IN the understandable uproar over the shooting of those innocents in the American school recently and the struggle to blame someone or something which has been aired in the pages of The Herald we here have missed something (Letters, December 17, 18 & 19).

The right to bear arms is often quoted as a second amendment of the American constitution. They wisely have a written constitution which can be used as a guide and amended as needed. We do not.

Our constitution seems to be based on habit and Westminster winks and nods. Is it not about time we followed the American lead and had a written constitution? The advantages would be something we could consult regarding whether the Bank of England is a British bank, where the boundaries between England and Scotland are in the legal system, how we conduct our referendums or who has the last word on when we wage war, for instance.

Steve McIntosh,

16 Quarrelton Grove, Johnstone.