Now is not the time for another referendum

In relation to The Scotsman’s Editorial comment saying that Boris John son’ s refusal of a second referendum is just ridiculous (15 October), it is plainly obvious that despite the SNP’S claim to have a mandate for it, there is going to be no referendum within this parliament.

We don’t know who will be elected next year. We don’ t even know if there will be an election, because how can people engage with the debate under the current circumstances?

Why, then, would the Prime Minister spend political energy on this when there is so much more going on, and, let’s be honest about this, it is he who is having to make the really big decisions at present, not Nicola Sturgeon, who can be as cautious as she pleases knowing she doesn’t have to pay for it all.

If and when the time comes, we all need to remember that we have had two referendums in the last six years, neither of which has addressed the issue at hand, and both of which have made things worse. We cannot therefore have another referendum here on the same basis, irrespective of the outcome, and expect a result that is any more definitive.

If there is a next time, we need to know in advance what Indy really looks like, we need the Leave/remain option which has been shown to be fairer than Yes/no, and if the 55:45 result in 2014 was not definitive, then the winning threshold must, by the SNP’S own argument, be more than that.

And we cannot have a fair election if the one side who wants Indy at all costs is organising the vote.

You mention the prospect of violence in your Editorial, the first time I have seen this in a mainstream newspaper. What would cause that? The constant ratcheting up of divisive nationalist rhetoric in the midst of a global pandemic? It’s time we all engaged our brains if we are genuinely interested in a better tomorrow.

VICTOR CLEMENTS Aberfeldy, Perthshire