Letters Special: ‘We have to set our own agenda this time’ – more responses to the FM’s statement

The outcome of Brexit is the clearest circumstance but so is the English political climate and Scotland’s growing alienation. May’s shrinking support, the effects of her dalliance with the DUP on the Irish political framework, Britain’s shrinking international influence, the reduction in our armed forces with particular effects in Scotland, pensions and social care and even the ascent of King Charles are a tsunami of circumstances that must be harvested at the right time.

In the meantime, we must take the opportunity to organise. We had the Scottish Independence Convention earlier this year with brave words but little has happened since. We have to rebuild the network of activists. Groups such as Pensioners For Independence must not only be supported but empowered to campaign in their own areas of expertise. Specialist groups are appropriate in major towns but in lighter populated areas like minded groups should come together, including members of the political parties advocating dependence. Is it too much to hope for a Yes2 group in every council ward? At the same time we need to proselytise and undermine the Unionists. We can learn a lot from the community politics of the Liberal Party in the 60s and 70s. By pointing out by all possible media, where an independent voice has achieved for Scotland and where the Unionists have lied and cheated we can swing people to the truth.

So a postponement of the date is correct tactically but no further postponement of activism and organisation should be countenanced.

Ian Richmond, Dumfries and Galloway

NICOLA Sturgeon’s decision to “reset” her plans for indyref2 to allow the Scottish Government to focus on Brexit is absolutely the correct decision. While she does her best to lessen the impact of Brexit on Scotland, the various “Yes” campaign groups should redouble their efforts to raise awareness of what an independent Scotland could be like.

With every day that passes the realization that Brexit is a huge mistake will start to dawn on those undecided voters looking for a better future for them and their children. Already we can see economic signals that the road ahead for the UK is looking decidedly rough. Inflation is rising, the Pound is in trouble, Europe is uniting against the Brexiteers (though not the Scots), UK politics is in disarray with public money being used to prop up a sick Tory party with a weak and wobbly leader, and biased mainstream media is having to find ever more inventive ways of fooling the populace into believing ‘it’s all the democratic will of the people’. Lies, more lies and yet more lies will not fool all of the people all of the time.

The recent General Election exposed the main Unionist parties as having only one policy, that there shouldn’t be another independence referendum. We heard nothing of what Scottish Unionist parties had as their vision for Scotland within a United Kingdom. All it seems they wanted for Scotland was to remain under the thumb of a Westminster Parliament that plays lip service to democracy. The latest episode of buying votes to prop up the Tories so they can force through what is most likely to be a Hard Brexit that will be very much against the democratic will of the people will do nothing to dent their Unionist zeal.

The Scottish Government should do all it can to expose the hypocrisy whilst the Yes movement grows support. Maybe a good place to start will be highlighting every policy where Holyrood is doing a better day job than Westminster.

Geoff Tompson, Helensburgh

ONCE again our honourable and honest First Minister has proved herself to be perceptive, calm in the face of unjustifiable criticism and a shining contrast to the bull-headed arrogance and naked power-grabbing of the Tory party. The media are spinning this just as we knew they would. We must not waver in the face of lying Unionist posturing. Nobody, certainly not Theresa May, knows the outcome of the Brexit “negotiations”, yet May is charging ahead into uncertainty and possible, if not probable, chaos and economic disaster. Nicola is keeping our powder dry and we are lucky indeed to have her.

Martin and Katherine Longmuir via email

I DON’T think she has much more of a choice to do anything else.

It’s a pity she now has something in common with Mrs May in as much they listened to their political colleagues in the run up to the election and not the electorate.

Brexit appears to be much less of an issue in Scotland than England.

Ian Marwick via email

I SUPPOSE it was inevitable, but disappointing.

At least as the Brexit process continues the Scottish electorate will see the incompetence of the minority Tory government in Westminster. SNP have their faults, but at least they still value the democratic process.

I hope now the leaders of the other parties will back her call for a member of the Scottish Government to be involved in the Brexit process. Failure to do this, just underlines the need for independence.

David Kirkman Symington

WE need a safety net from Brexit! What are the Unionist parties scared of? If the people don’t want indy all they have to do is vote No. Democracy at work!

Craig Martin, via email

STOP talking about division. How about governing instead of campaigning.

Patricia Steed via email

I THINK this is the correct decision it leaves independence firmly on the agenda. We all have to accept we lost in 2014 and the poles suggest support for independence, although still strong, is not quite there yet.

As we are still part of the UK the most pressing problems are a Tory government willing to prostitute itself to 10 MPs whilst undermining two other administrations in its one-track agenda for a hard Brexit.

I trust now that the Scottish Government will do all it can to if not get a seat at the table over Brexit but at least be in the room.

