LET’S be realistic: the Tories’ Internal Market Bill has destroyed the devolution settlement.
A Parliament that can be overridden is just a talking shop. There are only two ways forward – either the Scottish Parliament makes our laws or Westminster does. The 2019 Social Attitudes Survey shows yet again that most Scots believe it should be ourselves, so it only remains to vote conclusively on this in May.
Our vote must put Scots law above the UK. This could be in non-reserved areas only, if independence parties do not gain a majority of votes, or across the board, if they do. Taking back full control would be our act of independence, a sovereign decision which could not be challenged given our history and traditions.
Getting from that point to full statehood is another matter entirely. So many issues would have to be agreed and negotiated that it seems pointless to cloud the central issue of “who runs Scotland” with them at this stage.
Let’s just assert our sovereignty and our determination to govern ourselves, and chart our future afterwards. We can share certain arrangements with rUK, but there will be no more reserved powers for Westminster.
Robert Fraser
Edinburgh
IN Paul Callum’s website comment in Saturday’s National, he states “gradualism has failed the SNP”. What absolute tosh!
Paul’s condemnation too of Nicola Sturgeon is totally unjust. Unfortunately though it appears he isn’t alone these days in doing his best in trying to undermine the success of the First Minister who, in no small part, has helped to bring us within touching distance of independence. Hasn’t he noticed that every opinion poll now shows a clear majority of the Scottish electorate are in favour of independence? Doesn’t sound like failure to me.
I am becoming tired of reading so many purported supporters of independence appearing to be more concerned about the internal politics of the SNP leadership rather than the ultimate goal of achieving independence itself.
To all true supporters of independence, please stop all the back biting now! Surely we can learn from a certain other political party that factionalism inevitably leads to failure.
Alex Shearer
Cumbernauld
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