5 FEBRUARY 1977, Page 15

Sir: Mr Rifkind is wrong in claiming that the SNP

has misled the people of Scotland and the rest of the UK. As a whole the SNP has stayed firm on independence despite one or two people giving a false impression of the party.

Mr Rifkind uses 'independent' and 'separate' together, which is strange. An independent Scotland is separate from the other UK countries as it has its own parliament with all the powers which Mr Rifkind correctly says.

Finally am opposed to people who try to frighten away voters from voting SNP by referring to independence as separatism. It is a despicable trick with which to try and stop the party that really cares for the people in Scotland. In any event separatism is no different from independence except that it looks more frightening. _ Andrew J. T. Kerr 52 Castlegate

Jedburgh, Scotland