The launch of the Yes campaign in Edinburgh will surely harness the no vote more than any amount of campaigning against separation ("'Scotland's future will be in Scotland's hands'", The Herald, May 26).

To those of us who value common sense over misty-eyed patriotism, the event resembled a pantomime of farcical proportions. Alan Cumming and Brian Cox, two men who spend the vast majority of time in the US, took audacity to a new level, by lecturing us all as to why we would benefit from going it alone. Nationalism always seems more attractive from the boulevards of Los Angeles or the chic restaurants of New York City. Their performances would not have looked out of place at the RSC, sharpened by the comfort that they could retreat back to America if the experiment didn't go to plan. The celebrity hypocrisy continued with amessage of support from Sir Sean Connery.

How dare these people lecture me and my fellow Scots as to what is best for us, when they won't have to suffer the disastrous consequences of separation.

We then faced the gruesome spectacle of First Minister Alex Salmond going all misty-eyed at the sound of Dougie MacLean singing Caledonia. Despite his soundings of internationalism and suggestions we will somehow remain close to the other UK countries, this showed Mr Salmond up for what he is: an opportunistic manipulator who will tug on every heart string, and do whatever it takes to see Scotland become a nation state.

Mr Salmond will say, and do, anything to get his way, as can be seen by his moves to change the goalposts as to what independence will constitute. Not so long ago the First Minister wanted to take Scotland out of Nato, into the euro and an "arc of prosperity" with Ireland and Iceland. Unashamedly, he has changed his public stance on all of these core beliefs of the SNP, as one by one they have been ditched in favour of voter-friendly policies.

The No campaign must concentrate on the facts. George Osborne must also come out and state fundamentally that the Bank of England will not countenance a foreign country having sterling as its currency. He must also identify the percentage of the national debt that will be transferred to Scotland in the event of separation.

At that point, the Scottish people can have a straight choice: stay within a Union that is stable, with a strong currency and free of the worst excesses of Europeanism, or follow the advice of celebrity expats who will lead us, like stage versions of Wallace and Bruce, into Never Never Land. I have faith that the Scots are wise to see through this charade of nationalism and the majority will vote with their heads rather than their hearts in 2014.

For the sake of our country and future generations, we must hope the No campaign is credible, well-informed and strongly led. If not, we will be subjected to a tragedy of Greek proportions rather than a mere pantomime, involving a cast of actors, clowns and emotional patriots.

Derek Miller

Westbank,

West Balgrochan Road, Torrance.

As a Unionist I welcome the launch of the pro-independence campaign: the longer it goes on the more pointless it will become.

Supported only by the Greens, the Scottish Socialist Party and a few arty celebs, the SNP shows itself to be a party of the dysfunctional left. It is not surprising that, at the recent local elections, voters who had returned Mr Salmond with an overall Holyrood majority in 2011 deserted him in droves. His voting share fell from 45% to 33%, matching the level of core independence support reported in last week's YouGov poll.

The Nationalists and their allies don't know whether they are coming or going on the matters on which an independent Scottish Government would have to decide.

Sterling or the euro? The Scottish state would decide how much note and coin to produce. Its nationalised central bank would set a bank rate at which it would lend to the commercial banks as lender of last resort. The lower the bank rate the greater the credit creation by the commercial banks, and vice versa. Monetary control sets the boundaries of fiscal policy via the power to borrow cheaply in the international money markets. None of these powers would be available to a Scottish Government that retained sterling or joined the euro. Lacking political clout in London or Berlin, unlike now, Scotland would be flotsam and jetsam, just like Ireland and Greece.

Monarchy or a republic? The choice to anyone who claims to be a socialist, as Mr Salmond does, is self-evident. But he so loves to purr and fawn when in the royal presence that he is prepared to disregard the views of his avowedly republican party.

BBC or Alba? Give me Match of the Day and Radio 4. I am already paying for them. I don't want to have to pay more so Glasgow media luvvies can syphon off the licence fee for their careers – as would happen under SNP broadcasting plans.

Green energy at enormous cost to taxpayers and consumers and with big subsidies to the rich, or cheaper shale gas and nuclear power stations to sustain the poor? How bizarre that we nasty right-wingers would prefer to trust consumers and the market on this choice. But the SNP and the Greens are intent on putting the lights out by 2020.

The future of the hard-working people of Scotland is too important to be put at risk by a meaningless independence when we already have the Union. It ain't broke, so don't fix it.

Richard Mowbray

14 Ancaster Drive, Glasgow.

Amid the gloom and doom that is the euro crisis, it was refreshing to hear the optimism at the launch of the Yes campaign.

Politicians joining with notable individuals and organisations with a clear vision and enthusiasm for Scotland's future. A future without walls, with seats at the top tables of international negotiations that affect Scotland and equal partnerships with other nations.

This enthusiasm was emphasised when Alex Salmond called for one million people to sign the pledge, a pledge committing Scotland to an independent future.

Is this achievable? On examination of previous elections in Scotland during my lifetime, including referendums, it may well be. Consider the Unionist parties message in Scotland over the last four decades, Scotland will never get its own Parliament, we have. Then to the Parliament and the electoral system, which would never result in one party having a clear majority, 2011 put paid to that theory.

Those in the No camp are at it again, suggesting the Yes campaign is launching too early and that no-one knows what independence means. To the No campaign I ask: can they rise to the challenge clearly laid out at the Yes campaign launch or have they nothing to offer but criticism?

Catriona C Clark,

52 Hawthorn Drive, Banknock, Falkirk.

Although I am not a member of a political party I believe the Scottish Government should use the thrust of Ian Bell's column to promote the Yes campaign ("A vote for independence, not for Salmond's policies", The Herald, May 26).

He hits the nail on the head with his argument that the referendum is about the right to choose and restoring Scotland to its place within the community of nations. His point regarding Labour supporting self determination for every country in the world except their own is spot on and one can only hope people of the calibre of Dennis Canavan, Brian Cox and Liz Lochead will increase support for traditional Labour voters to join the Yes campaign.

A country's strength lies in the quality of its people and Scotland has always had an abundance of talent in all walks of life. The Unionist parties have only negativity and will use every trick to instill fear into those not committed to independence by targeting issues such as defence and the euro. These are issues for a future Scottish Government. As was said many years ago: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

John Martin,

Tanera, 14 Lintwhite Crescent, Bridge of Weir.

Looking at the pictures from the SNP campaign launch, I was beginning to think this was a male-only effort and nothing to do with women. The list of supporting speakers reinforced that message. I don't think the inclusion of one woman speaker, Liz Lochhead, can make up for the lack of gender balance.

Does the SNP think serious politicking is primarily for men only, or is there a bias in news reporting?

Helen Kay,

7 Kings Cramond, Edinburgh.