DOUGLAS Cowe (Letters, January 3) is perfectly entitled to his feeling of Britishness and cites a number of reasons that form his view. The angst verging on anger displayed in his letter because not all agree with him is a good example of why many now think otherwise and would prefer a more tolerant, less divisive society in the 21st century, especially many of our young people who particularly favour independence and will be in charge of our future.

In true British spirit, surely Mr Cowe cannot object to another democratic referendum being held given the clear desire of voters to have one? In the changed circumstances from 2014 in which the UK now finds itself, a democratic referendum allows the people to hear the revised case of what independence would mean for Scotland in the short and long term and its relationship with the others of these isles and Europe, against hearing the case from Unionists of why more of the same would be better for us by remaining part of the UK. It would certainly settle the issue for a long time and what is there to fear from allowing both sides to present their case once again and letting the people choose?

If Scotland becomes independent, geographically we will remain part of the British Isles and the residents of Scotland and England will remain British and our combined history cannot be expunged, but independence would also go a long way to redress the increasing imbalance of the constituent parts that make up the UK.

Alan M Morris, Blanefield.

I’M happy to accept Douglas Cowe’s feeling of Britishness but do me and countless other supporters of independence the courtesy of being neither hoodwinked or driven by SNP leaders into anti-Britishness.

I have always been suspicious of superlatives about the UK or Scotland as they are so easily claimed but rarely justified under independent examination. At best they can be heart-felt.

One claim I think can be made is that states in the north-west of Europe without exception have a better financial and geographical bases for a better quality of life than most other regions of the world. It doesn’t matter if they are in or out of the EU, the Single market or the customs union. There are examples of all these positions in north-west Europe.

I am not aware of any research which would suggest that should England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland become independent that they would individually not have the ability to enjoy a quality of life for which north-west Europe is famous.

Having been involved in the independence movement over many years and taken a fairly significant role in my local area in the 2014 referendum I do not recognise this claim of ripping Scotland apart and driving family against family. No doubt there are a few hotheads who indulge in such infantile behaviour, but I count many Unionists and nationalists as dear relatives and friends. The strength of our respect for each other I am sure is not unique to us.

Mr Cowe would do well to reflect on what part he has played in cementing or ending any relationship he might have with Unionist and independence friends since the SNP came to power.

Graeme McCormick, Convener, SNP Dumbarton Constituency Association, Arden.

IF the SNP had wanted a truly socialist leader from a genuine working-class background they would have picked Jim Sillars years ago.

He would at least have avoided all the divisive nationalism and obsession with statistical spin that my two former schoolmates, Kenny Macaskill and Alex Salmond, and their cronies infected my country with.

I don't even recall either of them having a part-time or summer "gig economy" jobs before they took up their careers in banking and law.

I'd had almost 20 labouring, fruit picking, cooking, bin collecting jobs by that time, giving me a pretty unromantic, memory-rich view of working-class life.

Apart from the lack of credibility or genuine feeling, what really angers me about Kenny MacAskill's intervention ("Kenny Macaskill urges parties to exploit anti-Tory ‘anger’ in Scotland", The Herald, January 2) is his pretence at competence after his dismemberment of the Scottish court system and botched reform of Scotland's police service and its oversight, his unfounded scaremongering about what Boris Johnson will do and arrogant assumption that when only 1.24 million people out of a population of 5.3m vote for his party's watered-down independence message it means we are actually gagging for it and just need it explained better.

And as for his olive branch to the Labour Party and claim to be able to unite the "movement", if it wasn't so scandalous, duplicitous or potentially ruinous to my country it would be hilarious.

Allan Sutherland, Stonehaven.

NOW here is a proven “off the shelf” idea to stop the endless, divisive and wasteful SNP lunacy:

“We the People of [the United States] in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and to our Posterity, do ordain and this constitution for the (United States of America)” – Preamble to the Constitution of the United States.

“A more perfect Union,” as Donald Dewar never said, “I like that.”

John Dunlop, Ayr.

Read more: Salmond and Sturgeon have torn the nation apart