In his analysis of the latest opinion poll (April 6) Professor James Mitchell suggests that the Labour Party has a dilemma - whether to continue attacking the SNP or to stick to the policies. One has to ask - what policies?

Labour's entirely negative election strategy to date has been to denigrate the other parties, in particular the SNP, a tactic well suited to the abrasive debating style of Jack McConnell and Wendy Alexander (or should that be Jack McDonnell and Windy Alexander?) But we have heard nothing yet from them of any inspirational or positive ideas they might have for the next four years. Are they still waiting for Blair and Brown to tell them what they are?

Of course, this may just be a clever ploy. Let all your opponents publish their manifestos first, giving you plenty of time to nit-pick through them and establish negative attitudes in the public mind. And you don't have to worry about any return fire, because the other parties have no targets to aim at.

Unfortunately, the main effect so far seems to have been to make the voters even more apathetic toward politics and all politicians. Your poll reveals that 57% of those questioned either didn't know or wouldn't say who they would be voting for, and only half said they were likely to vote at all. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of support for devolution after Labour's eight years in charge, is it?

Iain A D Mann, 7 Kelvin Court, Glasgow.

It should be no surprise that half the electorate is still undecided about which party to vote for in the Scottish Parliament elections (Election 2007, April 6). It is always difficult to determine how best to use the two votes for Holyrood to get the results you really want.

Given the parties' support reported in recent opinion polls, that decision will be even more difficult for many voters than it was in 2003 or 1999.

If the constituency results will give your preferred party its fair share (or more than its fair share!) of the seats in your electoral region, there is no point in giving that party your regional vote - it will be wasted. Hundreds of thousands of votes were wasted like that in the 2003 elections. If you are sure of such an outcome, you can have a real effect on the election by giving your regional vote to a different party. But before you do that, you need to know both the level of support your preferred party will have across the whole region and the likely outcome in every constituency in that region.

How much simpler it will all be in the council elections, to be held on the same day. There is no need for any tactical voting in the council elections to make sure your vote isn't wasted. Instead, you vote positively, for what you want: "my first choice", "my second choice", and so on. If enough other voters in your ward agree with your choices, you'll get the local councillors you want.

Dr James Gilmour, 24/12 East Parkside, Edinburgh.

Ian Bell is correct, Scotland has an important place in the history of the world (April 7), yet the Scottish electorate has repeatedly failed to accept this fact. Why is this? Perhaps the main reason is that until relatively recently the history of Scotland was only a secondary factor in the education of our children; instead, we were brainwashed with "British" history (in which the role of Scots was scarcely mentioned) and a smattering of world history. For the past three decades, Scotland has not benefited from the Union politically, economically or sociologically, with all the main facets of government policy being directed largely to the benefit of England. This is reflected daily in most of the media.

The SNP should go straight for independence for, as Ian Bell has asked, why vote for the SNP if you do not believe in it, for if you do not have the belief in your own country, you are not being honest to yourself? Voting for the SNP just because you wish a change of government without believing in independence, at this stage in our history, will be a stain on the national conscience.

If there is a poor turnout at the election, compulsory voting should be introduced, using a system similar to the Australian one in which everyone on the electoral role must register at the polling office on election day, but the voter does not need to vote if he/she does not desire to do so. Overall, this results in only 13% of the total electorate in not casting a valid vote. - Ian F M Saint-Yves,Dunvegan, School Brae, Whiting Bay, Isle of Arran.