TOMORROW we all go to the polls for one of the most important elections of our lifetimes, after the most low-key local polling I have seen in 80 years. Almost all the media coverage has been of the party leaders, so depriving so many people of the local knowledge they need to cast their votes.
With the exception of the Greens I have not seen much mention of the serious national and international issues that the next generation, our young people, are facing, long after these current leaders have moved on.
Nor have I seen any regular mention of the unique situation that young people have. In Scotland not only do they have their own Youth Parliament, they can also all vote at the age of 16 and 17 in this and all Scottish local elections.
READ MORE: Latest Holyrood election poll predicts SNP will win majority
It is vital that every young person who has registered to vote uses their vote, as that is the only way to make sure that their voices are heard on climate change, education, youth employment, and affordable housing in particular.
Their voices need to be heard to re-establish the wonderful Erasmus scheme that saw hundreds of thousands of young people from Scotland following educational and employment opportunities in the EU. Erasmus also attracted hundreds of thousands of European young people to our higher education establishments. When Boris took us out of Europe he abandoned this life-changing educational opportunity. Boris says he has a better idea in mind, with his worldwide equivalent. No, he hasn’t. What he has revealed so far is not a shadow of what Erasmus delivered for decades, as it does not cover living costs or travel costs and many of the countries he says young people could go to around the world would be unaffordable to our students.
Greta Thunberg, Marcus Rashford and other young people across the globe have inspired millions of other young people to believe that their word and their vote can together affect massive political changes for climate change, the American gun laws along with school meals, free books and so much more. All of us should tomorrow do everything we can to engage all young voters to get out there and make their mark.
Max Cruickshank
Glasgow
TOMORROW is a significant election for Scotland. We have a chance to vote for a party with a track record of good government and the promise of an independence referendum to take us away from the shackles of Tory-dominated Westminster – or we throw the towel in and admit we’re not good enough to run our own affairs.
Although I have some sympathy with the other independence-supporting parties, my desire for independence will mean, unsurprisingly, that I will be voting SNP. If the election goes as predicted then there should be no further excuses for a shift to independence. After all, even the Tories are saying if we don’t vote for them then an independence referendum is next on the cards – I wonder if they will follow through on this though!
READ MORE: The Union as we know it is over, international media told at press event
It’s been a truly desperate election for the BritNat parties – each of whom appear to be a policy-free zone, well except “No to indyref 2!” They have no plans for Scotland simply because their leaders in London haven’t confided in them what plans – other than taking all our resources – are in place. For all the talk of independence parties trying to “fix” the list vote, it is ironic to see Labour and Tory politicians copying Kezia Dugdale from 2016, when she was encouraging Labour voters to vote for the BritNat politician most likely to beat the SNP in each constituency. Tory and Labour are in a race for second place which no-one cares about.
However, we have to be wary of poll projections. Ensure that if you want a voice on how your country is run, you get out and vote – don’t leave it to others to make such an essential decision for you.
Cllr Kenny MacLaren
Paisley
FOLLOWING day after day of ploughing through the articles and letters on the subject, we are finally here and all is clear.
Two choices for us. Either both votes SNP and we just might get a stale overall majority and certainly more Unionist MSPs and tens of thousands of wasted votes. Or second first vote SNP and second Greens, or Alba or Andy Whiteman or SNP in one or two regions, producing a vibrant and exciting super indy majority at Holyrood. I suspect The National may support the former but thankfully there are many good reasons I will continue to buy our paper in spite of that.
Tony Martin
Gullane, East Lothian
LOSING the chance to take control of your nation’s destiny through infighting and a lack of basic numeracy is not a good look.
Polls indicate the SNP are facing a similar scenario to 2016. The divisor applied to their list vote will put them out of the running for list seats. The traditional result of this is the Unionist parties filling their boots. If enough SNP voters wake up and smell the Internal Market Bill, a vote for Alba can completely flip this.
A supermajority parliament, which can call a plebiscite Holyrood election if the UK continues to block a legal path to independence, offers a way to break the deadlock. If we think in terms of maximising every independence vote, we can give the Unionists the scenario they are dreading, and put ourselves in control of our future.
Jim Daly
Edinburgh
LAST week we had Tony Blair back in the news, and Gordon Brown is never far away. Now I see Alistair Darling is around again as well (Darling’s appeal for Tory votes branded ‘disaster’ for Labour, May 5). Turning the page there is a report that Iain Gray is stepping down. I wonder if he sees this as an opportunity to get himself more exposure in the media.
Ni Holmes
St Andrews
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