Letter: Jimmy wigs

AL KENNEDY'S picture of a nation otherwise contented in the contemplation of its own paradoxes is wide of the mark ("The Scottish national street- party", Culture, 16 August). Despite the restrictions with which the Government has hedged it round, the Scottish Parliament will be a radical departure from the present England-Scotland relationship. Imagine what will happen the first time the new parliament tries, as it surely will, to exceed its remit. It is not hard to imagine plausible scenarios, perhaps involving demands from the English regions to cut "subsidies" to Scotland, or Scottish attempts to debate Trident and the nuclear warheads at present stockpiled upwind of Glasgow and Edinburgh. How will the government of the day react? By imposing direct rule from Westminster? For 50 years it had to let Stormont do as it wished, and then it was dealing with people whose main aim in life was to remain part of the Union. Genial football fans, Tom Leonard and hey Jimmy wigs are only part of the story. Many of us expect a bumpy ride.

ALAN MacCOLL

St Andrews, Fife