I HAVE read about a person who agreed with most of the Yes arguments and messages during the 2014 independence referendum campaign but voted No because an independent Scotland would have meant retaining the monarchy. I have read about lifelong independence supporters who would vote for staying a part of the UK if independence meant not leaving the EU. I have read about a person who will not buy The National because its daily sister paper supports the Union and he doesn’t want to give money to the publisher of such a paper.
I find these stories very confusing. Correct me if I’m wrong but compared with the UK, isn’t an independent Scotland infinitely more likely to ditch the monarchy at some point in the future? The EU would control a fraction of the decisions made in an independent Scotland, while staying with the UK means Westminster decides most things that affect Scotland. The few things that Scotland has control over are mostly financed by the block grant that is decided in Westminster by the Unionist parties. Not buying the only independence-supporting daily and thus risking the very existence of the one and only independence-supporting daily seems a bit short-sighted to me.
Good examples of cutting off your nose to spite your face.
Markus Mattila
Kaarina, Finland
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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