Expat vote

The Scottish Government has no plans to propose an extension of the franchise to voters outwith Scotland.

Why not, I say? To give one example, from my recently published novel, Scotland the Brave (which Alex Salmond affirms makes very interesting reading), veterans of the Black Watch born and brought up in Scotland who fought in the terrible battle of the Hook in Korea – going on to fight the Mau Mau in Kenya and later to combat terrorists in Cyprus – who for whatever reason are not resident in Scotland are not considered worth a vote, while a 16-year-old Romanian or Bulgarian resident in Scotland is.

Nationals of South American countries may vote at their embassies in Spain and elsewhere while resident abroad, and some by postal vote.

I wish Alex Salmond well. I hope Scotland will recover its ancient independence but with a close alliance of equals with England.

Yet, however the referendum turns out, it will be without the votes of hundreds if not thousands of non-resident Scots. It can still be rectified. Where there’s a will …

Ivar Alastair Watson

La Vinuela

Malaga, Spain