Next steps to create an anti-Tory alliance: Scotland and the Lords | Letter

Paul Clarke on how the Liberal Democrats could detoxify their brand through increasing collaboration with other parties

Your editorial (The Guardian view on tactical voting: it would help to oust Tories, 19 March) demonstrates how the Liberal Democrats might confidently confront the “blue wall” in the forthcoming local elections. Beyond that, they should consider how to complete the detoxification of their appeal to voters after entering into coalition with the Conservatives between 2010 and 2015.

The obvious next step would be to collaborate with Labour and the Green party on a strategy for Scotland following the passing of peak nationalism. There are seats there to win and few to lose if they could each articulate the concept of progressive unionism, offering maximum devolution without separation.