I NOTE Allan McKinney's letter today (October 18) and wish to reply. Far from being a mere slogan as he claims, my idea of Independence in Europe had a long history based on analysis of Scotland’s position within the EEC. In the House of Commons EEC entry debates, I argued that there was no logic in Scotland going to Brussels via London, when we should go straight there from Edinburgh. There was no support for my view in any political quarter.

Immediately after the result of the 1975 referendum keeping us in the EEC (I voted against doing so), I wrote a long memorandum putting flesh on the original idea, and held a press conference to launch it. At that time all states exercised a veto over a wide range of policies, and I argued that Scotland’s position would be enhanced as a member state, rather than as a region of the UK.

With the passing of the Single European Act, my policy started to gain attention and traction, and was eventually adopted by the SNP.

I have a habit of subjecting any policy I have been involved with to review in the light of changing circumstances. The policy in 1973 and 1975 addressed a Brussels-based organisation of first nine and then 12 member states, all with formidable veto power. As the EEC became the EC and then EU, and membership increased, the veto was eroded, and it became glaringly obvious that member states do not share sovereignty but transfer it to central EU institutions. That called for a new view of where an independent Scotland should position itself.

I took the time and trouble to study European Free Trade Association (Efta) and the European Economic Area (EEA) treaty’s 129 Articles and protocols, which showed that the canard of Norway waiting beside a fax machine to receive instructions from the EU was unfounded. The EEA treaty created institutional safeguards and rights for the Efta states on the development and implementation of EU policies. Articles 99 and 100 are instructive in this regard. In the period 2000-13, Norway adopted 4,274 EU laws, compared to each EU state adopting 52,183. Efta has the added advantage of not being in the EU customs union, enabling its members to negotiate over 30 trade agreements worldwide. I came to the conclusion that Efta membership was a far better aim for Scotland than an EU in which our qualified voting strength would be around one per cent.

Mr McKinney may have forgotten that in 2013, in preparation for the 2014 referendum, Nicola Sturgeon issued a government document which invoked the canard about Norway, and rubbished the idea of joining Efta, so demonstrating that either she had not read or, if read, did not understand the importance of the EEA treaty in safeguarding Efta states sovereign rights and responsibilities.

With Brexit we are in a new paradigm: just as the EEC that was in 1975 was fundamentally changed by a string of treaties leading to Lisbon, so the Scotland-EU world that was in 2016 will be no more; all policies relating to Scotland-UK-Europe-World will have to be submitted to re-examination.

Jim Sillars,

97 Grange Loan, Edinburgh.

ONE must assume that our politicians in Westminster never read newspapers, listen to radio or watch television news (“UK must pull back from EU cliff edge before it is too late”, Herald editorial, October 17). Virtually every report from all quarters forecasts varying levels of disaster should Brexit go ahead. Almost without exception the only cheerleading news comes from half a dozen dubious hard0right Tory Cabinet ministers, with their “jam tomorrow” and “bright new horizons”. Our Foreign Secretary with his “tiger in the tank” and “the ship down the slipway into the wide ocean” insults intelligence with his pathetic attitude and childish behaviour, totally unsuited to his serious position in government. His ship launch idea could be likened to the tragic Glasgow Daphne launch in 1883 which capsized on reaching the water, killing most of the people on board.

So many senior politicians view the situation as a disaster, surely political differences could be put aside for the sake of the country and all of them work together towards ending this lunacy. Vince Cable, Michael Heseltine, Tony Blair, John Major, whatever one thinks of them, and many others could create a powerful force to ensure another opportunity to vote on leaving the EU now that the true effects are hitting home. With awareness of the shameful lies in the first referendum and experience of the intervening period the result would surely be different. The beloved NHS will be the principal victim but farmers, universities, research and the future of the young will all suffer, as will the general public. This cliff edge is much too close for comfort and we must find a way to reconsider. If we don’t, future generations will never forget or forgive.

Nigel Dewar Gibb,

15 Kirklee Road, Glasgow.

WITH the greatest respect to Iain AD Mann (Letters, October 18), I think his call to Theresa May to hold a second EU referendum is a non-starter, and I can't agree with his suggestion that by holding a second vote Mrs May would "secure her place in history (along with Margaret Thatcher) as Britain's saviour"; rather than saving Britain, Mrs Thatcher's heartless policies wrecked it, with Scotland especially suffering from the loss of our industries and the imposition of the unjust poll tax.

However, Mrs Thatcher wasn't a ditherer, unlike the present incumbent of No 10, a lady of waffling indecision and dizzying u-turns. During last year's EU referendum campaign, Mrs May kept her head well below the parapet, and although declaring herself to be a Remainer, on becoming Premier was very quick to announce that the UK was going to leave the EU and that "we're going to make a success of it". Hard on the heels of that howler, and after emphatically denying that she would call a General Election, she went on to do that very same thing, producing a manifesto which could have been written for her by a cross-party committee comprised of the Opposition parties. This is a Prime Minister upon whose word we cannot rely, and whose judgement is fatally flawed.

In urging her to call a second referendum on Europe, Mr Mann encourages Mrs May to have the backbone, courage and good sense to stand up to some members of her Cabinet and many of her Tory back bench MPs, but sadly, I fear that these are qualities which the Prime Minister, caught like a rabbit in her own headlights, does not possess.

Ruth Marr,

99 Grampian Road, Stirling.