ROSEMARY Goring writes with feeling and effect about the seminal Declaration of Arbroath, shortly to mark its 700th anniversary ("Why the Declaration of Arbroath still chimes with us", The Herald, December 26). The document, of course, contains many powerful statements and assertions, not least "As long as but a hundred of us remain alive, will we not on any conditions be brought under English rule". Somehow that has, I believe, a more profound ring to it than fighting for "our wee bit hill and glen".

It is important, however, to remember that since 1320 the Scots grew into also becoming British, particularly after the 1603 Union of the Crowns and the 1707 Treaty of Union of the Parliaments. We have, as such, since had many momentous shared experiences, not least World Wars, and come through them together. The SNP would do well to remember that there are many Scots who deeply value their Britishness.

Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.

DENNIS White (Letters, December 24) takes me to task for seeking to require a two-thirds majority vote for independence in any future Scottish referendum. He asks, rhetorically – and as far as I can make out – whether I complained about the first-past-the-post voting system in the Brexit referendum and berates me for seeking to change the rules now. Of course I complained, and it would appear from his denigration of Brexit that he, too, would have supported supermajority voting in that referendum. So, why stick with a simple majority when the stakes are so high? It appears it doesn't suit his position to do otherwise.

He decries the recent Tory election win. But it was the SNP, in an unaccustomed and very transitory alliance with the LibDems, who facilitated that election in the first place by supporting a circumvention of the Fixed Term Parliament Act which would normally have required – wait for it – a two-thirds majority in the Commons to allow an earlier election. One wonders at the motivation - for a Tory Government, particularly one headed by Boris Johnson, will be grist to the SNP's mill. So much for the SNP's denunciation of Brexit. I'd suggest that those who assume a vote for independence is an automatic passport to the EU should be cautious (for a number of reasons).

Mr White refers to me as "Mr Slater and his ilk". It is the SNP language of rancour, grievance and division. Wherein lies the difference between the citizens of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen and those of Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham, other than dialect? In this mad world we should be together not apart, sharing our troubles and pooling our talents and resources. After more than 300 years the border is an artificial anachronism.

Stefan Slater, Edinburgh EH4.

AS a neutral presently located here in England may I comment on the usage of the word “independence" by the media and, more importantly, by politicians. The latter word carries with it unwarranted emotional baggage and implies that a nation has been militarily conquered by a foreign power and every lever of governance is directly controlled by that conqueror to the total exclusion of the local population with all decisions being made without reference to those people.

Scotland and England were joined by mutual agreement in consensual Acts of Union. The correct term to use is "secession" when a country wishes to leave a voluntary union. Compare the Confederates' position in the US civil war. They did not clamour for "independence", rather they declared their intention to secede from the union with the Northern States. Ireland, on the other hand, rightfully sought independence from a conquering foreign invader.

Tim Ryan, Surbiton, Surrey.

NEXT year, 2020, was meant to be the year of the next independence referendum, according to Nicola Sturgeon. The people of Scotland might beg to differ. Yet again, with increasing regularity, you are reporting on the true broken state of affairs in Scotland today. Education is in meltdown, our doctors under increasing pressure, the hospital system unable to cope, ferries and rail travel compromised just in the last few days. It goes on and on.

In the meantime, the Scottish National Party is engrossed in arrangements for yet another march on January 11 to “demand” indyref2 graced by the presence of the SNP deputy leader. This says it all. Scotland does need a change of direction, but it is not independence, it is fixing the basics first.

Dr Gerald Edwards, Glasgow G77.

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