A statement written on behalf of the Airdrie for Independence group

With Yes Scotland having been wound up, we have looked to the likes of the Scottish Independence Convention to take the leading role in co-ordinating an umbrella network which would provide the spearhead of any future referendum campaign. We believe this would involve the gathering of data which supports the campaign for independence and passing this data to the grassroots movement for their use in street and social media campaigning – also being the public face to engage with the media on behalf of the movement to ensure we have independent representation in political discussion programming and print media reporting, and finally to co-ordinate funding for a future referendum.

Unfortunately this has not happened and instead we have seen the SNP engage in fundraising efforts which are believed to have raised in the region of around £700,000, which was to be held in “ring-fenced” accounts that were only to be used in the event of a new campaign for independence. A sum which cannot be precisely calculated nor, at present, located.

While many smaller groups have done marvellous work raising money and keeping independence at the forefront of Scottish politics, it is clear to us that we need the financial muscle to go head to head with an opposition backed by every available asset of the UK Government, and this needs to be built up now for when it is required.

It has become clear that in the absence of an active Yes organisation that someone, or some group who is known, trusted and is above all independent must now create and put in trust an account which is truly “ring-fenced” and which will only be made available to the official umbrella campaign organisation when a new independence referendum date is announced.

READ MORE: Airdrie for Independence gives out 1000 copies of The National

We call on those groups and individuals of standing within the Yes movement to step up to the mark NOW to build a Scottish Referendum Fund and to make it the main receptacle of all funding specifically for our next independence referendum.

Email airdrieforindependence@hotmail.com or visit our website at airdrieforindependence.wordpress.com.
Airdrie for Independence

I AM appalled at the letter from Charlie Kerr in Glenrothes in today’s National.

There sprang to my mind the phrase “diary of a faint-hearted nationalist”, a comment from away back, but I cannot remember the context.

Mr Kerr has also used the word “generation”, a favourite Unionist lie to help his case. The SNP is more popular than at any time in my time of membership – a trifling 54 years – and our leader Nicola Sturgeon, the most respected leader in the UK, probably also in Europe.

There seems to a pandemic of sorts that Mr Kerr has not noticed, but it keeps coming back – and killing people, we will lose voters through death, we do not have to dismiss them otherwise.

I can understand our agitation with “Bumbling Boris” and his indecision, and remind people like Mr Kerr that our sister country Ireland had to resort to the gun to wrest anything from Westminster – we cannot go down that road.

Incidentally, all these sub-parties growing out of an impatient Yes movement risk turning the Saltire into a white flag.

At age 86, I do not wish to see independence thrown away by impatience.
Jim Lynch
Edinburgh

BONFIRE night came to the House of Commons as Chancellor Rishi Sunak performed a welcome U-turn regarding the furlough scheme.

This announcement, (something opposition parties have persistently called for), extending furlough till March 2021, will certainly assist the economy of the country and help millions who were facing sure uncertainly and possible redundancy.

But is there other measures we should be looking at? Covid has certainly given the country a wake-up call as many thousands have gone the extra mile in serving their local communities, friends and neighbours, demonstrating a caring society. Covid has also given the country the opportunity to review exactly how we function in providing major services and I am sure many of our welfare policies will see reform as a result.

Future employment opportunities should certainly be focused towards the younger generation to give them a chance in life. So could the Chancellor’s announcement have gone further with this focus in mind?

Well, all sectors of society are being affected, but one sector which is being affected that could have a solution presented are those being forced into early retirement. Those over 60 years of age, those who will struggle to find future employment. Surely there must be another way than to simply ask them to join the employment statistics and “sign on, apply for benefits.

After all, many have worked close on four decades of their lives, and if the focus of future job opportunities should be geared towards the younger generation, we must not standby and let those in the twilight years of their working lives down. This then calls for an urgent review of the state-pension age if we are going to focus on future employment opportunities for the younger generation.

It simply does not make economic sense for those being forced into early retirement to have to start the process of claiming benefits. So perhaps the Chancellor’s announcement could have gone further by announcing an immediate review of state pension age considering the future implication for this sector.
Catriona C Clark
Falkirk