AS usual I found Joanna Cherry’s column in Friday’s paper interesting.
I agree that those of us who have different opinions about issues in the independence campaign should not threaten, insult or ignore each other. We should respect each other and rely entirely on rational debate to deal with our differences in a respectful way. As a founding member of the Scottish Currency Group (SCG), I can say this has always been our policy.
We came into existence because we were very disappointed in the failure of the SNP to deal properly with the currency issue in the run-up to the 2014 referendum and recognised this was a major cause of our defeat. We were determined to help put that right and to assist the SNP to address this properly before any future vote on independence.
We have been working for years behind the scenes, trying to influence the SNP leadership by debate and discussion. For most of that time, our advice and opinions have fallen on deaf ears. Independence supporters have heard very little from the SNP leadership on currency and related issues but what they have heard has left them totally confused.
Polling evidence seems to tell us 70% of our supporters in Scotland know very little about currency and related issues. If more of them were enlightened they would see this as a very positive reason for independence, particularly in view of recent events.
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It may be, as I have heard suggested, that the SNP leadership believes people are afraid to consider currency changes and therefore the SNP leadership is trying to ignore this issue or give it a low-profile.
If this is so, it is very foolish because the Unionist-dominated media will certainly raise it late in the campaign as they did last time. In any event, the Scottish people are not stupid. They need to be treated with respect and brought into the debate about currency.
Tim Rideout and I, on behalf of SCG, asked the Scottish Independence Foundation (SIF) to fund a opinion poll on support for a Scottish currency, which James Kelly carried out in November 2020.
This poll showed that 59% of the Scottish electorate supported a Scottish currency and when the figures were broken down this showed 50% of Labour voters were in favour. Even 43% of LibDems supported a Scottish currency. I suspect these figures would be much more favourable today.
So we must have this rational public debate now. Since the SCG now supports the SNP position of the establishment of a central bank and the introduction of a new Scottish domestic currency, the only difference between us is timing.
So let me kick off the debate by saying that the sooner Scotland has its own domestic currency, the safer our currency will be from international currency speculation, the quicker we will be able to use public investment on developing renewable energy, the NHS and other public funding, and the earlier we will be able to join the EU if that is what Scotland decides to do.
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These are all very important aspect of the SNP’s view of a future Scottish economy which most of us are committed to. Can anyone from the SNP point to equal advantages we would gain by delaying our decision to establish a Central Bank and our own Scottish currency?
Andy Anderson
Ardrossan
AS an advanced octogenarian and having assimilated politics away back from when I was involved in the early start-up of a new SNP branch in Haddington, East Lothian some years back with overtures involving David Steele, I now realise how tame it all was then compared to ongoing stramash at Westminster.
Perhaps I am not the only one thinking the UK is gubbed. We need out of this never-ending nightmare. We need out of this disunited UK. In stating the obvious, we need independence to urgently go our own way. Ah’m no feart o’ independence. Let’s not procrastinate. Bring it on please.
WD Mill Irving
Kilbirnie
WITH regard to the crisis at Westminster involving the Tory party’s chaos and confusion, I would like to draw attention to the repercussions of this on Scotland. The entire British establishment is in a state of disarray. Scotland doesn’t vote Tory but we are lumbered with their mess, this time with monumentally bad policies for us Scots.
Surely, rather than stating the obvious that Westminster is bad for us, Nicola Sturgeon should be recalling Holyrood and demanding we get ourselves out of this disaster.
Mrs J Hegarty
via email
IT is unbelievable that the UK’s unwritten constitution (which some are proud of) allows a small portion of the electorate to decide who shall lead the country, chose a complete failure, then that same tiny portion enjoy the privilege to subsequently decide their replacement.
Meanwhile, a majority throughout the land are either hungry, cold, in sickness or pain or any composite of these difficulties awaiting the outcome of the second attempt of the failed tiny minority. Why in Scotland, which I prefer to regard as the land of common sense, are we still party to such a farce?
Tom Gray
Braco
WHAT is the point in having a deputy prime minister? The last two prime ministers have been forced to resign over matters of corruption or competence but have remained in office following their resignations. Surely they should go right away and the deputy step in to undertake the role.
We desperately need a written constitution to address this and other matters. It is beyond unlikely that the government in London will adopt a written constitution so our best chance of getting what we need is with an independent Scotland.
Ni Holmes
St Andrews
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