OVER the last few months there has been a constantly growing debate in your pages over the pros and cons of the next independence referendum campaign, who should be running it, what should be the priorities for getting a positive result and of course the timing thereof.

This has stretched widely across the views and activities of many like-minded organisations around Scotland, and has also been well to the fore in the various hustings statements made by the candidates for the vacant post of SNP deputy leader.

Many thousands of words have been called into use, and, on occasion, quite an amount of hot air of one variety or another has been created.

There are, however, several areas of activity which seem to me to be very important indeed, which so far have been rarely touched upon, but which must surely have a potentially vote-winning quality.

Firstly, no-one seems to make much reference to the young generation of Scottish voters. Since the failed vote in 2014 until say 2020, as a possible date for the next vote, six years’ worth of youngsters will have reached the age of eligibility to come on to the voters’ roll.

Looking at the figures for births in Scotland, this must mean that there will be something like 315,000 new minds available for the Yes organisations to reach. This has the makings of a huge support vote for our cause, and so what can be done about it?

Is it not time for some serious action to be taken, firstly to make sure that these youngsters actually register to get a vote, and secondly that our cause is laid out specifically in a way that will reach them?

The 16-year-olds of 2014 will be in their early twenties by 2020, and they are the people who will very soon be having to take the life-changing decisions for our country – the legions of old fogies which many of us represent are well past our sell-by date, and while as long as we breath we will continue to have a vote, and hopefully use it wisely, the future is young.

Secondly, the bringing on side and making the best use of “well-kent faces”. Quite a lot of these already feature in your pages one way and another, but I have in mind some of the faces that are well known in television and like media, and will be recognised by the large number of everyday voters who are not, presently, Yes supporters.

I have in mind for instance, actors Brian Cox, David Hayman, and Ken Stott, who have I think all expressed sympathy for our cause in the past.

Let us face it – the British/English nationalist side of the argument would have no conscience about making every possible use of famous faces if there was the slightest chance that it would further their cause.

Thirdly, and perhaps a little more difficult to achieve, a simple, fairly short and inspiring piece of music. Something that would become synonymous with our cause.

This would be played at every occasion when it was appropriate here and around the world, even if the BBC wasn’t too helpful!

Great national events in countries around the world have, over the centuries, provided memorable compositions. A new composition would have the advantage over the use of an existing piece of music, in as much as no-one would be able to complain about the use of something already well known being used by organisations with which they did not agree.

Let’s go to it, and get there once and for all.

George M Mitchell
Dunblane