That was an interesting article by Neal Ascherson suggesting that Scotland act as if independent (Why Scotland must act as an independent nation, Comment, July 2). During a recent visit to the Northern Isles it seemed to me that Shetland, and to some extent Orkney, were doing just that.

On Shetland, the Saltire, let alone the Union flag, was pretty impossible to find – they have their own flags (perhaps they don't even want to be part of Scotland). A visiting friend from South Africa said before leaving: "Of course I could go down to the UK to see relatives in London." Is that the start of a mindset?

David McIntosh

Cumbernauld