Dear First Minister, 

I am a "No to Yes" independence supporter belonging to that older, bus pass generation although still gainfully employed – but let's say no more of that and focus on the issue at hand for the Yes movement. I am perhaps one of the demographics that you might wish to reach.

So what do I need to say to you and yours to convince you that the independence movement is ready to go?

For me the change to Yes came that fateful day in 2014 when the vote was confirmed as No and English Votes for English Laws emerged. On that very morning the scales started to fall from my eyes. I have been fully committed to Yes since then and have been unwavering in this position. Every day since then has provided further confirmation to stay with this point of view.

READ MORE: My open letter to the First Minister on an independence referendum

When arriving at my decision back in 2014, my workload was 24/7 and I regrettably relied too heavily, almost exclusively, on the mainstream media mainly provided by the BBC News, Newsnight and Scotland Tonight, only listening occasionally to “Yes to indy” friends and colleagues. I naively believed everything I saw and read and did not fully appreciate how manipulative they all were.

I believed The Vow, I believed that voting No would secure continued EU membership and that an independent Scotland would have difficulties in being accepted by the EU. I believed that there were genuine concerns regarding currency matters for Scotland. I actually believed that Scotland's relationship with the rest of the Union was respected and worthwhile, for all parties.

READ MORE: ‘A choice between two unions’ is not the slogan we need

We are all agreed that the SNP is the vehicle to drive the independence campaign forward to completion, but you and your senior colleagues need to appreciate and reflect that the wider Yes movement is greater than the SNP and is greater than the sum of its constituent parts.

On my journey from No to Yes what struck me most was the genuine, caring essence of the Yes movement. In my experience to date, indy Scots are truly passionate about their belief, almost spiritual but not religious. I had the privilege to accompany a core of Yessers on a small number of sections of their 500-mile pilgrimage from Skye to your door in Edinburgh. It has to be said that it would have been appreciated if you had made an appearance on that Saturday, when 100,000-plus independence supporters, a family across generations, all savoured the moment on our way to Holyrood.

READ MORE: Indy activists have hopes and fears – but just give us a direction

What you need to realise is that the indy movement cannot maintain its current energy levels without some concrete intimation from you on a time, date and the mechanism to go forward to secure our independence.

The independence movement zeitgeist is a positive and dynamic force, self-charging and renewing its energy and resolve but largely confined within the indy bubble. Similar to the SNP, the wider movement's raison d'etre is to simply gain independence for Scotland, nothing else is within its field of vision. In order to achieve its aim, Yes campaigners need to see the finishing line. Only then can they get out en masse to begin listening and sharing opinions with positive energy and enthusiasm to convince any undecided voters and switch them on to the independence option, which we all know on so many different levels is the only sensible thing to do.

I would not worry about any opinion polls when making your decision. For me polls are worse than statistics in the "lies, damned lies" context. My feeling is that you and your advisors have already weighed up all relevant factors and that you are just looking for the right moment to rally the troops. Just to say – and not I am sure for the first time – please, please, please do not dally. The current situation with the British Government is intolerable, not just for you and your colleagues here in Scotland, at Westminster and at the European Parliament, but also for most Scots. Your so-called opposition parties have reached rock bottom, they have nothing to offer the people of Scotland.

In a fair country, the so-called mainstream media should be expected to provide balanced reporting of all issues of relevance to people, but this is clearly not relevant to our current situation when obfuscation, direct lies and, more insidiously, lies by omission are the norm. This is being addressed as best as it can be in Scotland with The National and with the introduction of indy-supporting radio and TV broadcasts, but again these are not mainstream and not reaching as many people as we would want.

I sincerely hope that you have confidence in the pople of Scotland that the will, resolve and energy levels are currently replete and have been for some time. Further, that in order to re-activate previous indy voters, and importantly get any undecided voters on our side, you need to switch up gear and allow indy supporters and the wider public to engage in what will be the endgame for independence.

The grassroots doing what they do best, actively out on the streets, is where hearts and minds can and will be changed. This can only happen if you initiate the process. We have all the facts we need to win the day. We just need you to set a date and method and, as Alyn Smith said, “do not let us down” Carpe diem, name the day, let's together #dissolvetheunion and Saor Alba.

Davd Cox
Nairn