Gloves off

Secretary of State for Scotland Michael Moore and Scottish 
Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie claim the referendum debate will become “increasingly bitter” (your report, 16 
September). Perhaps.

If so, a heavy responsibility for that will lie with the English public and press, the former being disinterested and ignorant in the matter, the latter happy to feed on this and stir up “Jock bashing”, or – in Willie Whitelaw’s lovely phrase – stir up 
apathy.

In any event, the mealy-mouthed Liberals can stir it with the best of them. In the same speech Rennie claims, disgracefully, that the SNP is encouraging “a dangerous rise in bitter anti-English sentiment”. Really?

The Lib Dems and the Labour Party must nightly pray that the grosser anti-Scottish attitudes common south of the Border are not publicised up here.

I believe the Yes campaign has forsworn “negative” campaigning. If that means turning the other cheek to lies and fearmongering, it will fail Scotland.

Perfidious Albion will not hesitate to use underhand 
tactics. Time to take the gloves off, chaps.

David Roche

Alder Grove

Scone