THE Yes DIY page exists to chart the activities and thoughts as well as the priorities and principles of the Yes movement.

These pages studiously avoid getting involved in party politics, not least because from the outset we have always taken the view that the Yes movement is bigger than any single political party.

That being said, the Scottish National Party is seen by many people as the only political party with the clout to push through an independence referendum, and in an ideal world, the SNP would be a foot perfect, adroit and committed party that could gain independence on its own. It is not such a party at this point, and it has not managed to do so.

It is very difficult to see how the SNP can repeat its history victory in the 2011 Holyrood election that allowed the 2014 referendum to proceed – they are also facing a hugely different situation with Boris Johnson in Downing Street and not David Cameron.

Yet the situation in Scottish politics had also changed utterly, and the Yes movement is going to have to take a nuanced view of voting on May 6.

The emergence of the Alba Party as a second force for independence is all about gaining enough MSPs in Holyrood to show that Scotland wants a second independence referendum, and it is still the stance of the Scottish Greens to support such a referendum.

Across the Yes movement there is much discussion on how the so-called “supermajority” can be achieved, and that will require every single independence supporter to work out how he or she needs to vote.

In the meantime, the movement must stop being nasty to each other.

Every so often we learn of a strong statement which we believe should be communicated to the Yes movement, and one such is the latest front page opinion piece on the Saor Alba monthly magazine of the Edinburgh Yes Hub by Paul Cooper, publisher and co-editor of the online magazine. It addresses the current thorny issue in the pro-independence camp in a sensible fashion.

Paul wrote: “We at the Edinburgh Yes Hub have tried very hard to walk the line between Alex’s camp and Nicola’s camp in the Yes Movement. This is because we are here for all people in our movement and this spat is a side show to the main cause of Scottish independence.

“But, apparently, this is not good enough for some. This magazine was blocked by a Yes group in the north east, who normally pass it on to their members, because they assumed that we were for Nicola. I doubt the whole Yes group was asked about this.

“Similarly, we were asked to stop sending it to another person because the picture of Alex on the front page of the last issue. Alex was not smiling! I try not to get too angry, but I have to say this is pathetic. I have noticed over the years about those on the left of politics (I imagine it happens on the right too) there are those in the ranks that constantly require others to agree with their point of view or accuse them of being against them or condemn them as not “pure” enough or even traitors. This causes schisms (think People’s Front of Judea vs the Judean People’s Front) and is a policy that does not get a political organisation anywhere except into the dustbin of history.

“We are in the game of getting 50%+1 voting Yes in the next Scottish independence referendum and there is no way you are going to get this from those with one specific political stance. You cannot expect it from regular voters, and neither can you expect it from Yes activists.

“We are going to have to expect that there will be a range of views out there on the topic of Alex and Nicola and on many other topics

too and we should look to accept them all.

“Now, we haven’t got a referendum yet, but we have a Holyrood election before us in May and we need to get as many seats there filled by independence-supporting candidates as possible. Whether we like it or not, these seats are going to have to be filled by mostly SNP MSPs and then by as many other indy supporting parties in the list seats as possible, whether they are gained by the SNP, Greens or Alba.

“I have only one concern about the new Alba party coming into this election, and that is they may split the indy list vote and ending up taking seats away from the Greens but not getting them for themselves. This would mean these seats end up going to the Unionists. I hope this does not turn out to be the case.

“This SNP+ scenario is really the only game in town, so we have to, for the time being, forget any differences we have and work together to see it though.

“If we cannot get our act together, we will being doing the Unionists’ job for them, and we may end up losing the indy majority in Holyrood, and if that comes to pass we can then say goodbye to a second referendum and independence.”

The debate on to how to maximise the pro-independence vote is well and truly joined. Please send your views to letters@thenational.scot or community@the national.scot.