Interdependence

Joan Mitchell’s letter (14 January) is on my wall as a breath of sensible air among so much that is narrow, selfish and short-sighted in the referendum debate.

I do not like the policies of the present UK Government but neither am I anti-English, nor do I accept the view of Scotland as a colony of our southern neighbour.

The devolution process has already enabled us to express a distinctively Scottish politics. There is no reason why that process should not continue.

In the world of today, our politics needs to be as local as possible and as international as needs be to tackle global problems and the excesses of huge corporate business.

Endless arguments about whether we will be richer or poorer than our neighbours, Nationalism of the “wha’s like us” ilk, the argument over who subsidises whom, the accusations of scaremongering, the unquestioned slogan that it’s our oil, and the confusion between party politics and constitutional change just do not do it for me.

I would like us to be rid of Trident but moving it a couple of hundred miles south and wanting to stay in Nato hardly tackles the issue from either an ethical or a defence point of view.

Interdependence is a better word which expresses both the reality and aspiration of planet earth.

(Rev) Chris Levison

Nine Mile Burn

Midlothian