No defence

while many of the pro- unionist assertions have a straw-clutching aspect, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie’s well-publicised recent claim of England bombing Scottish airports to deny them to a foreign invader reaches a new height of fantasy.

Leaving aside that Sweden and Switzerland – despite not belonging to Nato – managed to avoid invasion for the whole of the last century and the main threat to the Nato countries has been reduced since 1990, the politics of war have moved on. Any threat to England is more likely to be home-grown and disaffected or, if foreign, is likely to arrive by civil airliner at one of London’s airports.

In many ways, the greatest danger to Scotland is being dragged down by a Westminster controlled economy that has stagnated and is running a deficit budget. Scotland has more advantages than the rest of the island with greater renewable resources and plenty of fresh water. Lord Fraser’s idea that some foreign power might want to use Scotland to invade England is the reverse of what might happen.

Bruce D Skivington

Strath

Gairloch, Wester Ross