Let’s put independence on the right side of history

Topic of the week: Post-General Election Scotland

YOUR post-General Election leader mentioned political parties being “on the right side of history”. This is a potent concept. Within my lifetime examples such as: Churchill fighting fascism; Attlee and the welfare state; Macmillan and the “wind of change” in Africa; Wilson and comprehensive education; or Heath and Europe contrast strongly with those which were against the tide of history, such as Eden and Suez, Thatcher and the Belgrano, Blair and “weapons of mass destruction”.

These events are not always clear at the time. Political parties change policies constantly to win support. We recently experienced radical change as the Tories adopted Brexit to destroy Ukip, and the Labour Party rediscovered some of its social policies. This flux has reduced support for the SNP in Scotland as discussed by Iain Macwhirter and Tommy Sheppard MP (SNP must now get radical or die trying and indyref2 must wait until after the Brexit talks are over, Comment, June 18).

The purpose of the SNP is to restore Scotland to independence as a geographic and political entity which predates Germany or Italy as a nation state by many centuries. The SNP are seeking to modernise Scotland at the same time, and on both of these aims are “on the right side of history”. However, they may need different policies to succeed. The source of such new radical policies is clearly from the green movement. As every nation will eventually have to face up to over-population, environmental degradation and climate change, it is as well for Scotland to start now on its march into the future. Iain WD Forde Scotlandwell WITH reference to your headline “Top SNP MP: Park indyref2 until Brexit talks end”, I understood that was already the plan. Norman Robertson Gargunnock THERE is a mandate for a new referendum on independence, delivered by electing two pro-independence parties, the Green Party and the SNP, in last year’s Scottish Parliament election. And, despite their pathetic 2017 campaign, the SNP beat their nearest challengers by 35 seats to 13. A massive majority in seats of 46 per cent.

The time for setting a target date for a new independence referendum is now. The minimum time for actually getting a referendum is five months. Donald Dewar proved that in 1997, and his record has never been broken. A referendum can’t be held “now” but it can be called and held in a few months’ time. Put whoever is in government at Westminster in the position where they will have to be actively trying to prevent a referendum from happening on that date. All the SNP has to do is set the date. Non-party-political Yes campaigners will do the rest. Dave Coull Edzell