I WAS impressed by Martin Hannan’s article “Why are we using these sticks to beat ourselves?” (The National, August 12).
The main thrust was a survey he carried out with Yes groups as to their opinions as to where the SNP should be going now. The response he had from Mike Blackshaw of Edinburgh Yes Group was most impressive.
Mike said that a lot of social media comments were directed at the SNP, stating the SNP was in decline.
He quoted the real state of affairs, which is that the SNP has unprecedented support for independence, with 81% of Westminster seats after 13 years in power.
Mike also refers to all the myriad groups wanting to form wee independence parties to stand in the regional seats at the next Holyrood election; the SNP now has 120,000 members.
What we are seeing is dissatisfied people trying to split the party to help it! I know some of the individuals, but they have allowed themselves to be hoodwinked with a false sense of inactivity. We should all be aware that we are going through an unprecedented time with the coronavirus and Brexit.
The fact that our leader Nicola Sturgeon is 99 points ahead of the UK Prime Minister in the popularity stakes shows that we are doing something right.
Forming new independence groups means voting against the SNP on the regional list, awarding your vote to what seems to be a motley collection of personality wonders, and seats will be picked up by Scotland’s enemies, the Unionist cabal of Tory Labour and Liberal parties.
To put my view into perspective, I am aged 85, been a member of the SNP for 54 years. If anyone is in haste to see Scottish independence before dying it is myself, however, and not someone who has only found the party since 2014.
Vote SNP twice. I don’t want to see independence going down the stank before I die.
Jim Lynch
Edinburgh
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