Scotland and the UK

Sir, – Talk about fiddling while Rome burns – at least from a perspective of those who wish to preserve Scotland within the UK. A sizeable majority of MSPs elected last week support both the holding of a referendum and the ultimate aim of Scottish independence. In other words, the union has lost the consent of more than half of Scottish voters, as represented by their legislators. Meanwhile the UK, or in reality the English, press has focused firstly on the Conservative Party’s win in a English town of fewer than 90,000 people.

The indifference shown in the wider UK to Scotland might go some way in explaining the reciprocated indifference to a continued political union. – Yours, etc,

DAVID CLARKE,

Edinburgh.

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Sir, – When, not if, a second Scottish independence referendum takes place – the last one was a mere seven years ago – might the Scottish National Party’s mantra and clarion call be “If at first, you don’t secede, try, try again”? – Yours, etc,

PAUL DELANEY,

Dalkey,

Co Dublin.