How party could win big again
IAIN Macwhirter is taking a dangerous line in suggesting that Nicola Sturgeon is kidding about a second independence referendum and that such a referendum will not take place. I am sure that Ms Sturgeon recognises the difficulties and possibly insurmountable problems as highlighted by Mr Macwhirter and that she will try her best to delay holding such a referendum. However, having promised a referendum in the manifesto, it will be difficult to resist pressure from within both the Scottish Parliament and the SNP to hold a referendum.
David Cameron made the mistake of promising a referendum on leaving the European Union. He did so in the expectation that he would hold power in a hung parliament and that even if he had to hold such a referendum there would be a majority in favour of remaining in the European Union. I suspect that when the referendum took place there were people who voted to leave expecting the vote to be against leaving and that, even if in favour of leaving, the United Kingdom would somehow be prevented from leaving. History has shown that the United Kingdom is no longer in the European Union even though Mr Cameron had no intention of such an outcome.
If Ms Sturgeon were to remove the option of a referendum from the SNP manifesto she would assure her party of an absolute majority in the next parliament. She might lose votes from hardened nationalists, but would gain votes from the ordinary voters who have been impressed by her competence. That tactic worked at the 2015 UK General Election when, with independence off the agenda, the SNP won all but three seats in Scotland.
Sandy Gemmill,
Edinburgh.