DAVID Torrance approvingly quotes Willie Rennie’s support for a federal UK in his recent speech to the David Hume Institute (“Why the SNP’s roadmap to victory is mired in confusion”, The Herald, February 19), while deploring the “intellectual void” at the heart of modern nationalism. But support for federalism within the UK, backed only by the Liberal Democrats and some in the Scottish Labour Party, appears to be little more than an attempt to stem support for independence. Perhaps this is why federalism is always invoked in vague and rosy terms, yet proposals for a federal UK are never presented in any detail.

Mr Rennie’s speech is no exception. He says: “The key to federalism is that the different administrations all may have different priorities and nuances within a framework. But they all have an eye and a care for the success as a whole.” And that’s it. But what if more than “priorities and nuances” separate the different administrations? For example, over macro-economic policy? Over energy policy? Over immigration? Over nuclear weapons? Over defence? Over foreign policy? Over Brexit?

How does Mr Rennie, or Mr Torrance for that matter, propose that such differences be resolved to the satisfaction of all the component administrations? Perhaps the common good that Mr Rennie aspires to is best achieved by diverse independent nations co-existing co-operatively within the British Isles, while maintaining the social bonds that link us all. Indeed, this may even provide the impetus for renewal and reinvention that the UK political establishment, which

is currently trapped in delusions

of past greatness, so clearly

needs.

Paddy Farrington,

46 Marchmont Road, Edinburgh.

ONCE again David Torrance regales us with his views on nationalism – applied only, and as always, to Scottish nationalism.

Not one of the many European countries of our general size or population has failed, and few have anything like the wealth of resources – human, economic and physical – we enjoy in Scotland.

I suspect Mr Torrance is much less keen to pontificate on British nationalism and its contribution to the disastrous delivery of Brexit. We have a totally inept Tory Government and a Labour Opposition which may even be worse, having meekly accepted Tory austerity, Trident and Brexit – each of these extremely damaging to (and not supported by) Scotland. Yet Mr Torrance would have us embrace that Westminster government as our best option.

Mr Torrance contends that “the current independence proposition resembles another Brexit-like leap into the unknown”. Well in spite of a 24 per cent margin of vote to Remain in Scotland, we do now have an all-too-real Brexit leap into the unknown. As Brexit’s horrors become ever more clear, Project Fear is fast running out of ammunition.

Independence and self-determination are normal, Mr Torrance. And they will happen for Scotland.

Dr Ron Dickinson,

12 Kirklee Gate, Glasgow.

DAVID Torrance pens his usual erudite and complex symphony of variations on the economic theme of too wee, too poor, in a minimalist Steve Reich style of repetitiveness. As a coda he adds a few notes on the “intellectual void at the heart of modern nationalism”. The finale is as cacophonous as his main theme.

I assume that the entrepreneurs of Scotland will exhibit at least as much skill and competence in an independent Scotland as they do working within the constraints of the British state. It behoves him to consider that I may not be alone or misguided in this assumption, naïve though it doubtless appears to his jaundiced eye. What drives my passion to achieve independence is not consideration of the economic advantages this may bring to myself, but the “moral void at the heart of British nationalism”, to parody his closing expression.

The Doomsday clock is closer to midnight than it has ever been before, even at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which has been described as the most dangerous moment in history. This objective fact is simply ignored by him, as it is by all British nationalists, who are united in their determination to cling to this obscene virility symbol, our sacrosanct national fetish. Trident.

Perhaps they comfort themselves with the delusion that it will never actually be used, forgetting that nuclear weapons have already been used – twice. And because we justify this, the greatest single-act war crime in history, we are prepared to repeat it, and unimaginably worse, with Trident.

This is an issue of such cosmic moral significance that to ignore it is inexcusable. An independent Scotland with a written constitution banning nuclear weapons from its lands and waters, means an end to Trident. As John Ainslie has irrefutably demonstrated in his meticulously researched report Trident – Nowhere to Go, the submarines cannot operate from anywhere else in the UK other than the Coulport/Faslane complex. Following Scottish independence, the British government can make a virtue out of necessity and quietly disarm its nuclear weapons of mass destruction, or it can huff and puff as hard as it can. But it cannot force Trident on a Scotland which has outlawed nuclear weapons.

Either way, come independence, Trident is toast. This is why I support it.

Brian M Quail,

2 Hyndland Avenue, Glasgow.

DEREK Mackay’s budget is not fit for purpose (“Mackay defends income tax rise for one million Scots”, The Herald, February 20). Mr Mackay hopes to raise an extra £428 million. He states this is to help mitigate UK budget cuts, protect the NHS and other public services, support our economy and tackle inequality in our society. This is rather a long list for a mere £428m extra to achieve.

At the same time he is cutting a few pence off the lower-paid workers’ weekly tax bill. This is just paying lip service to tax cuts. If he really wanted all the items on his wish list , he would have to approach the sum Labour wants but Mr Mackay understands the futility of these draconian tax rises. Does he not therefore realise that what he is proposing will make little difference? The proven way to raise money for all that his party desires is through growth in the economy fuelled by lower taxation for all and higher employment. The SNP’s fixation with closing the gap between rich and poor has blinded it to this obvious option which would actually make Scotland the fairer place they claim to want.

Dr Gerald Edwards,

Broom Road, Glasgow.