Sir, – Surely it is time the canny Scots broke loose from the London bean-counters. They have ability galore, as they have demonstrated over the centuries: their doctors, engineers, shipbuilders, not to mention financial wizards, helped build the British empire. They are quite capable of applying that talent to run their own country.
Perhaps also it is time the English stood on their own feet. Having spent many centuries meddling in other people’s affairs, they now seem to have an identity problem. They have awesome ability, as they demonstrated during the industrial revolution, but have since frittered away their inventive and productive talents in favour of bean-counting in the City. As is well known, the City looks down on “trade” and sees manufacturing as beneath it. It needs to be put in its place. An independent, more focused, England could attend to that.
Rugby has led the way. The Scots and the Welsh play their own anthems and hand the queen back to the English, with whom she rightfully belongs. – Yours, etc,
TED O’KEEFFE,
Sandford Road,
Dublin 6
Sir - My English colleagues and friends are certain Scotland will vote No to independence on September 18th. In one discussion with them I was told there were no reasons for Scotland to leave the UK, just a few small internal issues that could be ironed out.
I thought this a narrow view of the debate. I asked if it was not important for Scotland to consider the EU question, given that England is edging towards an exit, and since it is home to around 80 per cent of the UK population, its electorate will surely determine the outcome of the 2017 referendum promised by the Tories. Two colleagues agreed but one thought the Tories would convince the electorate to stay in.
The EU has chosen to side with Westminster in an effort to keep the City of London in the bloc. However, had it supported an independent Scotland’s membership it could have demonstrated to Westminster just how isolated it could be if decides to quit the EU. That is, after all, the hard line approach Westminster has taken towards Scotland. – Yours, etc,
NATASHA BROWNE,
Woodford New Road,
London E17 3PT