Dear Editor I am baffled at the reaction by some supporters of Scottish independence to David Cameron asking our English family and friends to ask us to stay with the UK. Also David Bowie asking us the same. Regardless of how I decide to vote I consider it a compliment if English, Welsh or Northern Irish people want us to stay with the UK. If we as individuals were moving from a neighbourhood where we had many friends, would we not be hurt if they didn’t wish we would stay, even if they wished us well if we decided we had to go?

We Scots are often quite chuffed when travelling abroad if we find people welcoming us because we are Scottish, why on earth can’t we accept a compliment from our nearest neighbours, so long as they aren’t asking to be able to vote on the issue? Many of us have close relatives over the border and in Wales and NI and I think we’d be hurt if they didn’t care at all. Let’s be honest, if the Welsh or NI first ministers asked our relatives in their countries to ask us to stay there wouldn’t be such an uproar, the language of which embarrassing to witness.

It is our right to decide, but it is only natural for many in the rest of the UK to have an opinion, some of it just as emotional as some of ours is.

What we decide affects the whole UK population so let’s listen to everyone’s opinion and then decide what on balance seems like the best option for us. Some of them will just say do what ever you think is best, others will ask us to stay for whatever reason. At least the ordinary population is less likely to be interested in what politicians say about the pros and cons, as it won’t affect them so much; if they did ask us to stay it could be because they actually liked us.

Your sincerely Name and address supplied