Split personality

George Leslie in his letter (27 August) invited readers to explain why being British is so important. During my youth Eng Lit meant literature in the English Language. I saw no difference between Dickens, Orwell, Stevenson or Wilde. I still do not see that where they were born or where they wrote is so very important. I do not wish to regard them by nationality. I relate to them all.

Both my parents were half-Scottish and half-English. My father and uncles fought in the Second World War. Two of my relatives died for Britain. An aunt died in a Japanese prison camp.

I take pride in the vast contribution Britain has made to the advancement of civilisation.

William Patterson, a distant relative of my mother, helped found the Bank of England. He did so as a merchant in London. He was then involved in the Darien Scheme thinking, perhaps, that an achievement in England could be followed up with something international but Scottish. Darien failed because Scotland was too small and weak to elbow its way into a new market. With English support it could have proved a success.

I am British and Scottish. As things are, nobody is stopping George Leslie calling himself Scottish alone. However he wishes to stop me calling myself British. The SNP wishes to cut me off from much of my heritage.

Hugh Mackay

Blacket Place

Edinburgh