READING various letters and articles in The National over the past Covid-19 days/weeks/months, there are some clearly champing at the bit, jumping up and down and shouting for action – apparently any action –from the SNP on indyref2. Im contrast there are other SNP voices quietly urging caution, the need to take the whole country to a winnable indyref2, and to sustainably, and demonstrably, suppress Covid-19, thereby fulfilling promises already made to the citizens of Scotland as a whole.

Summarising the above politically might well be best described as a dichotomy, of now grabbing the narrative and holding onto it versus never interrupting the pro-UK opposition when it’s making mistakes. However, in a sporting context the politics of “rope a dope” might well get Scotland to Yes2, but it can also go horribly wrong, requiring just one particularly good jab to the SNP head.

READ MORE: Scottish advocates slam Boris Johnson in rare political intervention

This shadow boxing cannot go on forever, and it is good to now see more detailed items in The National looking at Universal Basic Income, pensions etc.

It would now appear that Mr A Johnson (PM) has managed to bake in some 20 years of UK-imposed austerity and has iced this empire cake with a future decade or two of “uncertainty” for the citizens of the UK. New and innovative health, social care and pensions security provisions for an independent Scotland will be required to partially provide the certainty required for YES2. EU membership will also be required to provide the required trading level certainty, with free movement and transnational education, required to support the population economically.

Coming off the ropes for YES2 might well be possible in September/October 2021, with a knockout date set for indyref2 inclusive of EU membership on May 2022, at the same time as the local elections in Scotland, but as always this is subject to “events”.

So, the next immediate question appears to be as to how the Scottish Government can overtly link COP26 with new health, social care and pensions security proposals, and with EU membership, by September/October 2021.

Stephen Tingle
Greater Glasgow

AS a newcomer to the neighbourhood of Alford I haven’t, as yet, had the pleasure of meeting Colin Wilson (Letters, Jul 29) but I fully agree with the views he expresses regarding cooperation between the SNP and Scottish Greens.

With the Glasgow COP26 conference approaching it is essential that green policies are at the very top of Holyrood’s agenda, and hopefully Scottish Green voices will be heard at the Cabinet table. This is a unique chance for us to demonstrate to the world that Scotland is a progressive, forward-looking country putting the planet before short-term profit.

READ MORE: It is now time for the cautious SNP to be more proactive about independence

I have been a Green Party member and activist south of the Border (also in the distant past a member of Plaid Cymru) and it has occurred to me to join the Scottish Greens. I feel that under the present circumstances, however, the pragmatic approach of SNP membership – at least up to independence – is best. This is particularly the case in the constituency of Aberdeenshire West where, sickeningly, a Tory MP and MSP are still hanging on by the skin of their teeth and every vote counts.

As for Alba, although they have little appeal for me I can nevertheless see a valid case for their existence: they at least provide a home for that minority of Eurosceptic indy supporters who aspire to a Norway-style foreign policy. It’s surely a sign of a mature and healthy democracy when we have three pro-indy parties to counter the Lib/Lab/Con imperialist triad.

Rhodri Griffiths
Alford, Aberdeenshire

AT SNP branch meetings and gatherings this phrase “the SNP old guard” commonly gets thrown about. Referring, I’m assuming, to SNP members who got involved with the party before the referendum in 2014. I’m an SNP member and have been since 2014 and I must say this type of language is counterproductive to our cause.

I hear a lot of language such as “new SNP” and that we need the “old SNP” back. Your SNP membership card is of no greater value than mine and if, when I’m out chapping doors or delivering leaflets pushing support forward for independence, it makes me any less than someone who got involved in the indy movement before 2014 then I say to you please go away and have a word with yourself.

The SNP members who joined the indy movement after 2014 have smashed every single election put in front of us since the referendum. We have hundreds, possibly thousands of “new SNP” people out campaigning who are now keeping the independence support on a knife edge in this country.

If you are championing the “old guard” mentality then you better believe that those of us who joined the indy movement after the referendum are “the vanguard” and are here to finish the job that you started once and for all.

Robert Innes
SNP Linwood and Craigends Branch Organiser

BORIS Johnson has a two-year-old Jack Russell dog called Dilyn. Apparently, this dog has some mischievous behaviour issues including chewing furniture and peeing on handbags. His biggest characteristic, though, is that he is highly sexed and cannot control his romantic urges. They do say that dog owners are like their dogs.

Harry Key
Largoward, Fife

PLEASE note that Douglas Morton’s letter in yesterday’s paper was incorrectly edited and should have stated: “Ms Garton-Crosbie’s use of statistics also leaves something to be desired. Her pre-election analysis period appears to cover eight weeks. The post-election period is six weeks. If you’re not comparing like with like don’t expect to be taken seriously.”