Nicola Sturgeon has disregarded the advice of wiser counsels in her own party and has effectively called a referendum. If she genuinely wants voters to be well informed before they vote, she has to rectify the errors and untruths in SNP propaganda. For example, large numbers of her supporters still believe that the UK government would continue to pay pensions to Scots after a separation.

Sturgeon has to make it clear to them that the Scottish government would be responsible for the payment of pensions. At what rate they would be is a moot point. Scotland’s £15bn deficit would make it difficult to pay pensions at current rates once the Barnett formula no longer applied.

The Yes side in 2014 called warnings about pensions in an iScotland “project fear”. In fact, they were project reality. Is it too much to hope that Sturgeon will be honest about this question – and about the many other economic and financial “challenges” that an iScotland would face?

Jill Stephenson Edinburgh

Sturgeon Queen of Scots has lost her head on indyref2

Nicola Sturgeon really should have chosen an outfit of a yellow hue, not salmon pink to launch her absurd bid to overturn the Scots' recently expressed will to remain within the Union, not under the rule of an overblown headmistress at the Holyrood assembly.

The Scottish people currently enjoy huge economic benefits from membership of the world-respected United Kingdom, not least the mingling of Union Flag, Royalty and tartan that fuels their vital tourist industry.

With the Scots economy otherwise dependent on the public sector and external subsidies, once its petticoat tails to Westminster are cut, it will be sunk deeper than Loch Ness.

On Sturgeon's ridiculous terms, the Scottish economy will lose its pipeline of subsidy from London just as its North Sea oil dries up and the shutter comes down on the hand outs from Brussels. She really is in La La Land, not the land of Robert the Bruce and Mary Queen of Scots.

Anthony Rodriguez Staines Upon Thames

A mockery of democracy

Nicola Sturgeon’s Bute House announcement insults our intelligence and makes a mockery of democracy.

She claims a referendum must be held between the autumn of 2018 and spring of the following year to ensure Scotland remains in the European single market. Nonsense – and everyone knows it.

Brussels, followed by one European country after another, has made crystal clear that Scotland leaves the EU's single market along with the rest of the UK in 2019.

Scots are now wholly dependent upon the UK Government to protect us from this onslaught against democracy by the SNP. It is imperative that our will, clearly expressed through the ballot box in September 2014, is respected.

Martin Redfern Edinburgh

New referendum, new name

In view of Nicola Sturgeon's call for a new referendum on Scottish independence, should there be a petition that she change her name to Votie Mac Voteface?

Patrick Cleary ​Honiton

You had your chance

Scotland had a referendum for independence and they chose “NO”. We had a referendum as a United Kingdom to leave the EU and we chose “Leave”. That’s called Democracy.

Will someone kindly tell Nicola Sturgeon that we are too small an island to separate, yet we don’t want to be ruled from Brussels.

Get on with Brexit.

T Sayer Bristol

Theresa May has clearly given in to the craving for power

Nick Clegg makes a straightforward but profound point when he warns Theresa May to be careful how she treats people on the way up, because she may need them on the way down, (Independent, 13 March).

We all know that some politicians crave power just for the sake of it, and others have an honest agenda to make the country better. Some fall somewhere in between. We also know that you need to go into important negotiations with confidence and discipline.

But the fear grows, is this Prime Minister out of her depth, or only interested in holding office, or both? She should reflect carefully because if it all goes wrong she will usher in economic chaos, and the break-up of the UK. The last days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire would be as nothing in comparison. Even David Cameron did not manage that.