AN interesting and accurate commentary by John Drummond on Sunday (Beware the self-loathing. They will always talk Scotland down, Apr 2).

It struck me that much like the DUP in Northern Ireland, the Scottish BritNats want Scotland to be completely reliant on “Mother England”. They cannot abide the concept of Scotland being a success or thriving. Thus, independence is anathema to them. See Tom McGurk on the James Wales show for insights into this phenomena. An interesting listen.

Even facts can and will be ignored by these British nationalists. They can and will shout them down by claiming that they’re “alternate facts” which have been produced or doctored by the SNP. Brexit is a fine case in point. What to do with such self-harming deniers, who will actually claim to care about Scotland, then prove the reverse? I know that I have often wondered if – due to their limited, and perhaps more right-wing, literature – they just don’t read any of this evidence which tells them that their pre-conceived ideas are wrong. Or do they read it and reject it out of hand?

WATCH: Alex Salmond reacts to news of Peter Murrell's resignation

However, I know from trying to convince a broad range of people that some just cannot be reasoned with. It does not matter how how reasoned your argument is, how unimpeachable the source is, how serious the implication or how damning the evidence; some people will ignore it all. They’ll even offer another reason. Perhaps they say that the SNP have delayed a ferry through incompetence. Or allegedly wasted public funds in Scotland to the tune of £30,000. And you’ll find that they’re apparently furious at this, even though it’s thoroughly disproportionate. It’s also evasion of the worst kind.

These people are BritNats – British nationalists. They have bought into the United Kingdom ideology completely. They don’t want Scotland to be a successful or affluent country, let alone a nation. They don’t want us to re-join the EU and they don’t care if this damages the people of Scotland. Like the DUP thinking that if England decides it’s doing something, then that’s what’s best for Scotland.

For centuries in Scotland, it’s what we’ve been told to think. Too wee, too poor, too thick. We should just move past such people, as they’re in a real minority now. And though this minority will get increasingly noisy as they see the end of their ideology approaching, there are plenty of others ready to be convinced of the benefits of independence.

Greg Slater
Edinburgh

ON Sunday I flew out of Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg Airport. A wee airport with a big message – it serves three countries.

My flight was delayed, not too long, but enough to observe. Our former fellow Europeans boarded their flights without checks. Jings, of course they were security cleared. Meanwhile, the Albanians, Turks and Brits (which I am forced to be) had a full rigour of checks on passport and reason for travel.

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No fault of the Swiss. A big fault of the Scottish Government not respecting our vote to remain in the EU. Cow-towing to the Brits, ignoring the wishes of democracy. How can I explain that to my German and Swiss friends? We are the most servile non-nation in Europe. Totally afraid of the Brits who lie, cheat and steal from us.

Since 2014 the begging continues. Why should we beg? Why did we accept Brexit? Both questions are answered: we need to stand against the anti-democratic Britland. We have a legal system of Scots law. We have democracy. It is our country, our laws that dictate the way to divorce and allow us back to internationalism. Get us away from quasi-fascism of Britland.

Bryan Clark
Maybole