Letter: Scots are thick - for tolerating Union

I was surprised to read that Ivor Tiefenbrun described the Scots as "thick" for not understanding the magnanimity of Margaret Thatcher (your report, 5 October).

Some people might hold the view that the Scots are indeed "thick" for putting up with the British state and all it entails for 300 years.

Mr Tiefenbrun seems to think that his contribution to the business life of Scotland entitles him to insult the people that gave his family succour from the Nazis.

If he knew anything about Scottish history, he'd know that Scotland is the only country in Europe that never persecuted the Jews.

It is one of the enduring mysteries of Scottish life that a people taking the kind of persistent undermining of their identity, culture, language, economy, and in this case intelligence, by staunch unionists like Ivor Tiefenbrun should continue to show any loyalty at all to those who do the undermining. Patrick Harvey insists that the Scots attitude to Margaret Thatcher shows our collective wisdom.

It's long overdue for the Scots to put their "collective wisdom" into practice, vote with their feet and get out of the Union. Leave it to Mr Tiefenbrun and his cohorts.

Anne Ross

Maple Avenue

Dumbarton

Most of your thinking readers will hope that Ivor Tiefenbrun had succeeded in his attempt to gain a seat in the Holyrood government. The same people will agree with his views on Mrs Thatcher's achievements until she made the error of overstaying her usefulness.

His views on the Scottish people, in general, that they are "thick", is a little too sweeping although that description is probably quite apt for those who already occupy seats at Holyrood.

Donald Dewar has recently been remembered for what he did for Scotland.

Realists understand even more what he did to Scotland, that is, to leave it with a grossly expensive talking shop and a haven for third-class politicians.

The thickheads do not yet realise that they will pay for that over the next decade and more.

DOUGLAS BELL

Wester Coates Place

Edinburgh

In addition to his puerile and insulting generalisation that Scots are "thick", Ivor Tiefenbrun criticises the SNP for its "sectarian nationalism".

I wonder if Mr Tiefenbrun would have described his ancestral Polish countrymen as sectarian nationalists as they fought for freedom against both Russia and Germany.

Like many of the unionist persuasion, he would probably support the self-determination of any country on earth - except Scotland.

(Dr) PM Dryburgh

Newbattle Terrace

Edinburgh

The Scotsman reports a Conservative MSP candidate stating that Scots are thick (your report, 6 October). The Conservative Party denies it. The journalist produces his notes taken at the time. The Conservative Party still denies it.

The Scotsman publishes a strongly worded defence of its reports. Conservative MSPs deplore their candidate's use of intemperate language.Conservative Party press spokesman then swears at the journalist ... and this is the same Conservative Party which claimed a few days ago that it was ready to go into coalition with others at Holyrood next May.

Somehow I don't think so, do you?

David Fiddimore

Calton Road

Edinburgh