SIR, The scenario is a supermarket car park in the Borders. Two prominent politicians greet each other.

'Hello Mikey haven’t seen you since the referendum, how are things going?’ 'Not bad Jonny I’m keeping busy with the general election coming up.’ 'Yes Mikey I had noticed that you were sending out election newspapers nearly every fortnight. It is very disappointing that after all the cooperation we had in the referendum campaign that you are now showing some hostility to the party that you have allied with for over four years.’ 'Well Jonny I enjoyed working with your people as we have so much in common. We support the bedroom tax, renewing Trident and the austerity measures that your Tory party hold so dear, I appreciated that cabinet post that I held prior to being replaced but now I have to convince the electorate that I’m my own man and you must have seen my newspapers and leaflets very similar to yours going out very regularly. Obviously I have to try to show differences between us.’ 'I worry Mikey if this personal approach is going to work. All the photos in all our leaflets doing so many things like restoring garden waste collection might bore voters. Should we not concentrate on the promises our leaders gave or even try to explain what the Smith Report was supposed to be and why no one talks about it any more?’ 'As far as I’m concerned Jonny I have to attack your party as the opinion polls have my LibDems at an all time low. I hope we are not going to fall out but I don’t appreciate you identifying the nationalists as the main opposition to the Tories.’ 'All is fair in politics Mikey and when it comes down to it I want to be elected even if it’s a case of who is the more popular nice guy.’ 'Well if I am elected Jonny and your party needs another coalition it will just be like the old referendum cooperation again and my party will be glad to do it. See you at the hustings!’ I am, etc.

Derek Philips Clovenfords SIR, The scenario is a supermarket car park in the Borders. Two prominent politicians greet each other.

'Hello Mikey haven’t seen you since the referendum, how are things going?’ 'Not bad Jonny I’m keeping busy with the general election coming up.’ 'Yes Mikey I had noticed that you were sending out election newspapers nearly every fortnight. It is very disappointing that after all the cooperation we had in the referendum campaign that you are now showing some hostility to the party that you have allied with for over four years.’ 'Well Jonny I enjoyed working with your people as we have so much in common. We support the bedroom tax, renewing Trident and the austerity measures that your Tory party hold so dear, I appreciated that cabinet post that I held prior to being replaced but now I have to convince the electorate that I’m my own man and you must have seen my newspapers and leaflets very similar to yours going out very regularly. Obviously I have to try to show differences between us.’ 'I worry Mikey if this personal approach is going to work. All the photos in all our leaflets doing so many things like restoring garden waste collection might bore voters. Should we not concentrate on the promises our leaders gave or even try to explain what the Smith Report was supposed to be and why no one talks about it any more?’ 'As far as I’m concerned Jonny I have to attack your party as the opinion polls have my LibDems at an all time low. I hope we are not going to fall out but I don’t appreciate you identifying the nationalists as the main opposition to the Tories.’ 'All is fair in politics Mikey and when it comes down to it I want to be elected even if it’s a case of who is the more popular nice guy.’ 'Well if I am elected Jonny and your party needs another coalition it will just be like the old referendum cooperation again and my party will be glad to do it. See you at the hustings!’ I am, etc.

Derek Philips Clovenfords