Sir, - At last I am undone, free from the constitutional corset that restricts people who wish to stray from the party line.

I have resigned from the SNP and returned my membership card, with a wee note (after all the card belongs to them).

This action saddens me greatly, for I have supported the party all my adult life, as I followed my father’s footsteps. The results of the election for Westminster were fantastic, and how I wished that my father had lived to see it. But our success does not hide the flaws, to my mind, that persist unabated.

The policy on renewable energy, on and off shore wind turbines. The ‘green crusade’. The overruling of local democratically elected councils who voted against the proliferation of so called ‘wind farms’ to the detriment of our landscapes and quality of life.

Recognised wildlife charities having to seek justice through the courts to prevent irreparable damage to the wildlife habitats offshore (The Firth of Forth and Tay).

The reaction of the Scottish Government to the cancellation of subsidies, the fuel that fires the rash of energy companies in our wee country.

The lucrative trail they jostle to get on, part funded by our fuel bills (pensioners included, plus VAT).

Now the threat of fracking looms, as if our environment hasn’t suffered enough. Oh, yes, I know there is a moratorium on applications, as the word implies it is not permanent. In fact you could be forgiven for thinking it was a masterstroke, for it kicked the subject into the long grass, at the last election.

I predict it will remain till after the coming MSP election. After all as the Minister for Energy said on a TV interview: “I am a lawyer you know”. Can he resist the pressure of investors, jostling to get on the new lucrative trail, hundreds of millions of pounds.

The coming together of Rolls Royce and the Weir group, to design and produce more efficient drills and pumps, for fracking (as reported in the financial columns of a national newspaper).

But the final straw for me is the emergence of cyber nats, the treatment meted out to Charles Kennedy, prior to his death. |The response from the SNP.

The tipping point for me was having to vote for our candidate in the recent election, because I could not waste my vote for the SNP. I felt I had no choice, but were we her third choice?

But now at last I am undone, unfettered, to say what I think is not right. Of course I remain a Nationalist, it is in my blood. But the downside, not in my name. - Yours etc., Bob Cuthbert Alloa How will the money be spent?

Sir, - I read that Clackmannanshire Council is one of seven Scottish Council’s who will be receiving a share of over £11 million from a new Scottish Government fund to improve and tackle inequality in education.

Whilst I welcome any support which will enable all children to improve on their educational attainment I have a niggling concern.

As both Clackmannanshire and Stirling Councils appear to be moving to more joined up working who will monitor and ensure that this ‘extra’ money will be spent within Clackmannanshire schools for the benefit of our children and the staff engaged in the day to day teaching within the classroom? - Yours etc., Teresa McNally Alloa