the very reason why federalism is an absolute no-no when he casually remarks "everything except foreign affairs, defence and macro economics should go to the national parliament of the UK”.

This means we will still have the sickening spectacle of young men dying in faraway wars fought by unscrupulous politicians in the interest of Big Oil and the American empire. Yet again the unemployed will still serve as cannon fodder, again another Rose Gentile mourn the death of her son Gordon. Britain continues to clutch at the remnants of imperial glory as she turns her back on Europe and "takes back control” – and we will pay the price.

Above all, we will still have Trident imposed on us, against the wishes of parliament, churches, trades unions and all civic society. This, the ultimate symbol of British hubris, will be with us forever – or until it is actually used, and its curtains for all of us.

The essence of independence is the control of the – literally – life and death matter of war and peace. Thus is determined by Westminster, whose diktat is imposed upon us.

That is why independence is not merely politically desirable, but morally essential. It is the only way to escape British nuclear idolatry.

Only an independent nuclear-free Scotland with a written constitution banning nuclear weapons from our land and waters, can join the 122 members of the United Nations and support the global treaty agreed on July 7 last year.

Brian M Quail,

2 Hyndland Avenue, Glasgow.

ONCE again we see federalism trotted out as the answer to the UK's many democratic deficiencies (Letters, January 4). Shiny new parliaments for each of the home countries with responsibility for defence, foreign affairs and macro economics reserved to Westminster with the supporters of independence mollified and even Ireland relinquishing its current republican nonsense and returning to the fold.

There's a good old Scottish term that covers this – "aye, right".

This idea would keep Trident on the Clyde, endangering almost half the population of Scotland in the interests of British and US capitalism. As a member of the SNP, I personally would bitterly oppose such a plan and, although I cannot speak for the Irish people, the notion that they would cheerfully accept the sovereignty of the House of Windsor once again suggests another good Scottish phrase – "'I hae ma doots".

The only answer for our proud wee land is to be a sovereign nation free of what GR Weir correctly terms the "Ruritarian UK constitution". History teaches us that the British hierarchy surrender power very reluctantly and that leaving any vestige of sovereignty in their hands would be a huge mistake.

David C Purdie,

12 Mayburn Vale, Loanhead, Midlothian.

IT is scarcely surprising that Dr Gerald Edwards (Letters Jan 4) has such a pessimistic view of Scotland's future if he relies on newspaper headlines to inform his opinions. The consistent fashion in which the achievements of the Scottish Government are debased by the media would lead any neutral observer to conclude that our nation was in terminal decline.

That is not the case. In education we have unprecedented numbers attaining sixth year and our universities continue to afford excellence of opportunity without the crippling costs of fees. Our NHS performs far better than the semi-privatised system inflicted on our kinfolk south of the Border. Our shipbuilding tradition has been sustained by Government investment and support for Greenock and our world leadership in green energy continues to dominate international ambitions. Just a few of the achievements of governance in Scotland by Scots with one hand tied behind their back by Westminster.

Of course there have been mistakes and things that have gone wrong and these provide the easy headlines upon which Dr Edwards bases his case. The reality is that despite the constitutional turmoil created by Brexit and the urgent need for Scots to protect their wish to remain in the EU, the Scottish Government is performing its day job very well which is very much more than can be said for the current incompetents at Whitehall.

KM Campbell,

Bank House, Doune.

IAN Thomson (Letters, January 4) bemoans the hypocrisy of Labour leaders who storm against the affront to democracy which is the House of Lords but who grab a peerage for themselves as soon as it's on offer. He wishes (in vain) that Labour would adopt a policy of making no more nominations "at least until substantive reform was introduced".

The SNP has a policy of making no nominations to the House of Lords under any conditions and indeed any SNP member who accepts a peerage for whatever reason must resign from the party forthwith.

Mary McCabe,

25 Circus Drive, Glasgow.

REGARDING John Dunlop's letter (January 4) on the number of Scottish local authorities, in 2007, incoming First Minister Alex Salmond, faced with nine departments, 27 agencies, 32 councils and 152 quangos, said: "If you are going to have joined-up government you need fewer bits to join up".

I even gave one of my regional votes to the SNP in the belief that, after 10 years of devolved stasis, it was serious about reforming our public sector, show how it could transform Scotland and give us evidence that we would be better off independent.

Mr Salmond picked the easiest one, police, probably because a team had been working on this for several years and policemen are more likely to follow orders.

But with 11 "don't scare the horses" council, Holyrood, UK, EU elections and two referendums in prospect he and Nicola Sturgeon backed off fundamental reform of other public services.

I was involved in a project to share the IT services of several west of Scotland councils six years ago which was shelved because of union, political and management resistance and, I suspect, because the system proposed came from England, albeit managed by a Scottish company. An attempt to rationalise NHS Scotland's 30 spreadsheet-based HR systems was similarly fought off for a number of years.

So now we are hampered both by low productivity-fuelled inefficiency and desperate corner and cost-cutting "reforms" reminiscent of a trapped animal gnawing off its own leg. The trap being an obsession with independence.

Allan Sutherland,

1 Willow Row, Stonehaven.