Referendum rule

Good article by Bill Jamieson on a second independence referendum (Perspective, 9 February). As referendums seem to be becoming more frequent (though a second Scottish one is by no means a done deal), we really do need some ground rules for them.

Most other countries stipulate, say, a 60 per cent majority for major change to take place – it cannot be right that a majority of one can trigger big change.

Why? There may be a low turnout; however, it is well known that some use a referendum to vote on other issues, eg a protest against the government of the day (and there was an element of “other reasons” in the Brexit vote ).

Also, if there is to be another one, Scots temporarily working in other parts of the UK should have a vote (as outsiders had one). WILLIAM BALLANTINE

Dean Road, Bo’ness

Imagine the SNP actually managed to facilitate an early Indyref2 on the back of Brexit and won it with a majority of, say, 51 per cent. Imagine one half of Scottish voters being ecstatic about their success and the other half being furious about being dragged out of the UK against their will. Even if the Yes side won by a slightly higher margin, the newly independent state would start as a deeply divided nation. No responsible politician or activist can wish for that, unless they are populists who solely govern for their own supporters and find ways of silencing the rest.

If Scotland became independent one day I, personal- ly, would definitely prefer this to happen with the backing of the vast majority of Scots. When the future of more than 5 million people is at stake, the country as a whole should be unified in its wish to go it alone. Norway became independent on the strength of 99.95 per cent support and a turnout of more than 85 per cent.

But Scotland is split in more than one way. Far more Scottish voters opted for remaining in the UK in the 2014 independence referendum than for remaining in the European Union. So far Brexit has failed to be the unifier needed to bring about a convincing majority, ideally close to the 74 per cent mark achieved in the devolution referendum in 1997. If nationalists love their country as much as they say they should heed the advice of senior SNP members and take independence off the Brexit agenda while there is still time.

REGINA ERICH Willow Row, Stonehaven

It looks like Nicola Sturgeon is going to foist another divisive referendum on the Scottish public on the excuse of the Brexit vote at Westminster. If she has another vote in 2018 and, heaven forbid, wins, she will be trying to negotiate an exit from the UK while it is in the midst of negotiating leaving the EU. That is utterly crazy and will not happen. If she had any decency she would announce there would not be another referendum until the terms of leaving the EU had been finalised. As it is she is trying to drag us out of the UK and Fiona Hyslop has alreasy been told recently that Scotland would not be allowed to remain in the EU if it separated from the UK and would have to join the back of the queue, with the likes of Montenegro, Macedonia and the like.

In reality, Scotland having seceded from the UK will never be allowed to join the EU as Spain will not allow it, since it would only encourage Catalonia to try and do the same. If Scotland votes for Independence we will be out of the UK and out of the EU and without the Barnet formula would be in a sorry financial mess for a very long time to come. Theresa May should declare that she will not allow another Referendum until after Britain has left the EU. The SNP Government would go mental but I think it is a risk worth taking and is the only sensible course of action. The SNP members of Parliament in Westminster are also a total embarrassment to Scotland and I cringe whenever I see them at Prime Minister’s Questions.

JACK WATT Strome, Berstane Loan, St Ola

Theresa May has said “No deal is better than a bad deal” with reference to the forthcoming Brexit negotiations. The same applies to the USA. Any deal that opens up our NHS to predatory US healthcare companies should be rejected.

COLIN MCALLISTER, South Street, St Andrews