Grimond’s view

Ben Thomson’s excellent article on home rule ( Scotsman, 16 September) reminds me of what my distinguished predecessor as Liberal leader Jo Grimond wrote back in 1983 and which I have often quoted: “I do not like the word devolution as it has come to be called. It implies that power rests at Westminster from which centre some may be gracious

ly devolved. I would rather begin by assuming that power should rest with the people who entrust it to their representatives to discharge the essential tasks of government. Once we accept that the Scots and the Welsh are nations, then we must accord them parliaments which have all the normal powers of government, except those that they delegate to the United Kingdom or the EEC”.

DAVID STEEL

Selkirk