Many nations have pooled their identities with others and European history is littered with them, including the various parts of Scotland which were united, usually by marriage, to create the kingdom.

France and Spain arose as political unions from the same sort of dynastic marriages. Before the American Civil War one or two New England states were negotiating a return to the fold with Britain. The Union of 1707 was just an expression of a similar impetus.

When Virginia left the Union, West Virginia broke away to stay in the United States. Northern Ireland broke from the Irish Free State to remain with the UK and Sierra Leone requested a return to British rule after the hideous period of the West Side Boys from whose vile atrocities British troops freed them.

Various parts of Scotland were united, usually by marriage, to create the kingdom

A recent case of genuine independence is the UK leaving the EU. Despite her protestations, Scottish separatists do not want independence. They want to give up their independence like the 27 members of the EU pseudo-democratic state, with its own flag and parliament and embassies, which is governed by Brussels and run by German banks.

As she considers that “countries thrive when they run their own affairs”, however, I am glad that Ms Scott is onside with Brexit.

Andrew HN Gray, Edinburgh

Beliefs and facts

In his Christmas message (Scotsman, 21 December), Murdo Fraser declared it as a “fact” that “God came to earth in human form...”.

This is not a fact; it is a belief, moreover one lacking both credibility or evidence. Jesus believed himself to be the anticipated Messiah of Judaism and made it plain that he was not God (the Messiah was a human who would act as God's viceroy).

The idea that Jesus’ “death” took away “the sins of the world” is an invention of the early church, which bestowed divinity on Jesus, making him the saviour of the world.

Jesus himself merely urged his fellow Jews to repent of their sins before the Kingdom of Heaven, which he would rule, emerged. He had no thought for the Gentile world.

The Kingdom was as fanciful as was his belief in Messiahship and he died with his mission unfulfilled.

Steuart Campbell, Edinburgh

Holiday post

So no Christmas post on December 23 and 24? That’s just an excuse to extend the holiday. Lazy and spiteful, guys.

Steve Hayes, Leven Fife

‘Brave’ Sturgeon

Nicola Sturgeon is “brave”, which is a word no politician likes to hear. Her zeal for gender reform is fraught with real perils that it all will not go as smoothly as she thinks.

Ms Sturgeon has relied to a great extent upon her appeal to a large number of voters to retain power. When you start to ignore these self same voters you risk losing it all.

Protecting minorities is commendable but when this involves putting the majority at risk, whether real or even simply perceived, then all bets are off.

Meantime Nicola Sturgeon has many really pressing national issues to deal with. Health and education are at the top of this list. Ms Sturgeon is not attending diligently to these major issues in any meaningful way. That is “brave” too. Happy New Year?

Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

Poll Tax moment

Nicola Sturgeon's Gender Recognition Reform Bill has passed into law and in so doing she has given two fingers to the majority of the Scottish electorate.

JK Rowling will hopefully be correct in her assessment of the impact on Scottish politics saying this will be Sturgeon’s "Poll Tax” moment. Those who wrongly gave Sturgeon the benefit of the doubt will finally see the SNP for what it and she is, an exhausted one-trick pony and so now we can get rid of this incompetent SNP/Green government.

Stan Hogarth, Strathaven, South Lanarkshire

Propaganda

All credit to EJ Rosetta for realising and acknowledging the error of her ways before penning a diatribe against JK Rowling’s perfectly normal, sympathetic, feminist and inclusive views on the transgender issue (Scotsman, 21 December).

But does Ms Rosetta not realise that, by initially accepting without question the misleading untruths and nonsense spread by the zealots, she was acting just like the scores of millions of Russians who accept without question the lies spouted by Putin and his acolytes about the history and current situation in Ukraine without having heard or read any alternative opinions?

As we approach 90 years since Nazism took over Germany, and 105 years since its Russian equivalent’s coup d’etat laid the groundwork for our modern world, it is terrifying how easy it appears to be to advance the propaganda nightmares predicted by Huxley and Orwell.

John Birkett, St Andrews, Fife

Age of consent

Our First Minister has championed the rights of a minority group and in doing so may have created a bigger problem than the one she solved.

Ms Sturgeon believes that a 16-year-old is adult enough to make the decision to change their gender, adult enough to have a same-sex wedding, adult enough to vote or even stand for election but heaven forbid if they want to buy cigarettes or alcohol!

I’m really surprised in this age of compensation claims that none of the specialist law firms have advertised their services by asking the questions: Are you Scottish? Are you 16-18? Are you married? Are you in the armed forces? Have you voted in an election? Have you ever been refused alcohol or tobacco products because of your age? and stating, if this is the case you may qualify for compensation as your human rights may have been contravened.

I wonder where the Scottish Government is going to find the funds for all the compensation claims that will surely follow.

William Jackson, Uplawmoor, East Renfrewshire

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