QUESTION Time was yet another farce from the BBC. The amount of information out there which is just untrue is unbelievable. People’s hatred of independence makes them hate everything that our government does. If ever there needed to be a campaign for independence not run by the SNP it’s now. The knowledge that Scotland, even with its hands tied, is doing very well is sorely needed.

Why Fiona Hyslop did not defend more of the points thrown at her I’m not sure. Michael Forsyth starting off by comparing the audience division as a reason not to have another referendum. Well of course the audience will be divided – the BBC is meant to make sure it’s balanced. So even if 80% of population thought a certain way, the BBC would still try to split it 50/50. Although from the looks of it last night the balance from the BBC was ever so slightly off! Three times on QT for the Ukip guy – three times!

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A lady complaining about roads, schools, NHS, rail etc. Again, why was this not defended? In comparison to rUK these are either doing better or on par. The increase in spending on NHS England – why oh why did Fiona not jump on that one? The only reason they can increase the percentage more than Scotland is because it’s so low to start with, and it’s still lower than Scotland per head.

The guy complaining that all the SNP do is talk about independence – again, why was that not challenged? The Tories talk about independence more than the SNP!

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Fiona did manage to make one point in regards to why we need another referendum (because we were told “say No to remain in the EU”), but again so much more could have been made of that. So many of the promises have turned out to be lies – she should have been able to rhyme off a huge list of all the lies and false promises, not only from the Yes/No choice, but also the Leave/Remain campaign, not to mention the illegality of the Leave campaign.

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She could have made much better points on the border topic, points about social security payments, points about Scotland getting into the EU etc etc. So much more could and should have been said.

Thoroughly dismal performance from the BBC, and unfortunately the only panel member who should have known better and stand up for Scotland.

Kenneth Sutherland
Livingston

AS someone who had all but given up watching BBC Question Time, I noticed this week’s broadcast was from Motherwell so I tuned in to give it another go.

The line-up was Fiona Hyslop from the Scottish Government, Tory peer and Brexit supporter Lord Forsyth, a Labour MP who is shadow Treasury spokesperson (I had never heard of her), and Times journalist Hugo Rifkind (during debate he referred to himself as a committed Unionist).

As an MP in 1977 Michael Forsyth was rejected by the voters, but he is repeatedly invited onto political programmes by both the BBC and STV.

During the opening question on Brexit, Fiona Bruce allowed a gentleman to rant on for almost two minutes about the SNP and his views on our independence referendum.

So yet again the panel does not accurately reflect the voting pattern when it comes to Scotland.

The fifth member on the panel was a Scottish supermodel and campaigner. She was eventually invited to speak 17 minutes into the programme, and to be fair as regards our constitution issue said she was sympathetic to Scots deciding their own future politically.

There really needs to be a measure of fairness when selecting the panel.

John Macleod
Milngavie

SITTING at Silverknowes, Edinburgh. It’s blowing a hooley out on the Forth. BBCQT from Motherwell performed as expected and we play Ireland today, so all in all the usual quiet days, just like every day in the run-up to Brexit. And how could I forget another (alleged) sex scandal in Westminster?

Surely we all wonder just how many times PM May can hear the words no, non and nein and not listen? But then she doesn’t need to, since her lackeys – more intent on keeping the Tory party together and Labour divided and out of power – tell her what she wants to hear; keep going, the EU will blink first, accompanied by subliminal sounds of chickens clucking.

It was truly heartening then to hear of the “Beyond Brexit” meeting taking place in Belfast – cross-party, cross-border, and across the population – which acknowledged the social-economic landscape was more amenable to discussions around the possibilities of a united Ireland. Reinvigorating that debate there seems to be advancing. A small step perhaps, hopefully not a one-off: reaching out to audiences offering more than politicians and their politics.

I don’t think we’ve been able to emulate that here recently.

Our meetings, at least the ones I have been to, have become openly polarised, resulting in the recognised “echo chambers”.

Will it take the end date in March, with or without a deal, to invigorate and energise Scotland? Are we, as pro-indy, ready and prepared to make the case for an indy Scotland, post-Brexit? After all, the case for indy Scotland post-Brexit can’t be the same case it was in 2014, irrespective of the obviously: we lost!

Or perhaps there is some Baldrick-like “cunning plan” waiting in the wings that will kick in on April 1, assuming there is no delay? Otherwise, I fear that all the negativity, double dealing and scrabbling for power and position post-Brexit in rUK, with the two major parties, will damage our progression to independence.

Wait, the sun’s out, there’s even a rainbow over Granton! Maybe sunshine on Leith? Should I take that as a good sign then?

Selma Rahman
Edinburgh