Nastiness from SNP

Having for years paid the price of criticising the SNP in your newspaper and elsewhere by having to read the most foul and personally abusive responses, I am most pleased to see that at last there is a recognition that the smearing and nastiness is being tackled.

I am no supporter of Ian Davidson but empathise with what he has suffered. At least he got a grudging admission that the SNP perpetrator “went too far” (your report, 2 November).

In the days before e-mails became common, after a letter in this newspaper suggesting that there were alternatives to the SNP, I was sent several unsigned letters to my home, one, chillingly, with individual words cut and pasted from a newspaper, calling me a traitor and telling me what fate awaited me come the great day.

The actions of these SNP “activists” remind me so much of fundamental religious zealots of any ilk. All connection with reality is lost in a feverish, entire-existence-occupying, crusade to push the “truth” on the unbelievers and cast out those who would dare to disagree.

This is one of the most frightening manifestations of narrow nationalism.

Alexander McKay

New Cut Rigg

Edinburgh