RICHARD Grant (Letters, January 19) does not go far enough with his questions concerning Scottish independence.

The Scottish nation is grown up now and able to stand on their own 10m feet.

More importantly, can the present state of affairs (where three of the four constituent countries have their own Parliament or Assembly and one doesn't) last?.

In 1997, devolution was the byword, used by New Labour to herald a new order of governance within the UK, the referendums were held and there were celebrations to mark the results.

There was just one problem, England featured nowhere in the referenda nor the celebrations.

Eight years later the anomoly persists despite 68 per cent of the English population favouring an English Parliament.

Until this democratic imbalance is addressed the union is on rather shaky ground.

PATRICK HARRIS, Horndean.