Sturgeon has no indyref2 mandate

SIR, – Now that Nicola Sturgeon has started actively campaigning for indyref2 by addressing a rally in Glasgow, it is perhaps worth examining how sensible her grand plan might be. Unfortunately, there is no economically viable plan.

The next problem seems to be whether any UK prime minister will grant a section 30 order in response to her pre-Christmas demand. If truth be told, for all the difficulties of Brexit, the divisiveness of independence remains largely unchanged, notwithstanding all the orchestrated selfrighteous indignation from the SNP. There has been no significant change since 2014.

The claim of an MSP majority in favour within the Scottish Parliament relies on Green

support that was not part of their original manifesto when they were elected. It was gerrymandered after the event. The next Scottish election is not scheduled until May 2021. This political skulduggery is not a valid basis for such a critical consideration.

Any attempt to use the current UK general election result also has limitations as UK voters are making a choice about the election of MPs for the UK Parliament, not about independence. This suffers the same limitations as the Brexit vote. Simply in terms of SNP voters, approximately 30% voted Leave. In terms of the Scottish Remain vote, this also represents a significant proportion of the Unionist vote. There is no SNP mandate.

This suggests 2024 at the earliest. Even this is too soon allowing for the additional disruptive effects of independence and 25 years of real austerity without the Barnett cushion.

David Philip, Knockhall Way,

Newburgh, Aberdeenshire