Scots are unique

George Kerevan (Perspective 8 February) writes: “The truth is a Yes vote is not about identity but about reforming the moribund, over-centralised British state which hoards power at Westminster.”

Why are the SNP and the Yes campaign so terrified of simply stating that Scotland is a nation, that Scots are not English or Welsh or Irish or any other nationality and that it is normal and natural for nations to want to govern themselves? Why are they so afraid of proclaiming that Scots are different from other nations, not better or worse, not superior but just different? Why are they so afraid of admitting that Scots have an identity, a language, history, culture, mores and values that cause us to express those differences in our everyday life?

Making the independence campaign all about economics and the concentration of power in London makes it easy for the No side to suggest that independence is not necessary to achieve better economic outcomes in a decentralised United Kingdom. What should be something which is noble and uplifting – the re-birth of the nation state of Scotland – has been reduced to a rather tawdry competition between the manifestos of the SNP (the Scottish Government’s white paper) and Westminster’s unionists.

Jim Fairlie

Heathcote Road

Crieff, Perthshire