If it appears likely that more powers such as agriculture are not transferred to Edinburgh or that Scotland will not have single market access and a hard Brexit is likely, then as a Scot we should have the right to choose where our best interest lies.

It is quite clear that no Tory MP in Scotland will stand up for this country so independence must remain as a counter balance to their ambition to destroy Scottish culture and way of life.

Bryan Auchterlonie, Perthshire

NOW this the time for the SNP to prove it’s mettle and show once again and it can be a radical, forward-thinking, pro-active government, and capture the imagination of the nation and other nations. Brexit will unravel. Independence will come. This is the long game, they must ascend; they shouldn’t ruin it.

Peter Rose via email

I WANT a referendum on independence today. However given the outcome of the election I can understand why Nicola has chosen to take the position she has. My worry is that by delaying the impetus that was growing within the grassroots membership for a referendum we may lose some of our support.

I believe that we should fight the propaganda that continues to pour out of Westminster with our own response to the actions of the Tory party and its impact on Scotland. David Mundell and Ruth Davidson’s position on the alliance with the DUP is particularly on shaky ground and we should take full advantage of this.

We must take the initiative in the propaganda war that is so invasive in our daily lives. It may be expensive, but the end result will be independence.

Tom McFarlane, via email

NICOLA knows what she is doing. There is so much going on at the moment on the political front that the independence movement should take a pit stop to regroup.

There is no point in rushing while a successful outcome is not likely. When the awful results of the Brexit negotiations are revealed the Scottish people may wake up to the realisation that independence for Scotland is the only sensible option.

Ian Delissen, Falkirk

I AGREE with everything that Nicola says in her statement. I don’t think now is the correct time for indyref2. Brexit is a bigger issue right now and depending on the involvement, which should be given to Scotland and Wales to have a say in it, I honestly feel could make a big difference to the outcome of another referendum.

I also think the people will be concerned at no extra funding for Scotland or Wales could be a large factor on its outcome. Nicola must concentrate on Scotland at the moment and convince the people that NHS, education and emergency service are being improved. I am a great believer in thinking. Sound, local knowledge becomes instant ignorance in the hands of centralised units.

I always have and always will support an independent Scotland. We will flourish without Westminster leeching all they can get from us. Put plain and simply, Westminster wants us because Westminster needs us, ask yourself why they don’t want us to be independent! Because without Scotland they will be a poorer country. Lets get rid but do it Nicola’s way.

Sheena Rae, via email

I’M very disappointed. Maybe I was expecting too much? With all that’s happened of late, ie Mundell’s lies, the DUP deal, the Brexit debacle, the continuous insults our MPs face every day in Westminster, etc, I seriously thought that Nicola was going to show her backbone and tell Westminster that enough is enough; we’re leaving... now! I don’t think it is unreasonable to assume that Westminster don’t give two ha’pennies for Scotland or her people, so I felt the time was right to bring the Scots MPs and Peers home, convene an assembly in Holyrood and declare independence from the UK.

Instead, it would appear Nicola prefers to continue pussy-footing with Westminster and wait to see what Brexit holds for Scotland before holding an independence referendum. I’ll tell you now what Brexit will hold for Scotland: more broken promises and lies. In other words, nothing. And why should we hold a referendum at all? The very notion that Scotland’s sovereignty would be placed at risk by the nation’s representatives in the form of a referendum would be the last straw for me. The nation would be left an international laughing stock and I would be ashamed to call myself born of that nation if our constitutional establishment was so weak it couldn’t defend itself from another nation’s political whim.

For that matter, even the very suggestion that our nation requires a referendum in the face of the imposition of Brexit is deeply insulting to my sense of Scottish nationhood.

Gu Alba. 

Fi Jack, Eastriggs, Dumfriesshire

I SUPPORT the SNP’s and the Scottish Greens to hold a second independence referendum after the Brexit negotiations have been concluded. The SNP together with the Scottish Greens have a mandate to hold a second referendum.

With nearly all the near 200,000 EU citizens eligible to vote in the referendum and the near 300,000 16 and 17 year olds added to the electorate by 2018/19 since the 2014 vote.

I hope the SNP appoint Mhairi Black to lead the SNP case for independence her drive and genuine enthusiasm for it will lead us on to victory, I just hope Nicola does not appoint Derek Mackay to lead the campaign after his two lacklustre showings in the local election and then in the General Election. Scotland cannot afford to lose the second referendum.

Brad Millar via email

THIS was expected and it is the right thing to do. I know it will be difficult for a political party to do but the SNP must place most of the trust and decision making in the hands of the wider Yes movement. The goal of independence should come before party politics.

There are enough very clever people in that Yes movement to take us to independence.

The wider movement that was stood down after September 2014 must be reborn and take the lead this time. There are plenty of your own columnists who could play leading roles in the new revived Yes movement.

John Vosper, Mittenwald, Germany