It seems the SNP leadership can see the writing on the political wall
READ MORE: Seamus Logan: Here's why the Union is dying and why Scotland must be independent
In July 2024 Tommy and most of his SNP colleagues lost their Westminster seats because the Scottish public had lost both patience and faith in them. Tommy even made it very clear in his maiden speech that he had come to Westminster frankly to settle down and not to settle up.
Independence has been on the back-burner for more than 10 years, and after next May it will be moved to a top shelf in the SNP's kitchen cupboard and the door will be firmly closed behind it. It will no doubt be taken down, given a quick scrub and filled with juicy political carrots just in time for the next UK General Election, possibly in 2029.
Tommy ended his column by stating that in 2011 the SNP won a majority with the slogan 'Alex Salmond for First Minister'. This is indeed true, but John Swinney is not Alex Salmond. I really wish he was.
Iain Wilson
Stirling
I HAD to laugh while reading Tommy Sheppard's column. He used a whole page of words to avoid saying 'Please note, both votes SNP'. What a sell-out this SNP have become. Since Salmond resigned they have failed badly on the main goal. It's sad that voters will have to teach them the lesson. It might put indy back a few years but it will be worth it, as this version of SNP clearly want to be a devolution party.
Bill Robertson
via email
I WOULD add to Alistair Potter's excellent letter on the voting system for Holyrood (Letters, Jun 28) that it's important, if you support independence, to try to judge how well the SNP might do on the constituency vote in your area. In parts of the country where they may not pick up most constituency seats, perhaps the north-east for example, voting SNP in both ballots may be the better choice.
Roddie Macpherson
Avoch
FIRST Minister John Swinney, in protecting the status quo, with his quiet courtesy, is not what is needed right now. With the forthcoming Holyrood election in mind, the SNP must work with the Yes campaign, Believe in Scotland and others in putting independence first along with the good governance of the country.
Scotland needs a strong and forceful leader, with the confidence and competence of an Alex Salmond, to lead and unite the country. Sadly this SNP-led Scottish Government, with many prominent members retiring, is short on such leadership contenders.
READ MORE: If our SNP politicians do not inspire hope, what use are they?
However, there is the articulate honesty of Kate Forbes, whose early ministerial years have been tempered by diplomacy. The tenacity and eloquence of Stephen Flynn must feature, along with the brilliant Stephen Gethins. One person who should be listened to is Alba leader Kenny MacAskill, whose vast experience should be called upon to galvanise a listless and dispirited Scotland.
What is surely self-evident is that the status quo is not an option, and will not excite or persuade people that independence is the only way to a prosperous and fairer Scotland. In fact, English nationalism is also contributing to the break-up of the British state – the English have always been confused about being British!
Grant Frazer
Newtonmore
UNLESS we want the same catastrophic results as the last General Election, we must unite and 'campaign' for independence. The independence movement is massively varied, with an enormous amount of enthusiasm and expertise. The SNP, being the main vehicle in the movement, have the responsibility to make this unification happen. Time is short, so get cracking!! United we stand, and be the nation we want to be. Divided, future generations will never forgive you!!
Jim Kirkland
Birnam
ONCE again the performance of our NHS was in the spotlight at First Ministers Question's last week, with waiting times at the centre. All opposition parties went on this topic, because the performance of our NHS is vital to us all. However, the First Minister highlighted to the chamber that delayed discharges from hospital are coming down and the SNP government's commitment in 2024 to deliver an extra 64,000 procedures by March 2025 was met and exceeded by January 2025 by more than 12,000.
But returning to the opposition parties and their condemnation of our NHS performance, let us focus for a moment on the Labour government at Westminster and their 'welfare reforms', because there is a tie-up between welfare and the NHS. The majority of welfare spend in Scotland is still controlled by the UK Government, and Labour's reforms will have a devastating impact on many in Scotland whose health will be impacted. Perhaps opposition parties in Holyrood should pause for a moment and reflect on the impact that the Westminster Labour's welfare reforms will have on Scotland's NHS, because make no mistake, it will be detrimentally affected.
Catriona C Clark
Falkirk
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