Letters | 21 May 2011 | The Spectator

The full Scottish

Sir: Iain Martin (‘How to save the Union’, 14 May) has an excellent appreciation of the issues, bar one: what Scotland seeks is a return to statehood such as other nations have. The lack is grievous. Scotland does not have representation in important international bodies. We lack a commissioner in the European Commission and both diplomatic and consular services worldwide. Fishing is not within our control. England, anticipating events, recently gerrymandered the sea boundaries, tilting them northeastward, to her advantage in oil and gas. There is more to independence than separation from England.

Helen C. Bovey
Edinburgh

Sir: Charles Moore (The Spectator’s Notes, 14 May) claims that most English people are apathetic about Scots independence. Not so. I am all for it, but think we English should be allowed a referendum, too. In fact, an English referendum on splitting from Scotland should come first, as its results would be of interest to the Scots. Having been ruled by the Scots for over a decade before the coalition, I would welcome independence from Scotland, as they seem mostly to be socialists. The Shetland Islands should be encouraged to remain British, though. Not difficult, as they don’t regard themselves as Scots.

Andrew Levens
By email

Crossing the border

Sir: I wonder if you will pass on to John Duffield of Essex (Letters, 14 May) the email addresses of Scotland’s newspapers so that he can send his thoughts on to a wide audience up here. I can think of nothing that would gain the SNP more support for independence than the combination of malice and contempt he expresses for us.