Frances Scott claims that “generations have come of voting age since 2014”, which is completely untrue (Letters, 16 July). It isn't even slightly true, just completely false. A generation, in human terms is the time it takes a person to generate their children and, at the very least would be described as around 25 years. As it has not yet been eight years since the independence referendum, Ms Scott must be thinking of flies, or sheep, maybe, but certainly not people.

Her conclusion that "our democracy demands that they have a say in their future" suggests that a referendum on independence should be held every few years, but a lifetime was sufficient for Nicola Sturgeon in 2014, so why does Ms Scott not agree? Perhaps, because “our democracy” is the nationalist type of democracy which holds a referendum on independence and demands another one… and another until they get the answer they want. Then, they don't hold another, because they got the result they wanted. It's that kind of democracy.

John Fraser, Glasgow

Do too many people who share Nicola Sturgeon's dream of Scottish independence ignore facts? (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Ship of fools

The UK government pays each household in every part of the UK who hosts Ukrainian refugees £350 a month. Nicola stood as “host” for Scotland to help cut red tape. So will all those who live on the cruise ship be counted as one household? The cruise ship will need paid experienced staff to cook, clean, launder etc for all the refugees so the £350 won't go far. Even if every “family” was counted the money paid would still not cover costs. Why is it when the SNP grandstand with ideas they are never thought through and we taxpayers end up with fewer local services to cover the costs of government mistakes?

Elizabeth Hands, Armadale, West Lothian

Country matters

When I contended that Scotland is not a country in the normal sense of the word, I obviously poked the viper's nest of separatists very hard indeed. Perhaps I can appease them by stating that England and Wales too are only “countries” within the context of the UK. Of course it's difficult to react rationally when a foundation stone of one's view of the world is shown to be less than solid, but even an arch-nationalist writes in a letter yesterday that Scotland “is a UK region in a highly centralised union”.

I was talking about the present, the here and now, and not the ancient history the separatists constantly refer to, although I notice that recent respondents ignored the history of the territories I mentioned. To paraphrase Sandy Philip, I wonder what the reaction would be if he went to South Tyrol and told them they are “a county”.

Bill Cooper, Kinross, Perth & Kinross

Miscalculation?

Has Nicola Sturgeon miscalculated over her Indyref2 bid? She surprised almost everyone by going directly to the Supreme Court for a judgment on the legality of a referendum without a Section 30 order.

Most experts have said it might be thrown out right away but it appears the Supreme Court are agreeing to at least talk about it. Has this wrong-footed Ms Sturgeon? She may have expected her ideas to have been thrown out from the start and thus she could launch yet another assault on how Scotland is being ignored and potentially boost her support.

What the Supreme Court appears to be doing is to examine the validity of the claim and counter-claim from both Holyrood and Westminster. In this scenario, Ms Sturgeon's advice to even ask the Supreme Court for a judgement may well be analysed more closely. If it is found to be very flawed then someone in Holyrood has to take the blame. This is costing time and, more importantly under current circumstances, yet more Scottish taxpayers’ money.

Is the First Minister in the firing line as it appears her Lord Advocate was not happy to make the initial decision?

Gerald Edwards, Glasgow

Debt to logic

Yet again Leah Gunn Barrett peddles false statistics in an effort to push her separatist agenda (Letters, 19 July). Scotland's contribution to UK debt was £2.3 billion in 2020-21, as can be seen from Scotland's “balance sheet” accurately shown in the GERS report – a long way from the £4.5bn Ms Barrett mischievously claims. That same balance sheet shows that Scotland's annual deficit is in the region of £15bn. In the last year it was closer to £35bn. Now how does Ms Gunn Barrett square that with her laughable complaint that Scotland “neither created nor benefits from” UK debt?

The simple fact is that Scotland, thanks to the Barnett formula, lives beyond its means on an annual basis. How can it be the case, therefore, that Scotland incurs no debt? If an independent Scotland will be able to continue to spend £2,000 per head more on its population than it brings in and incur no debt then bring it on! Who wouldn't want a piece of that?

