Readers' letters: Church of Scotland should take lead on road to independence

My church has just welcomed two other local congregations into its community. That is three congregations in all that have joined us and must mean that the Church of Scotland membership is diminishing like snow off a dyke.

When you consider that St Giles’ is already given over to the care of Historic Environment Scotland, there is an air of constant decline. If it goes on, the General Assembly will only need a church hall for their meetings, even a large pub would do if it gets much worse.

So why is this happening?

I believe that it is because we have lost all hope of leadership and guidance from our Church leaders. We are the Church of Scotland. Why is our Church not demanding a Scottish Government in complete charge of our country?

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland meets last year

“We favour ‘reconciliation’,” I was told by one minister. He meant “lie down and lick Westminster’s boots”.

A majority of Scots no longer wish to do that. We have a parliament. We want to vote for Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour, Scottish Greens, Scottish parties that know Scotland’s needs and can govern Scotland. We have rich resources. We have a well-educated workforce. Why do we not have a Scottish Church that will lead the way to self-government?

If the Church of Scotland continues to sit on the fence it will be seen as an uncaring frivolity. Scotland cares and its Church should support and lead its members as they used to.

Otherwise it will find that it is left with a Central Office in George Street and a hotel in Israel, both haunted by the furious ghost of John Knox.

Elizabeth Scott, Edinburgh

Scotland’s ‘B’ team

There will be no “independence” from the UK for Scotland. Economically, administratively, defensively and politically it could only be an absolute disaster. And judging by the withdrawal of most of the key figures from the present SNP administration, they must consider that to be the case too.

The replacements initially for Alex Salmond a few years ago, and now Sturgeon and Swinney et al are hardly inspiring and most likely doomed to failure before they even start. Let’s face it, most of them have already held fairly senior positions in earlier administrations, and have failed to shine. And as for the SNP having to rely on the Green Party to have a majority in Parliament – just how farcical is that? The Greens have not been elected by the voters.

The whole concept of a Scottish Executive, as envisaged by its Labour/Liberal founding fathers, should have led to improvements in regional government, but the growth and influence of the SNP with its narrow political views, has resulted in unacceptably inefficient standards in Scotland's administration.

The fiasco at Holyrood simply cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely – if the so-called Scottish Government is unable to make major improvements within all aspects of the administration, then the experiment of an Executive in Scotland should be abandoned, and all governmental powers returned to Westminster.

Robert IG Scott, Ceres, Fife

It wisnae me!

First Minister Humza Yousaf may have criticised the governance of the SNP under Nicola Sturgeon (Scotsman, 7 April) and promised a review so that improvements can be made.

However, as a politician holding senior