10 MARCH 1973, Page 27

The by-elections

Sir: A third force may be emerging in English politics. This may be the lesson to be learned from last week's by-elections. Scotland, however, is in a different position.

At Dundee East there was an exceptionally able Liberal candidate. His campaign was well supported. Mr Thorpe addressed a meeting on his behalf, attended by

many hundreds of Dundee's voters. Despite this, the Liberal lost his deposit.

At Chester-le-Street the Liberal candidate won 38.6 per cent of the votes cast, starting from nowhere.

At Dundee East one third of the Scottish electorate voted for the party that puts Scotland first, that stands for an independent separate Scotland dreeing its own weird. This is, I think, the significance of the Dundee 1.asL Winifred M. Ewing Vice-President Scottish National Party, 52 Queen's Drive, Glasgow