Of course, Ms Gunn Barrett would argue that as an “autonomous economic entity” Scotland could make use of the missing powers or “levers” to catapult us into the company of the wealthy Nordic countries. Ironically the only lever I have ever heard specifically mentioned is – yes, borrowing! The UK government borrows money on behalf of the whole of its population at a far lower level of interest than would be charged on a newly created independent country. Why change that?

Colin Hamilton, Edinburgh

Ego driven

The SNP have made it their ambition in Scotland to make leaving the EU a failure instead of working hard to make it a success, in an attempt to progress their grievance against those who voted Leave.

Recently I read article that Skye (Ian Blackford's constituency) had no problem in getting staff for their businesses, the problem was lack of housing facilities. This renders moot the constant claim that EU workers having been lost to the hospitality industry is the problem and reflects badly on Mr Blackford.

Also, because of Nicola Sturgeon pushing ahead to take more Ukrainians than she can cope with Edinburgh Council have received funds to refurbish skyscrapers (which were in such disrepair they were to be scrapped) to provide housing for refugees, but they were unable to do so in order to accommodate Scottish people in need of housing.

Everything Nicola Sturgeon does is with a view to enhancing her already huge ego.

T Lamb, Aberdeen

Colour TV

It can sometimes seem that, on the return from a holiday in sunny Espana (por favor) everything has remained exactly the same since you left. Sometimes, however, an article highlights how the world has actually changed quite considerably and Aidan Smith is quite right to indicate how the viewing habits of Brits have changed fundamentally in 30 years or more (Perspective, 19 July). He mentions some of the well-loved adverts of days gone by – the hilarious Hamlet ads and Gold Blend ones come to mind – but not how British speech has been changed by the advent of the glo'al stop epitomised in the “Lu'on Airport” ad with Lorraine Chase. Generations of people have learned how to make English an ugly tongue with 25 letters, instead of the 26 we had when I was a child.

Aidan did not mention something(s) which now apply. Who can fail to have noticed that half the people in TV ads nowadays are black? This is despite the Afro-Caribbean population of the UK totalling only 3 per cent (except in London) and only 1 per cent in Scotland. Where are the Asians? Why are white people disproportionately red haired? Why are so many voiceovers in a northern English accent or, again, in rich, black voices?

We ignore so much that is highly influential and the fact that these points are never discussed shows how little we pay attention to what is on our screens and radios every day. As M&S wouldn't say, these aren't just TV ads, these are social education ads.

Peter Hopkins, Edinburgh

Adverts on Netflix? Young generation may rebel even if the golden age of ads ret...

Fore publicity

What on earth was Nicola Sturgeon doing at St Andrews at the weekend wearing golfing attire, carrying a golf club and stopping by a practice area to address a golf ball? Well, of course: she had people with cameras following her around.

Does anyone remember a Prime Minister turning up at Wimbledon wearing tennis gear and wielding a tennis racquet? And being photographed? I know Ms Sturgeon likes to be photographed, but wasn’t this something from the realms of parody?

Jill Stephenson, Edinburgh

Bowel play

I read Malcolm Ogilvie’s response to Shirley McVitie’s earlier letter with interest, and amusement (19 July). This exchange of opinion on euphemisms for toilet visits aroused my curiosity about the different terms people use to let others know why they’re leaving the room (that might be another term to use: “I’m just leaving the room”. No-one would ask where they were going).

I did a bit of research, and found these descriptive euphemisms for emptying one's bowels: Stock the lake with brown trout; Bake some brownies; Conduct an aerial strike on Porcelainistan; Clear the pipes; Make room for lunch; and this unforgettable announcement: “I’m just off to negotiate the release of the chocolate hostages.”

We have to admire humans’ capacity for communicating with each other without actually “coming clean”, if you excuse my choice of idiom.

Carolyn Taylor, Broughty Ferry, Dundee

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Readers' Letters: Democracy as defined by referendum seekers

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