Scotland is not a region of the UK

Sir, – Both your columnist Stefan Morkis (Courier, August 6) and Keith Howell (Letters, August 8) comfort themselves with the thought that the recent rallies in support of Scottish independence are simply self-serving morale boosting exercises.

The unpalatable reality for both is that they represent a movement which has majority representation in Holyrood and Westminster, resulting in Scots giving themselves the option of reconsidering events in the aftermath of Westminster’s post-2014 betrayals of trust.

Mr Howell refers to the 2014 vote as a judgment on “separating from the UK”.

We are not and have never been, in spite of his many attempts to portray us as such, a region of the UK.

No Scotland, no United Kingdom.

The result will be two neighbouring countries following their own path, with their own parliaments.

A perfectly normal arrangement in other parts of the world.

Brexit in England is being framed as an exercise in rediscovering their independence.

A laudable ambition apparently, described by one Boris Johnson as a “legitimate and natural desire for selfgovernment”.

Uniquely, in Scotland’s case, this exact same exercise is invariably described by those such as Johnson as divisive separatism.

Mr Howell’s claims that SNP supporters who aren’t fans of the EU will stick with post-Brexit London rule will be put to the test.

Considering whether to live under the thumb of a dictatorial English elite – unrestrained by EU legislation regarding our rights, with no effective Scottish voice – or remain in a European Union where the Wallonian devolved government in Belgium had the power to block a proposed trade deal with Canada, until its own reservations were met and answered will no doubt sharpen minds.

Incidentally, Mr Howell, it has been stated time and again that an independent Scotland’s EU membership would be fast tracked.

Whether we choose to, or not, will be our decision and ours alone.

Once again, a perfectly normal state of affairs elsewhere.

Ken Clark, c/o 15 Thorter Way, Dundee.