Danish freedom

I seldom agree with much of Andrew HN Gray’s comments (Letters 16 January) but his contributions do occasionally have a certain olde worlde charm about them.

However, not today, his contention that Norway and Denmark are not independent countries borders on the ludicrous.

Of course, as an ardent Brexiteer, Mr Gray pines for the days when the atlas was pink and the sun never set on the empire, but these days are gone and the Great Britain which said the EU could go whistle for its divorce costs, supinely caved in and offered a minimum of £39 billion. And as the negotiations proceed we will see more of the same as Britain becomes

more and more diminished. Even the special relationship with America has been largely abandoned by the US and as a committed supporter of Trident, I wonder how independent a country is, if it does not even have control of its nuclear launch codes and is forced to leave them in the control of the petulant man-child Donald Trump. GILL TURNER Derby Street

Edinburgh

I imagine that few Danes or Norwegians would agree with Andrew HN Gray (Letters, 16 January) that their countries are not independent because one is in the EU and the other in the EEA.

Norway in particular does its own thing both internally and internationally and, unlike the UK has built up an enormous fund, to meet future needs, from its share of North Sea Oil.

Denmark has high taxes but also high incomes. Services and benefits are also much better than we get in Scotland or the UK. The average Dane is considerably better off than the average Scot.

Denmark, like the UK, is free to leave the EU if it wishes to do so. It shows no wish to leave but the freedom to do so emphasises its independence. DAVID STEVENSON Blacket Place

Edinburgh