No demand here

I note that Friday’s edition ­carried an article (Perspective, 
17 April) in which it was explained that the SNP’s brand of nationalism is a utilitarian one: one that was not a creed, but responded to the genuine demands of the Scottish electorate – hence its success.

If this is the case, then Councillor Will Mylet’s recent comments, denouncing those who put helping their “own wee area” before the cause of independence, must be unusual?

But such behaviour is, sadly, far from unusual. The experience of most unionists – ­harangued online, election posters destroyed, followed on the streets – is clear.

The breed of nationalism that we see is one that does not ­respond to, or change with, the facts, and does not respond to the needs of the electorate. Rather, it exploits any means or political expedient to further a single cause – independence – ignoring the difficulties such a course would entail, and ignoring the expressed will of Scottish voters.

It is faith-based politics, pure and simple.

John Shields

Avochie, nr Huntly

Aberdeenshire