Shetland view

Dorothy M O’Hanlon (Letters, 24 July) suggests Scotland break up into the former kingdoms of Strathclyde, Dalriada, Pictland and Lothian.

Why stop there? Why not an independent Shetland?

My family comes from Shetland. The people there never spoke Gaelic (they spoke Norn), they never were part of the clan system, they never used the kilt, never played bagpipes, never ate haggis and their political party (Liberals or Liberal Democrats) have never been the majority party in Edinburgh.

When asked by a Scottish separatist why they wouldn’t want to stop being governed from London, a Shetlander replied: “And be governed by trade unionists from Glasgow and lawyers from Edinburgh instead?”

Shetland has little affinity with a Scotland separated from the rest of the UK.

On their own, Shetlanders would be very rich as half the North Sea oil is in their jurisdiction.

Surely, we should stop this referendum attempt to separate Scotland from the rest of the UK and all work together with the rest of the British Isles as we have done for centuries.

Stuart Strong

Regent Terrace

Edinburgh