SIR, – I despair more and more about the mess this Tory government has brought upon us in both Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Cameron’s Tories foisted an EU referendum on us solely to quash the right wingers in his party and UKIP. Now, they have decided to press on with Brexit, despite a change in public opinion, a split in their own party and unhindered by Labour, the so called official opposition party.

They have ignored both the Scottish and Welsh governments and the UK civil service which found that any kind of Brexit will be detrimental financially and socially. They carry on, despite firms moving their HQs abroad; despite farmers having lost their fruit crops due to lack of workers; and despite hundreds of nurses returning to Europe.

I have recently moved to Edinburgh and volunteer in a well-known charity shop. Last week, a young man, with a European accent, brought in a donation of clothing. I asked him if he would like to use gift aid if he was a taxpayer.

Sadly, he said he would no longer be a taxpayer as he was leaving. My manager remarked that this had been happening on a regular basis for the past year.

How sad it is that we have to lose these young people who paid into our tax system and contributed so much to our cultures.

In Scotland, we can do little about this at the moment as we have no powers over immigration. We are being dragged over the cliff, as well as being in danger of losing our devolved powers even though Scotland voted to remain. And what of Northern Ireland and Gibraltar?

It is, however, never too late and we should all be holding this UK Government and all those who support it, to account for the destructive course it is taking all of us.

Isabelle Gow

Edinburgh.