JOHN Swinney says Scotland is closer to independence than ever before. Keith Brown says it’s up to the people of Scotland because Westminster will never grant a Section 30. Ash Regan put a parliamentary motion forward for the 2026 list vote to be a de facto independence referendum.

All of which appears to be a route, led by the people, to establish a way forward for Scotland to put its independence into motion.

A motion within the Holyrood parliament is comprehensibly defeated by every other MSP. Not one single member other than the motion proposer is in support.

READ MORE: Ash Regan: No more waiting – it's time to let the people decide Scotland's future

Just what is going on? Was this a vote “against” because it came from Alba? I hope not. Why? Because democracy appears to have been disregarded for something that has been suggested before by the SNP, particularly as an SNP conference motion. But we know that conference motions that are carried are generally ignored by the SNP government.

I am not a supporter of Alba even though they are a recognised political party with representation within the Scottish Parliament.

That said, my longstanding membership and support for the SNP is wearing thin. I have supported its ideas on socialist policies and indeed independence from the start.

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However, its value for independence appears to be on the wane just like the harvest moon. So is my continued support, along with many others I suspect. Both comments from John Swinney and Keith Brown I now have to take with a pinch of salt, through their denial in support for making 2026 anything other than an attempt to stay in power.

If the SNP government wish to remain in power then they need to listen to those they represent (and others) who support independence. Around half of the voting public are in support for independence and have been for quite a long time now.

Pay attention!!

Alan Magnus-Bennett
Fife

I AM struggling to express just how irritated, angry and dismayed I am hearing Keith Brown change to saying there is no chance of a Section 30 agreement under the current Labour government.

Is Keith Brown admitting the only way to progress the cause of Scottish independence is by “alternative means”?

History tells us the English empire only allows its “colonies” to leave once they have no more useful commodities to serve the empire or the degree of violence and general uproar against English empire rule reaches a certain point beyond which preventing independence happening is no longer cost-effective.

READ MORE: How is a vote for independence to be put into effect?

The first option is not going to happen given England’s reliance on energy produced or generated in Scotland to keep its lights on, cash flow from oil and gas in Scottish waters to the English empire treasury and its future needs for fresh water being exported from Scotland.

Since Keith Brown is no Wallace or Bruce in terms progressing Scottish independence, that leaves him as a modern-day Toom Tabard. So who is going to have the courage to say enough is enough and switch off energy supplies to England as a start of the softening-up process? Who is going to create public uproar in Scotland against the perverse and corrupt system of government at Westminster?

The passive, happy marches of the current Scottish independence movement are great but the lack of anger and danger to the English empire’s stability means Westminster can basically ignore us.

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Nice is what the English empire likes. It can ignore nice, nice has not worked, the independence movement needs to get nasty in constructive ways to destabilise the presumption that Scottish independence is all talk and no action.

The bottom line that no-one on the independence side of the debate seems willing to accept is that Scottish independence is not going to be “victimless”. There will even be victims on the pro-independence side as the end result does not meet their presumptions and aspirations, as a quick look at some of the antagonism to rejoining the EU from a minority makes clear.

Devolution, let alone independence, is under threat from Westminster by a series of Westminster budgetary cuts and will rely on continuing Scottish passivity to let it happen. Independence is as good as dead, and Scotland along with it, if Keith “Toom Tabard” Brown’s “we’re aa doomed" thinking remains a mainstream view.

Peter Thomson
Kirkcudbright

THE comments from former SNP MP Stewart McDonald suggesting that the SNP should form a coalition with Labour highlight how out-of-touch Mr McDonald and his associates are with the vast majority of SNP members and supporters. Forming such a coalition highlights how little Mr McDonald believes in independence and is a warning to any members selecting potential candidates for future elections.

READ MORE: SNP should form coalition with Labour after 2026 election, says ex-MP

Over the past 10 years or so there has been a flood of people joining the SNP and being elected as politicians without any regard for Scottish independence. We’ve already had others like Ben Macpherson MSP wanting to delay independence for another 30 years or so – no doubt while he collects a massive MSP salary and gold-lined pension while the poor suckers who chap the doors for the SNP see their future wasted in the failed state of Britain.

It’s about time that all elected members within the SNP confirmed their belief in independence and those who can use their power to promote independence should do so, or step aside and let those who believe in independence take over! Maybe it's time for maximum term limits for SNP MPs and MSPs?

Alex Beckett
Paisley