The writer told an audience at the Edinburgh International Book Festival that he was sad over how a “very difficult issue” had split the country in two, and stopped short of giving an opinion on which side of the debate he was on. Smith, writer of books such as the long-running 44 Scotland Street series, said he didn’t feel comfortable making his politics explicit in his writing. He said: “I feel very strongly that I shouldn’t, in those books, espouse any political position. “There are references to issues which are political in the general sense but I think it woudl be a bit of an abuse of my situation to use it to expound on my private views. “I know it’s a tricky issue, a very difficult issue for people in Scotland and I think I would prefer not to bring that into the books. “I think it’s a sad situation that Scotland has become so divided. “We are now a divided country... one of my characters declares herself a ‘Scottish patriot but I feel it’s very important that it does not affect my affection for our neighbours’ and I feel that is very true.” SEE ALSO • Alexander McCall Smith sad over ‘divided’ Scotland