A FEW letters in The National have highlighted the poor conference agenda for the forthcoming SNP conference – without any mention of a review of why the party voted collapsed in the last election.
I was one of the many SNP supporters who couldn’t bring myself to vote SNP at the last election – the party have squandered so many chances to promote independence since 2015, all in favour of divisive gender politics.
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However, those hoping that some sort of review will happen are living in cloud cuckoo land – we’re still waiting for the SNP to review what went wrong in 2014 indyref! I know some of a former leader’s fanatical followers like to blame Alex Salmond for 2014 – but he is the only SNP First Minister who got us a referendum and a real chance of achieving independence. His successors have let us all down badly.
Even John Swinney, who’s not long in the post as leader, is responsible for this voting malaise – raising the useless referendum strategy and then failing to do anything to support a push for independence.
The chances that the current leadership (which was so heavily involved in Ms Sturgeon’s leadership period) will review the failings of the party are practically nil.
Similarly I don’t see many of the MSPs and former MPs who told everyone to vote for Humza as party leader apologising for that strategic error.
Revival for the SNP will only come when there is a clear-out at the top – no-one involved in previous leadership cabals will have the authority to do this, and we will see the split between independence supporters and SNP votes continue to widen.
Alex Beckett
Paisley
TWO articles in Wednesday’s paper make interesting reading and are connected. One is “Members pressure SNP over ‘pointless’ resolutions”, referring to the party’s conference. The other is “Link in support for Yes and for SNP ‘decisively broken’, research finds”.
The membership seem to have woken up to the fact that the party hierarchy are only interested in keeping themselves in office. No serious discussion seems likely to take place any time soon.
The link between the SNP and the independence movement seems to get more tenuous with the passage of time. More independence supporters question if the SNP have a commitment of words only, as no momentum to actually deliver independence is visible.
Some fear that the unspoken aim of many in recent leadership positions is being achieved, ie, weaken the SNP as an electoral force and keep the Union intact for a few more decades. This would explain some actions and policies of recent years that have led to the current situation.
Drew Reid
Falkirk
WHILST I take into consideration the opinions of some of your columnists, I have to admit that the views of the many contributors to the letters pages are what stoke my interest.
For some time now the nearly unanimous view being put forward is that the SNP do not listen to what seems to be an overwhelming desire for strong action on independence. As we must assume the hierarchy read all these letters, they must know all our feelings on this most important of matters! It would seem to me that they also must know that to have any chance in 2026 we must have a plan to do the job.
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Is it beyond their comprehension to just tell us that in the 2026 Scottish election a majority of votes from independence-supporting parties would see us announcing we are leaving the Union and declaring independence?
The first thing that needs to happen is for all the indy-supporting parties to sit down and make it clear that on the ballot paper they would have “Supporting Scottish Independence” after the party name. That would leave voters in no doubt what they were voting for and knowing that a majority indy-supporting vote would be enough. Forget about the Unionists crying foul, as it is time we just told them and Westminster to get stuffed!
Methinks it is time for us to tell them all what WE are going to do. It is a no-brainer and must be worth a shot. Never mind more talking about listening when the facts are that no-one is listening. The answer is simple, so why don’t all the indy-supporting parties just get on with it!
Old John
Ayrshire
FIT wey dae hauf the electorate in Scotland nae see the advantages o independence fan thare is nae evidence tae the contrar? I think we maun tak ae wee luikie at fit’s happening ower the sheuch in the USA. Nice mannie agin ae fail muckle mooth an faw cams oot worse? The nice mannie. John Swinney, oor First Minister, is an awfy nice mannie, I hae met him aince, no that he has ony reason tae ken o it. He’s yer best neist door neighbour, the nicest dominie, wuid e’en pit ye at ease gin he wir ae dentist, but nae adversary agin ae lood mooth propaganda press.
Alang came Kamala in the USA an syne the gameramus gowk is feart an shawin it. We need a chynge anaa. Kate Forbes is staunin in the wings. Articulate, intelligent, an fu o smeddum an virr. Ae wuman tae inspire confidence an mak Scots tak tent o foo we are an fit we can achieve.
We need tae follae the ensaumple gaein tae us by the USA, an pit Kate in charge.
George T Watt
Arbroath
THANK you for a piece of excellent journalism from a grown-up, and very clear reasons for the state of the economy and how people are feeling, including me (Richard Murphy: Far-right riots and Labour’s fiscal rules are connected. Here’s how, thenational.scot, Aug 8). Thank you.
Mia Paton
via thenational.scot
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