Yes, let’s move on

Darren Mcgarvey has written previously about the need to respect and understand No voters, and indeed, he is one of few independence encouraging activists to do so (“Indy movement needs to learn how to woo No voters, not attack them”, Perspective, 5 June).

However, there are two things he is possibly not fully aware off. Firstly, we spent the best part of three years debating independence last time; we went round all the processes and issues, over and over, we voted and we said No. That should have been the end of it.

Those of us who campaigned for staying together did so because we thought this would deal with the matter, and did not begrudge the time required. But, we don’t want to keep hearing about this now. We want to address other issues. A narrative that continuously implies that the majority were wrong and need to be persuaded otherwise is condescending and patronising. The only way around this is to stop doing it for a while.

The second point is that No voters do not define themselves as such, and do not care much for the continued Yes/ No classification or split. Most people define themselves by where they are from, what they do and their relationships with others, be that family or friends. We do not define ourselves by how we voted in 2014. That was yesterday’s argument. If we really cared about Scotland, we would leave that argument behind now and look forward to dealing with other issues. If we did that, we would really start to break down barriers, find common ground across the Yes: No divide, and ultimately, make a lot more progress.

VICTOR CLEMENTS Taybridge Terrace Aberfeldy, Perthshire

During my all-too-infrequent visits to the land of my birth, I enjoy catching up with affairs through The Scotsman, especially the lively letters pages.

But I confess to being increasingly bewitched, bothered and bewildered in recent years by the independence debate. I see the pro-independence faction passionately deploying the exact same arguments for leaving the UK as the Brexiteers do for pulling out of the EU yet at the same time, and without any hint of irony, stoutly espousing Remainer positions when it comes to the EU.

Sometimes I feel like Alice after she entered the rabbit hole. Or is it simply a case of ABE – Anybody But England?

RODNEY PINDER Abbotsford Grove, Kelso