THE majority of voters in Scotland chose to stay in the UK but the way the campaign to achieve it was run has left us with real headache.

First there were the dire consequences meant to frighten voters which did not work, so the Scots were promised more powers and thus the remainder of the UK feels it has been given a bad deal.

Without these tactics the Scottish voters could well have chosen to stay in the UK.

If there had been a democratic spirit inside the unionist parties it would have been up to the Scottish people and if they had voted to leave a freely negotiated settlement could have been arrived at without rancour.

In the event, regions such as ours feel left out, and Scottish people feel so manipulated they are joining the SNP in droves.

David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg should ask themselves: “What a fine mess we have got ourselves into.”

G Bulmer, Billingham.