I RECKON one of the main reasons that the support for independence has waned a bit – once 60%, now allegedly more like 50% – is because normal people, especially those who are struggling, concentrate on surviving, paying the bills, getting their children fed and clothed.

Many don’t vote for that very reason. They feel the hopelessness of the situation they are in. Voting for politicians is just a waste of time. None of them can be trusted. Nothing changes. Instead many put more faith in buying a lottery ticket (which they can’t afford!)

Many are also put off by the complexity of the issues and discussions and haven’t got the energy to get involved in those daunting matters. Doing so would take up so much of their time that they already need to keep their heads above water.

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This is why politicians concentrate so much on soundbites. Those potential voters are particularly vulnerable to the like. Social media is also a mixed blessing, as many are particularly vulnerable to fake news. Why else would the likes of Trump and Boris get into power in the first place, and in Boris’s case remain in power despite his incompetence, lies, broken promises?

Charlie Kerr’s recent excellent letter (Sep 14) highlighted that it’ s not rhetoric we are after, it’s details of what independence will look like. He mentions currency, economics, pensions, taxes, NHS, EU membership. I would add drug deaths, food banks, Trident, oil exploration, the planet. We need the details, and of course action too. How else can we persuade the disillusioned, those that are forgotten about, those I’ve highlighted above? Because it’ll be harder to persuade the “I’m alright, Jack” brigade. It’ ll be harder to budge them. (I don’t like saying it, but greed might be the angle there!).

Robin MacLean
Fort Augustus

I COMMEND Charlie Kerr’s letter in Tuesday’s paper to all those who wish progress to independence. It neatly summarises what needs to be done by party leaders of independence-supporting parties.

Without a clear view of intentions there is no way fence-sitters will support independence, and most likely they’ll opt for the status quo.

READ MORE: If the SNP want us to go out and sell independence, we will need details

Waffling on about a fairer society etc is too vague to convince doubters; clear vision is necessary and soon. It’s too late leaving things to an election campaign, the build-up must start now.

The “it’ll have to wait until after such and such” has gone on too long; the time is now. Without preparation there can be no success, and the preparation has to be seen being done. None of the “working behind the scenes “ patter that we’ve heard before.

Drew Reid
Falkirk

IF Scots wait for answers to all of Charlie Kerr’s questions to be extracted from UK data and an uncooperative UK Government, they will never celebrate Scotland’s Independence Day.

Charlie Kerr is right in only one respect – Scotland will not be the same as Ireland, Denmark or Norway because these countries have been built by the Irish, Danes and Norwegians just as an independent Scotland will be built in their own fashion by Scots with the vision, courage and confidence to take back their independence.

John Jamieson
South Queensferry

I WOULD like to disagree with “Name and address supplied” in Monday’s paper. Defection of MSPs and MPs to other parties without resigning their seat and standing for re-election has been accepted in British politics since at least the time of Winston Churchill, who changed his coat many times to advance his political career.

Alex Salmond may well be disliked. He was disliked at the time that he got us the last independence referendum – but he got it. I have always believed you should judge people by what they have done and not by what they say they are going to do.

In that respect, Nicola Sturgeon has proved more than capable of handling the worst pandemic of my lifetime (of 78 years), and deserves our respect for that. However, I want Scottish independence and all that Nicola Sturgeon has demonstrated in that respect is her ability to kick it further and further down the road.

READ MORE: Alba Party defectors should be required to face the electorate

Alex Salmond has already got us one referendum. Nicola Sturgeon has only said she will get one but done nothing about it for years. That’s why I have switched my allegiance to Alba. I am only one of many ex-SNP supporters who are slowly growing the numbers of Alex Salmond’s party.

I have said before, and it’s worth saying again, that independence is not for Nicola Sturgeon, or for Alex Salmond or, indeed for Patrick Harvie; and it doesn’t matter which of them you like or dislike. Independence is for the people of Scotland. We need to push for it whatever way we can.

Charlie Kerr
Glenrothes

ON Monday Norway held its General Election. By midnight we knew there would be a change of government (after eight years) from a Conservative-led coalition of four parties to a Labour party-led coalition (probably of five parties). Ten parties are now represented in the Norwegian Parliament.

Hardly exciting stuff? Neither The Herald nor The National have given it a mention so far. Yet Norway is Scotland’s closest neighbour and Norway shares the North Sea with Scotland.

It’s early days yet, but two major issues in the new parliament are going to be whether to put an end to exploration for oil and gas, and Norway’s relationship with Europe (one coalition partner wants it to pull out of the European Economic Area altogether).

Scotland should keep an eye open across the North Sea.

Mike Fergus
Oslo, Norway