History lesson

Andrew H N Gray (Letters, 11 April) writes: “Clearly, just as it is impossible for us to know how our descendants in 200 years will perceive our actions, it is wholly unsound to place politically correct value judgments on what our ancestors did in their time, facing the perils they did.”

I’m disappointed at this admission that the reality of Mr Gray’s comments are postulations, not based on historical fact presaging what the future will be – many of the “perils” our predecessors faced may well have been due to an inability to learn from the past!

Mr Gray admits that his judgment on what our ancestors did – for example the bribery of Scottish notables to accede to the Act of Union – and the American struggle for independence, which Mr Gray dismissed, one as a slur, the other as a stunt – has no relevance in today’s political reality.

He may be right – in which case he should be more cognisant of this when he uses historical example in his attempts to pursue his favoured future for Scotland, and forecasts unassailably, for example, that Scotland would “need to apply for EU membership”.

Mr Gray’s opinions are as valid and, correctly, respected as anyone else’s but I hope, with regard to Wednesday’s letter, that he will not, in future, be quoting remarks from history by John Knox, or more recently Corsican extremist separatists!

Bill McLean

Newmills

Dunfermline