SIX long years have now elapsed since the 2014 independence referendum, which David Cameron thought would put an end to the Scottish question for good.

Yet the independence movement is stronger than ever, and the support for independence is higher than ever. Scotland cannot remain in this limbo of political and constitutional indecision for much longer without corrosive effects on the fabric of the country and her people. Doing nothing, with the U.K. Government just saying no is no longer an option.

There are only two viable solutions:

Firstly, independence, with the country hopefully pulling together to a hopeful and ambitious new future.

Secondly, a serious proposal from Unionists (not one brought out for a week or two when the Union is at risk) for a new U.K. constitution with a properly worked-out federal structure. The chances of this happening when Boris Johnson is busy eroding the powers of the Scottish Parliament and Keir Starmer is ruling out further self-determination for Scotland, are nil.

Option one, independence, is the only solution. Let’s get on with it.

Ian Grant, South Queensferry.

SIX years ago, on September 19, 2014, we had either been awake all the night or woke up to the news that Scotland had voted to stay in the United Kingdom.

We had been given the choice and we decided we did not want to separate from our nearest neighbour and our partner of 300 years.

Many voters woke up disappointed and those who had campaigned long and hard for the status quo would have been ecstatic.

Many, many more though like myself, who were not heavily involved in politics at that time, were filled with relief.

We did not gloat; we did not take pleasure from seeing Alex Salmond driven away defeated; we did not rub the Yes voters’ faces in the outcome; we went to work as we would any other day and hoped that it meant things could go back to normal.

No more talk of division, no more campaigning, no more distractions from running the country and making our education system and health services the best they could be.

How wrong we were.

Until Scotland rids itself of the SNP government, we will be kept in this Groundhog Day loop of every day being another day where independence is the answer, regardless of the question.

Non-separatist voters need to realise that to defeat this divisive, hate-filled party and have an administration that governs, we need to vote tactically.

Do we really want to be doing this six years, 16 years, 26 years from now?

The SNP will keep demanding a referendum time and time again until they get the answer they want. The only way to avoid that is to not vote for them in May 2021.

Jane Lax, Aberlour.