Having lived and visited many countries, the only occasion that I experienced any racism was in Scotland where I was called 'an English Pig' even thought my mother was Scottish.

The man stated the truth albeit undiplomatically.

Michael Hunt, Paris, France

What is wrong with saying what you think ! that is free speech.
PC is NOT

graham, Manchester, UK

Why such a fuss? I've always had the impression that they are proud of their racism.


Jim, Burnley

james, Burnley,

he might actually have a point...for all we talk ourselves up as an open-mided country we do have a long history of anti-catholic and anti-irish feelings.....especially, but not exclusively, in the west of scotlamd

martin, glasgow,

Since when was Presbyterian an insult?

Graham Ramsay, Blairgowrie, Scotland

I think it's taking it too far to say that Scots are racist - though there are certain racist elements, just as in England. However, it is also true that, with the possible exception of Glasgow, Scotland is a white society that doesn't have to grapple with the complex issues of multi-culturalism that face England. In parts of Scottish society, anti-English racism is still very common, as is sectarianism

Richard, Bexhill, UK

Well DickW I'm sure we'd love to stop stifling your free NHS prescriptions for a start.

J.Wilkes, Gloucester,

No-one in this government gets sacked. There are Incompetents in the Cabinet, ministers who run departments which are not fit for purpose, ministers whose departments lose millions of people's data, a Defence Secretary who is contemptuous of our troops and a Chancellor who was too slow to act on Northern Rock.
Mr. McTernan is in good company; his job is safe.

Richard, London, England

As a Greek of the diaspora who has visited Scotland perhaps too few times I can only totally disagree with John's private comments on the Scotts. I met John in the Peckham constituency Labour Party where I was an obviously not a very effective Political Education Secretary for a brief period.
I work and live with Scottish people and I have not failed to notice that they are strongly internationalist in outlook, communitarian as opposed to individualist and remain stedafastly and fiercely proud of their national heritage but they are definetely not racist. As an othrodox I find overzealous co-religionists a little unsettling but I can easily put up with it.

Nicholas Xenakis, Borough, London, England/UK

McTernan comments are perfectly true. It is a pity in this day and age the truth is always a hostage to political correctness.

D Case, Newquay,

Dick W just proving the point there!

The labour party should be congratulated for telling the truth for once.

John, Hull, Yorkshire

I would tend to agree. I have friends who moved up a few years back who are now back down to England again saying that they receive constant abuse for being 'English'. To think in the 21st Century the Scots would be so backward is sad. But there again it is run by Nationalists just as in Wales.

I say time for a bit of English nationalism.

Rob Moore, ENGLAND,

I agree, give them their independance and build a big fence

james, southampton,

If Blair, Gordon Bean,Des Browne, Alistair Darling,Douglas Alexander,John Reid et al are examples of Scotland's finest then indeed, as Private Fraser said, we are all doomed.

Richard, London, England

There are lots of areas of the UK that are narrow-minded and racist... however, these are usually areas with socio-economic problems, and it has nothing to do with being Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish or English. I was brought up in the North of England, and with its share of issues, there is also a fair bit of narrow-minded racism about. Rich areas of London can afford to be harmoniously multi-cultural but apart from that, you never expect things to be perfect! Get over it, people, and quit agonising over twoddle written by someone who should know better...

Chris, London,

and of course all England has spawned is the British (sic) National Front. that open minded, racially tolerant organisation that supports total religious freedom as long as it not Muslim or Jewish.
as far as i am aware there are no BNP members in any Scottish local government and there are a significant number of Black, Asian and yes even English members of the SNP. the people that the Labour party prat was talking about was the Labour Party members in Scotland.
as for the poster from Hereford i can cite numerous instances of anti Scottish attitudes in England but to suggest that there may be signs on Scottish B&B's with "no English" as there were in London in the 60s with "no blacks" is complete and utter crap. immature? look at the reaction from the tennis supporters from England when Andy Murray said he did not support England in the WC football. yes,you are all so grown up in England. bovine droppings.

Ron oliver, edinburgh, scotland

It probably is but good on you some of us just get sick of England being blamed for all Scotlands ills

t roberts, manchester, uk

The Presbyterian Church of Scotland is, by far, the largest church in Scotland. That's a fact. So, Scotland is presbyterian in the same way that Eire is catholic, and Iraq is shia.

Now one thing that does set Scotland apart, is the fact that one community in Scotland insists on sectarian apartheid in terms of schooling.

'Which one and why?' you all ask. Well, the answer to that lies with Mr McTernan's own catholic church.

Ugenot H, London, GBNI

"Just look at the Celtic v Rangers problems. Pure immaturity." says "peter" (Shouldn't that be "Peter"? - Sorry, I learned English in Scotland). Don't Manchester and London football clubs have similar problems, then?

We want Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland to be independent; then maybe we could all get on with what we're best at. I wish an independent England all the best.

Barry, Greenock, Scotland

I think Alex Salmond is 'Doing the Job' for the Scots.
I only wish we had a simular figure in westminster looking after the affairs of the English.

Sid Jacques, Durham,

Anthony said:-

The Scots have dominated British politics for too long."

Reason being that the sassenachs have not yet produced folk of the necessary calibre to run their own country.

When they do, we would be delighted to head back north and let them get on with it!

des G, Arbroath,

i quite agree with dickW the sooner scotland gets out from under the stifling and repressive treasury the better. i wish alex salmond good luck with an independant scotland. the sooner the better!! then brown and browne et al could all go home!!

anthony, leeds , england

But Scotland IS Racist, Presbyterian and narrow. I should know, I married one. My being English certainly was an issue. Just look at the Celtic v Rangers problems. Pure immaturity. The English in Scotland are going through what the Afro-Carribeans went through in London in the 60's. The Scottish mentality is pre-war and they suffer 'small man syndrome'. The SNP miss the point though, the English want Scottish Independence more than the Scots do. The Scots have dominated British politics for too long. Ever challenged a Scot on his/her anti English stance. They always fall back to the 'English Press'. Rubbish, small man syndrome again. They don't complain when they live and work in England or sleep rough in our shop doorways.

peter, Hertford, England

To be honest, he's probably quite right. I love Scotland dearly, but it must be full of narrow-minded idiots. How else would we have ended up with Salmond et al at the helm? All he does is antagonise Westminster. What kind of policy is that?

Quite simply, we need to get the chip off our shoulder about England and get on with life (being both Scottish and British).

M R A Maxwell, Edinburgh, Scotland

Westminister and City of London holding us back?

Is this some perverse logic where giving us a disproportionate amount of funding is somehow stifling our potential?

McTernan's remarks were out of line, especially for someone working in public service, but the sad fact is that there are some areas in Scotland where these remarks aren't untrue.

Paul, Glasgow,

And people wonder why more and more Scots now look upon independence as a serious option.

Scotland could be another Sweden if it wasn't for Westminster and the City of London holding it back.. In many respects most of Scandinavia has managed to build very enterprising economies. They are extremely competitive because their Govt, industry and most of all their financial institutions all work together for the benefit of their economy. In short, they are patriotic in the proper sense.

None of this happens here but it could in Scotland if we could only get out from under the stifling and repressive Treasury and their chums in the City.

DickW, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

“narrow, Presbyterian and racist”
Mmmmm....It did spawn Blair and Brown....

Judy , Liverpool, england