THE article from Ash Regan in Monday’s national was interesting (No more waiting – it’s time to let the people decide, Sep 23).

First Ash praises the forward thinking of the Scottish Currency Group after her involvement at their conference in Dunfermline at the weekend. I agree wholeheartedly with her on that. I attended the conference and found it an excellent event, which displayed the wide extent of the work being done by Scottish volunteers in preparing the ground for independence, while by contrast our professional MSPs are talking a lot about independence, but doing nothing practical.

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Ash, as an elected MSP and the sole representative of Alba in the Scottish Parliament, now has an excellent opportunity to show her commitment to her headline “it’s time to let the people decide” by supporting the open letter sent by the Respect Scottish Sovereignty (RSS) group to the First Minister three weeks ago, calling on him to put legislation through the Scottish Parliament designed to put the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights into Scottish law.

This is something the Scottish Parliament can do. It is specifically stated in the Scotland Act that the Scottish Parliament has the power to put into Scottish law UN treaties that have been signed by the UK. (This treaty was signed by the UK in 1976).

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If this Covenant were put into Scottish law, as indeed the UN Covenant on the Rights of the Child was this year, then the Scottish people would have the right under section 25 of that Covenant to have a referendum on any political issue any time they wanted.

This, Ash, is one way of letting the people decide and it is open to the Scottish Parliament to do this.

If you were to put such a motion before the parliament then the SNP and the Greens could hardly oppose it, and refuse to agree that Scottish people should be entitled to the civil and public rights which they are entitled to under this UN Covenant signed by the UK.

The Scottish people have heard all the talk, and the promises. Now they are looking for action from their elected representatives. Are you up to it?

Andy Anderson
Ardrossan

I AGREE on Ash Regan’s point that it is time to let the people decide on its constitutional future. It always has been, but for an initial ignorance of that fact since and before 2014.

However (and there always is a “however”), there has been a rude awakening for the Scottish people since 2014. We are now much more informed with regard to our constitutional history and Claim of Right etc.

We are much more alive to the politics surrounding our need to reclaim Scotland’s independence. And we are particularly alive to the Unionistas’ shenanigans in the prevention of any attempts to break up the Union.

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Ash Regan’s suggestion for the 2026 election to be a plebiscite is lacking a fundamental point. There has been no information from any quarter as to what an independent Scotland might be like, compared to what it is like today, least of all from the government.

We cannot walk into the next list election on an independence plebiscite without knowing what we are voting for with regard to what we should know, such as how we should and will survive in an independent Scotland. The obvious “for instances” are an acceptable currency and a central banking system and pension security. There is also the question of EU membership.

Until we have had a national discussion with agreed and acceptable resolutions concerning such factors, and many other necessary institutions of government, we cannot argue for independence. These discussions might come about through the already suggested civic conventions.

Whether all of the above can be achieved before the next Scottish election is a mighty big ask. I hae ma doots! But at least we should be making a start in order to be someway closer to Ash Regan’s notion of a plebiscite by the people of Scotland and for the people of Scotland.

Alan Magnus-Bennett
Fife

COULDN’T agree more with Alex Beckett (Letters, Sep 24) about Stewart McDonald being so out of touch.

What worries me more is to consider if Mr McDonald’s SNP colleagues have the same thoughts.

For years now, it seems, I have wondered why every SNP MP and MSP are not seen on the “coal face” at the independence marches. I’ve seen a few – and I mean a few. What are they frightened of? What a boost it would be to see the front three rows all MSPs and MPs.

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Let’s make it compulsory to see our MSPs on the marches. There are now only a handful of marches and they are well publicised in plenty of time to rearrange the diary, just as we do.

Peter Thomson’s appeal to get “nasty in constructive ways” (Letters, Sep 24) would, if nothing else, tell “oor masters” that the independence movement is still alive and kicking.

Ken McCartney
Hawick

BRITAIN, depending how you count it, is either the seventh or even the fourth richest state in the world.

It might not be immediately obvious to readers when we hear that the "change" we were expecting after the recent General Election means cutting Winter Fuel Payments.

So our pensioners (recognised as among the poorest in Europe) will be at significant risk of dying earlier than expected as they choose between heating and eating.

Meanwhile MPs, our representatives at Westminster, have basic incomes of £91,346 before claiming for expenses such as a second house in London or travel.

Norman Lockhart
Innerleithen