Non-Britons

William McGreary (Letters, 18 May) claims to be proud of being a Scot, but in a world increasingly reliant on the survival of community values, one national community should be enough for anybody.

In the community in the Borders where I was brought up, people generally saw themselves as Scots and I never encountered people who saw themselves as Britons (Great or otherwise).

I had never heard of the existence of the United Kingdom before I came of age. Its existence appears to be a relic of the partition of Ireland based on outdated religious sectarianism. The UK appears to be a conglomerate which is neither a country, a nation nor a community with its own values.

DR DAVID PURVES

Strathalmond Road

Edinburgh