5 SEPTEMBER 1998, Page 25

Great Scot

Sir: Not for the first time I'm inclined to agree with Magnus Linklater CA bletherer bites back', 29 August). I lent his faither' and his mother. Eric was a brilliant novelist and Scottish Nationalist. His mother, sadly recently deceased, was my untiring and faithful agent for 20 years in Orkney in my capacity as Member of the European Par- liament for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

From time to time I do see some anti- Scottish drivel in the few English papers that sell here. Our own press naturally don't indulge in this. They go in for Nat- bashing, as Andrew Neil of the Scotsman knows only too well. Principles are impor- tant, but nothing beats circulation. So, please feel free to be as nasty to the Scots as you want. We don't mind. The chances are we won't see it and as individual mem- bers of the European Union we'll both have more interesting matters to pursue than pointless back-biting.

Dr Winnie Ewing MEP

President of the Scottish National Party, Goodwill, Miltonduff, Elgin