In the 50 page document 'Scotland's Place in Europe' (2016), the First Minister and her government said "we are in an unprecedented position", but is this true?

In 1989, Conservative Ted Heath pointed to the then European Parliament elections saying "the majority of people in Britain are unequivocal about our position in the European Community" and added "they realise there is no alternative to membership, there can be no turning back".

Following on to Mrs Thatcher, David Cameron et al, we now hear Conservative PM Mrs May state on behalf of the British people: "We are leaving the EU, there can be no turning back."

Latterly, Mrs Thatcher was an EU sceptic, pointing to the accumulation of more and more powers by European institutions to overrule national wishes and interests.

A familiar refrain today? She proposed alternative trade agreements with the European Free Trade Areas and the European Economic Area, which is now an SNP position?

I believe Mrs Thatcher had an overly pessimistic and suspicious view of Europe. It was, she said, a "moment to the vanity of intellectuals, a project whose inevitable destiny is failure".

And who has not heard such arguments today?

Given these facts, how can the Scottish Government claim we are in an unprecedented position?

The European issue has been at the heart of British society for at least 40 years. Political leadership is about finding solutions, says the First Minister, and with a snap general Election in the offing, I believe the SNP will be hard put to extricate itself from the policy "all roads lead to independence".

Andy Wilson

Kelty