Replacing the Trident nuclear deterrent would cost, by some estimates, £100 billion.

This is a tremendous waste of money for an weapon that will never be used.

Labour are adamant that renewal will go ahead and the SNP that it won't, if they have anything to do with it. But this shouldn't stop them forming a pact for government after the election.

They can let the decision wither on the vine by not put the issue to a vote in parliament.

This would save face for Ed Miliband, give the British people a £100 billion reprieve from austerity and allow the existing submarines to age into decommissioning.

Geoff Naylor

By email

REPLACING the Trident nuclear deterrent would cost, by some estimates, £100 billion.

This is a tremendous waste of money for a weapon that will never be used.

Labour are adamant that renewal will go ahead and the SNP that it won't, if they have anything to do with it. But this shouldn't stop them forming a pact for government after the election.

They can let the decision wither on the vine by not put the issue to a vote in parliament.

This would save face for Ed Miliband, give the British people a £100 billion reprieve from austerity and allow the existing submarines to age into decommissioning.

Geoff Naylor

By email

Bow out Blair

WHAT a nerve, Tony Blair, as reported in the Evening Times on Wednesday, that the referendum last September was a "near-death experience" for the UK.

He has a short memory as he and George Bush gave the order to invade Iraq, causing millions of deaths, both in Iraq and the Middle East, and here in the UK and the US.

Why does he not bow out and keep his thoughts and words to himself? I am quite sure that Labour Party supporters are not going to be overjoyed with his involvement in the present electioneering campaign.

Terry Lavelle

By email

Public not politicians

THE threat by David Cameron that he would not sanction a second independence referendum demonstrates mind blowing arrogance.

It is not a decision for Mr Cameron or any politician to make, but a decision to be made by the Scottish people.

Should the SNP include it in its manifesto for the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections and win that election then so be it.

This arrogance from the Mr Cameron, whose party boasts 1 MP in Scotland, belies a more wider malaise and why people are so apathetic about politics.

Alex Orr

By email

No health postcode

I WAS heartened to read about Jean MacDonald, who got her money back from Glasgow's health board after she was forced to pay £38,000 for cancer treatment.

This was despite the fact that patients in Edinburgh were able to get it free of charge.

We all know that the NHS is not a bottomless pit of money but it is not acceptable for care to be dependent on your postcode.

D.Campbell

Govan