UK nationalism

From the letters appearing in The Scotsman, it is clear that the B rex it referendum has unleashed an unsavoury current of British nationalism.

We are also seeing a developing trend of contributions from people like Sheila Crilly ( Letters, 27 April) who apparently wish to see the demise of devolution.

She writes a deeply reverent paean of praise of the UK government: the government which introduced the rape clause, slashed the benefits of the vulnerable, disadvantaged and disabled and introduced the “hostile environment” to immigration policy. A po licy which has seen citizens of this country who have been here for up to 70 years denied medical care and benefits and threatened with deportation.

Ms Crilly also embarks on a rant against the SNP and Nicola Sturgeon, who has roused her ire for having the temerity to refuse to roll over and accept the will of Theresa May, the weakest and most incompetent Prime Minister in the history of British politics.

Ms Crilly spends a good pro- portion of her letter saying the elected First Minister of Scotland has no right to speak for its people. She then does pre - cisely that herself by saying “five million Scots deserve to be respected over the ambition of Ni cola Sturgeon ”.

I can assure MsCr ill y she does not speak for me and the 45 per cent of the electorate who wish to see Scottish inde - pendence.

GILL TURNER Derby Street, Edinburgh