Jonathan Tulloch (“Ties that bind”, 30 August) writes eloquently of the language of the border area and of what Scotland and England share. Unfortunately, he does not mention the significant political drift between the two countries. While Westminster accepts in theory that Scotland is a separate country, the mindset in practice is that it is a region – North Britain, perhaps. Yet Scotland has always had separate legal and educational systems. Sovereignty lies with the people, not with Parliament; Scotland is a mature, stable and democratic country.Over a lengthy period – the call for independence has not come out of nowhere – many Scots have viewed with dismay the direction that successive Westminster governments have taken. The time has come for Scots to ad