AS support for independence rises I am at once elated and worried. In spite of denigrating Scotland for centuries, UK governments know the value of our country to London’s coffers, even the gormless current government. So I worry about what underhand treachery the UK Government will wreak upon us in a bid to thwart independence, because they have form and history.

It was British governments that herded Boer civilians into concentration camps, massacred unarmed Irish people and sent uniformed thugs into Ireland to terrorise the population.

With unscrupulous characters such as Johnson, Gove, Patel and Cummings trashing democracy with impunity, we should all be worried about what evil plans they have in store for Scotland.

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Nuclear weapons are regularly trundled through Scotland on their way to and from Faslane. And then, whoops! A wee nuclear accident on the journey. Not a major explosion, you understand, only killing out a few hundred Scots followed by a nod to where real power lies. Fantasy, you say? When India was fighting for its independence, the British murdered hundreds at Amritsar, deliberately starved thousands to death in Calcutta, and tied rebels to the muzzles of field guns. These atrocities were not fantasies, and occurred in almost every former British colony. Ah, but UK governments are more civilised now, you may say? Austerity, sanctions, food banks, pandemic incompetence, removal centres and forced deportations – are these the tools of a civilised government?

Richard Walthew
Duns

IN a country where the Bond films – based as they essentially are on state-sponsored extra-judicial murder – have played such a central role in Britain’s culture, the government actually responsible for the real-life MI5 and MI6 and all the nukes have baldly stated they don’t care about violating international law. I’ve never felt more genuinely terrified in my life.

As a female who’s been an invited speaker to no fewer than eight independence rallies in three countries, and written speeches for a further four, including the recent AUOB Bannockburn rally, like many others in similar situations I’ve spent more time than I’ll admit on catastrophising being gruesomely targeted in a country where “to be Jo Coxed” is a verb that can stalk the nightmares of anyone gathering the gumption to stand up for a better future.

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Only as recently as a week ago, I figured I’d gotten over all those catastrophising dramatics that used to keep me awake at night, actually telling my poor worried dad: “They don’t have to kill you now, they’ll just kill your social media account. No really Dad, don’t worry!”

What a difference a few days make. We can only hope that evil always sows the seeds of its own destruction via its overconfident arrogance, but it takes action to truly be defeated. If nothing else, let this be part of even brief conversations with all those friends and family “who we no longer talk politics with” – because we are not safe.

Ariel Killick
Glasgow

THE actions of the Tory government are predictable and should not be a surprise to Scotland. The barrage of economic invention, personal attacks on SNP elected personnel and on aspects of Scottish life, over many of which Holyrood has no control, has been an ingredient of Tory-inspired propaganda since 2014.The aim of Johnson is to firstly weaken our Scottish Government, and then to orchestrate its abolition.

In that he is aided and abetted by the BBC and the print media, not to mention the so-called “Scottish” Tory MPs.

Recent polling predicts growing support for Scottish independence, which if left to Westminster shall not be attainable. Westminster policy is to own Scotland, and it has demonstrated that single aim since 1707. Only at the ballot box will that disaster be buried.

John Hamilton
Bearsden

THE independence of Scotland will not only be a commercial blow to England but one to their self-esteem. It would help them if they could keep the name they are known by to the world, that of the United Kingdom. This can be done by sweeping away the Treaty of Union but only amending the Union of the Crowns.

The Conservatives on both sides of the Border would be placated by this. Scotland will of course amend the monarch’s duties to fit with our peaceful, Trident-free, green style of government. The monarch will be known by the Scottish title and reign under the Lion Rampant. The countries will be known as the United Kingdoms of Scotland, Wales and England.

Soon the English electorate would see the sense of modernisation and up-date their own archaic governance. If only the Scottish opposition parties could see that everybody would benefit from this, ditch their opposition to a Yes vote and view the United Kingdoms as a great opportunity.

Iain WD Forde
Scotlandwell