THERE was added pleasure in reading Pete Wishart and his article (Independence 2.0 ... why we need to update the prospectus, The National, September 26).
Laid out there, the acknowledgement that the lead up to 2014, the campaign, is well and truly over. Events, dear boy, events have overtaken us, and it’s time to move on. With general, local and referendum results behind us, we need to learn from 2014, plan ahead; a re-energised strategy, driven by people. You, me, us.
We need to identify the demographics of those who didn’t vote Yes and look for change factors. At the same time, if the Scottish (pro-indy) “populist” moment was the rush to join the SNP and other pro-indy parties, immediately after September 14, that’s fine, but does that mean we might see a pro-Corbyn populist move here in the coming months and need to be prepared?
As Wishart points out, one third of SNP MPs lost their Westminster seats. Was it a lack of self-belief that we can and will achieve independence? If that is true, don’t leave it up to politicians to kick start indyref2. It should be us, the voters – leading politicians are there to govern in our name as we direct them. Was it the Scottish Government’s pro-EU stance? I must admit, I was one of the “hold your nose” voters since I was totally disgruntled at the way Greece had been reduced to begging-bowl status.
But the dichotomy is staring us right there in our faces; we’ve sent back a majority of pro-indy MPs to a parliament of straw, that can, does and will continue to ignore our elected reps. Surely then, we need to ensure a pro-indy majority at the next Holyrood elections, complete with a manifesto commitment to hold indyref2.
Look at Catalonia and learn how hard the road might be within the democratic process, so let’s make sure we have that democratic majority via a mandate espousing indyref2. Since the Unionists are against it, will their voters decide this is sufficient reason to vote? What else do they offer? The more the penury of Brexit evidences itself, will we be ready to demonstrate that the way forward is independence?
The clear message from both Labour and Tory, as they seek to secure the votes of Brexiteers south of the Border is: Brexit and your vote at any price. By wooing the Brexiteer voters, no matter any platitudes this week from Brighton, and don’t expect any coming from the Tories at their annual conference, we once again see Scotland regarded as a back alley of skulking souls, to be placated with the promise of more of anything sometime in the future.
This time, the greatest hoodwink since Houdini will be the power grab that leaves us poorer but dressed up as “returning powers”, albeit they will get “stuck” in Westminster. It’s up to us then to identify the alternatives, the issues, provide the positive case, create the spaces for debate and discussion and take our arguments to the market place. Let the politicians continue to govern. We put them there to govern in our name, and surely our name is independence.
It is going to be a hard road and probably a long one. I wish I could wake up tomorrow independent, but since I won’t, I just have to continue to work away with other individuals, groups, organisations at helping to create the new setting for indyref2. Don’t we all?
Selma Rahman
Edinburgh
ANOTHER SNP politician, Pete Wishart, is indicating the next independence referendum should be delayed until after they “fight the next Scottish election on securing a renewed referendum mandate”.
Yet he acknowledges “Brexit will be an absolute disaster for Scotland”. So what makes it a good policy, and attractive to any voter, to be seen to wait until considerable damage is done to the lives of many Scots? Why would any government not want to take the earliest action to prevent it happening? Wishart acknowledges the SNP lost MPs in part because “independence supporters decided to stay at home, uninspired by what they saw as an agenda that did not meet their constitutional ambitions”.
A small survey was carried out by Yes Rutherglen at the Hope Over Fear rally in September. Of the 71 respondents to the question of when a referendum should take place, 25 per cent wanted it “in 2018”; 66 per cent “before Brexit but after the conditions are known, say 2019”; under nine per cent “after Brexit and coinciding with the 2021 Scottish Government elections”. No-one wanted it beyond then.
I suggest supporters are likely to remain “uninspired” if the SNP do not do what they can to ensure a referendum takes place soon after the Brexit conditions are known and before they result in “an absolute”.
Jim Stamper
Rutherglen
SURELY Pete Wishart in voicing his frustration with the lack of seeming planning in politics in Scotland reveals his own lack of trust in the electorate and in the Yes voters in particular.
It’s obvious to anyone that Brexit is causing all kinds of obstructive forces to hold sway; but while work has to be done north of the Border to build a solid foundation of planning for all eventualities, including the fostering of good working relationships with the other devolved nations in the UK and with our EU neighbours, what point is there in attempting to stir up enthusiasm for indyref2?
The embers of the fire of passion for independence are there for the arousal. Meantime, and unfortunately, the clowns in Westminster are doing our work for us in proving that they are not fit to govern.
Janet Cunningham
Stirling
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