Why are independence supporters acting like ‘now is not the time?'
In the first place, if Alba and the SNP make an election pact prior to an election, it could be seen by the Election Commission that they are only one party, so it isn't going to happen. What the two parties do after an election is up to them, and I hope they join forces to help persuade Westminster and whoever else needs a shove in the right direction.
Secondly, even Michael Gove said that we may not need a second vote. I may not trust him as a politician but with the Scottish Sovereignty Research Group (SSRG) petition on the desk of the United Nations, he's maybe right for a change. And as the petition has been with the UN for nearly two months now, don't try and tell me that the red and blue Tories don't know about it yet!
The SSRG conference at the weekend was certainly an eye-opener, especially the Saturday afternoon talk on the petition at the UN and the points therein. If you didn't manage to see it over the weekend, catch up on Youtube (SSRGTV). If we can persuade the UN of our case, we won't need a referendum as such, we just need to demand what is ours by right under international law and assert our rights.
Some years ago in this very paper, people were already talking about a petition to either the European court or taking it straight to the UN. The petition is there now, and we have some backing already so it's now a matter of moving on and starting acting like the independent country we want to be. That means that the next election for Holyrood must be a majority vote for independence-backing parties. In the meantime, let us start getting some ambassadors out there even if it is unofficial, and get talking to heads of state and persuade them that we are a country, and above all else that we are an independent country and well able to manage our own affairs.
At the end of the day, it's when other countries see us as being independent that we actually become independent.
Alexander Potts
Kilmarnock
A QUITE extraordinary event took place at the SSRG conference on Saturday in Dunfermline, when Professor Robert Black announced that he had examined the papers prepared by Sara Salyers and the Liberation Group for the United Nations Decolonisation Committee and believed the case was a strong one and showed that Scotland was not a partner in the Treaty of Union but had in fact been annexed by England after 1707.
Professor Black was part of an amazing line-up and the first expert in Scots Law to support the Liberation case. The lead person in the Liberation team, Mr Sharof Azizov from the organisation Justice pour Tous Internationale, was also at the conference and stated that the UN would examine Scotland's case without interference by the UK Government because of the process involved. This procedure will be supported by Mr Craig Murray, former diplomat, who was also on the panel.
Professor Alf Baird, another panel member, would perhaps argue that the lack of media interest in the conference reflects the stasis that is a stage in the liberation process where the status quo is frozen in inaction – unable or unwilling to acknowledge what is changing.
This procedure will be viewed with interest by the international media, who are also watching the UK Government's position on Gaza and its relationship to the International Court of Justice.
Maggie Chetty
Glasgow
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