Scot free
Sir: In last week’s piece on the SNP, Fraser Nelson was critical of the Covid scenario in which ‘civil servants were enlisted in the SNP secret state’ (‘The Covid clan’, 27 January). Fraser makes comparisons with Whitehall but fails to ask the obvious question: is the Scottish model preferable, where the civil service and state media join a ‘mafia’ run by elected politicians? Or is Westminster governance since 2010 better, where the elected government pontificates and the civil service, quangocracy and state media continue to do what they like?
Now Nicola Sturgeon has time on her hands, perhaps she can hire herself out as a consultant to Rishi Sunak on the subject of Taking Back Control.
Richard North
Hayling Island
The quickest route
Sir: Your leading article (‘Europe’s feebleness’, 27 January) misses the main point regarding the government’s dealing with the Houthis. If one really wants to stop the Houthis’ action, then the quickest and most cost-effective way would be to declare the Red Sea a war zone to commercial shipping, and allow the insurance rates to rise accordingly so that ships divert around the Cape of Good Hope.
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