I READ Kevin McKenna’s latest column regarding the House of Windsor’s relationship with Scotland and found myself nodding along in agreement with everything he said (Royal family uses Scotland as its own personal Tartan Disneyland, May 26). Then, with the finishing line in sight, he made the cardinal mistake of saying that as a republican the Queen had “charmed him to the top of his green, white and orange socks”, at which point I winced.

Kevin’s statement simply went down like a cup of cold sick, treading old lines in Scotland which link the word republican with Ireland. It’s dog-whistle stuff in the Central Belt and immediately brings in sectarian undertones to the conversation which I feel are unwelcome and which ultimately work against us in our attempt to win over converts from the Unionist side to support an independent Scottish republic.

READ MORE: Kevin McKenna: Scotland is just a personal Tartan Disneyland to the royal family

Across much of Scotland the term republican is completely misunderstood, and the baggage it drags with it makes an open and adult discussion of it all but impossible. To many, republicanism immediately triggers images of Irish flags and balaclavas, just as Unionism now triggers images of Union flags, orange marches and street violence. Just enter the term “Irish republicanism in Scotland” into Google and see the images it throws up. It’s a conversation stopper and no mistake. If we are going to talk about what a republic is in its most basic term – that being a country where ultimate power is with the people, not a monarch – then we must not make the mistake of shooting ourselves in the foot by closing off the argument using preconceived images which work against us.

Just as the word nationalist has its issues, so does republican, and in the context which we use them they are far removed from the negative image they are sometimes used to convey. Most countries in Europe are republics, it is an entirely normal state of affairs, yet here in Scotland there is a large swathe of the population who do not seem to understand that.

Going forward we need to be more aware of the language we use if we are to convince our fellow Scots that independence is normal and that being a republic is normal. To fail to do so is to fail completely. It really is that simple.

Jim Cassidy
Airdrie

PRINCE William has a meeting with Gordon Brown at Holyrood Palace – wonder what they talked about. It would seem the Queen has the same version of neutrality that the BBC has – in other words none.

The accidental-on-purpose conversation outside Crathie Kirk within earshot of reporters was an attempt to stage an intervention without intervening!!!

READ MORE: What did the royals and Gordon Brown hope to achieve with a secret meeting?

Why is it many other nations have been allowed (not without a struggles over many years) to become independent. We could start with the big ones: America, Canada, New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Ireland, Ghana, Malaya, Malta the Caribbean islands etc, and look at the terrible damage still felt in some of these places by the actions of the British Government.

The obvious question is: how many of these nations are clamouring to come back under British control? Not one, and many of them are smaller than Scotland and don’t have the resources we have.

Winifred McCartney
Paisley

SO the former Prime Minister and all-round doom merchant Gordon Brown has been having secret meetings with the royal family to plan some sort of rallying campaign for the BritNats.

It comes as no surprise that the former (alleged) left-wing politician who became one of the most right-wing chancellors – the one who landed the public sector with massive PFI debt (meanwhile enriching all his banking friends in the process) – is now some sort of sycophant to the dysfunctional royal family. Brown gave up on left-wing politics long before he cosied up to Tony Blair, and his only role in life now is to issue doom-laden predictions on what would happen if Scotland became independent. The royal family aligning themselves with such a miserable bore will only heighten the Scottish public’s concern as to the role of the royal family in trying to keep Scotland a prisoner of the Union.

At least this should focus those of us fighting for independence. Not only can we get rid of BritNat dinosaurs like Brown but we can also get rid of the undemocratic royal family. They’ve made it clear what side they are on, so let them sink with the rest of the BritNats.

Cllr Kenny MacLaren
Paisley

THE supposed charm offensive by the royals, exemplified by Prince William talking about his “connection” to Scotland, is one of those things that doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.

How bizarre would it sound had he talked about his connection to England in the same way? It is a given. The very fact that they feel the need to say this out loud is further evidence that confirms that there is no union of equals.

Their “One Nation” is England, not the UK. Scotland is the “other” – they have to actually create a script in order to remember that we are even here.

The sleekit meetings with Gordon Brown spell out the fact that the “connection” is just part of a sadly unsurprising agenda.

Kevin Dyson
Largs

IF you pass by Royal Exchange Square
You’ll see the steed I sit upon.
Who’d blame you if you stop and stare?
For I’m the Duke of Wellington.

My head always has a traffic cone,
Though for once I have to ask,
I’ve never been a one to moan,
But why do I never get a mask?

Stephen McCarthy
Glasgow