Letters: The Yes movement is wiser and ready for a new campaign

As we headed on towards the General Election in 2015, although the darker aspects of party politics returned, the spirit of 2014, still with us, secured almost total success for the SNP. Since then, however, as Mr Torrance has observed, the sniping, negative nature of party politics has re-emerged at Holyrood and – probably even more viciously – at Westminster. Mr Torrance might not be so keen to comment on the current internecine behaviours of Tory and Labour parties – the ruling classes – there. But he will surely agree that British party politics, adversarial, aggressive sniping, sometime inane, is the tried and tested opus operandi now firmly adopted by these parties at Holyrood too.

At this point Mr Torrance might – if he were honest with himself – consider reflecting very carefully upon the June election and the “shock and awe” mirror tricks of Ruth Davidson. Revolted and sickened by politics in general, stunned, by the announcement of that election, subjected intensively to Orwellian chanting of “no second referendum”, most of us were rabbits caught in the headlights, unable to get a word in edgeways, even into our own thoughts. The masters of party politics were marching in.

The SNP, still an uneasy mixture of movement and political party, was also caught,I believe, by these circumstances and did not manage to cut through the chanting onslaught to establish the simple point that no one had asked for a referendum before Brexit terms were known. It was knocked and transfixed by the “strong and stable, no referendum” headlights too. Its leaders may well have fallen more than once into the trap of negative “wrestling with the sweeps” when the going got really nasty. Who wouldn’t?

Therefore, while Mr Torrance’s commentaries are useful and his perspective is interesting, he should perhaps consider that the rabbits – all of us – are out of the headlights now, reflecting and learning yet again, to our advantage.

The Yes movement, much wider than the SNP, is still positive, determined, hopeful – and now, after the experience of June 2017, much, much wiser, ready for whatever Colonel Davidson, Sergeant Dugdale or Private Rennie may decide to lob from their entrenched positions against the very sensible, very reasonable prospect of post-Brexit, Scottish independence in Europe.

Frances McKie,

20 Ash Hill, Evanton, Ross-shire.

WHEN one reads another letter supporting the continuation of effective rule from Westminster dressed in condemnation of the Scottish Government, and by implication or direct assertion a slant on any possible prospect of self-determination for Scotland, one wonders how many of such correspondents have personal knowledge of relatives or friends who have perished in the frontline of battles around the world in building and sustaining the British Empire.

It is no secret that proportionately the loss of Scottish lives in making wealthy British barons even wealthier was high, yet we are patronised on an almost daily basis by some who appear content with their lifestyles and the constitutional status quo irrespective of the huge sacrifices of the past and the many sacrifices that continue to be made as “Great Britain” stubbornly seeks to remain a military power on the world stage while making massive arms sales to the highest international bidders.

While economics are important, and I have no doubt that Scotland can be successful economically as well as socially once independent, reducing the debate on Scotland’s future to views on the latest GERS approximations seems to miss the fundamental point of the people of Scotland having the right to choose their own destiny, including to which wars, if any, they and their children are prepared to commit their lives.

Stan Grodynski,

Cairnsmore, Longniddry, East Lothian.

WITH the SNP-led Scottish Government deciding to “rebrand” and reboot itself after recess (“Opposition dismiss ‘tired’ SNP relaunch”, The Herald, July 13), is this an acknowledgement that the political landscape in Scotland is becoming more balanced after the recent elections?

Companies tend to rebrand themselves when a product line has failed or the public grows tired of it. The same logic can be applied to politics and many other parties have rebranded themselves and their policies.

The SNP’s main product line for five years has been “independence” by Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon. This was supposed to be a limited edition, one-time-only product. The majority of the population thought it was bitter and had a few concerns over potential health issues. Until recently the SNP still insisted on selling it. It’s still in the back catalogue even now.

Like a product that has become over-saturated and boring, people from all political persuasions are tired of this and now want something fresh and new that they haven’t tried before.

Perhaps the SNP could start selling us “unity”, “cooperation”, “impartiality”, “consensus’; the kind of political products that we haven’t enjoyed in Scotland for years now.

David Bone,

1 Ailsa Street West, Girvan.

THE state of the Tory Party has been well described in the many articles and letters published in The Herald recently. However I came across the following, which I believe portrays the situation perfectly. I quote: “The Tories may be in Government, but they are not in power.”

Mike Dooley,

52 Auchendoon Crescent, Ayr.

SO Alex Salmond's going to have his own show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month (“Salmond set to cash in as he finds it’s good to talk by hosting chat show at the Edinburgh Fringe”, The Herald, July 12). If it's anything like his politics, we're in for a laugh.

Martin Redfern,

Merchiston Gardens, Edinburgh.