OVER the past two years there has been an ever-increasing criticism of the SNP with regards to it lack of action on independence. Two or so years ago it appeared only to come from so-called “cranks” on the Wings website but it has now grown to a steady chorus from many well-known people within the Yes movement and a few journalists. I am one of those very frustrated.
To clarify my position, I am not a member of the SNP but I have supported them since 2007 with the occasional donation and my vote. I have also sung their praises to people I meet. I regret this has all now changed.
So, what has caused my personal disillusionment? Basically, broken promises. I have a good memory and note that after the 2016 Brexit farce we were given stirring speeches, mostly prior to an imminent vote, which suddenly went quiet after the vote with no promises delivered. A couple of examples.
READ MORE: Kevin McKenna: Are our Yes politicians scared of the word 'independence'?
Firstly, in the autumn of 2019 we were to get a referendum bill by early 2020. We did not get a draft bill until March of this year. Secondly, in spring 2018 we were promised that every household in the country would get a document showing the economic case for an independent Scotland in the autumn of that year. Another failure.
Then, more than two years ago, Wings wondered where the £600k-plus had gone from the party’s accounts. It was interesting to me that the SNP members in my Yes group attacked Wings verbally. But he was correct then and has been proven to be correct on that topic now by the party itself.
Two years ago I could see the money was not in the published accounts; so could others if they had bothered to look. Last year I contacted the SNP HQ by letter and via email to ask where my two donations were. I got no reply nor even an acknowledgement.
I should state here that I stopped reading Wings more than two years ago due to its vitriolic tone on most issues.
READ MORE: Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh: Is this current SNP government really preparing enough for independence?
I observe also that the party does not interact with the Yes movement. They use us to get votes and that’s it. Over the years the Yes movement has created a huge source of valid indy information, we have created networks and also tried to communicate with the party. All failed – you cannot even get a good response if any at all from local SNP branches. Recently Business for Scotland highlighted in an article in The National this inability of the SNP to interact with the Yes movement.
So where am I now? After using my ring-fenced donations without permission, the party will get no more contributions from me ever. On my vote, it is withdrawn (even if an expected General Election happens in 2022 or 2023) until I see the party being more assertive on indy, creating a published plan for getting it and finally creating supporting documentation.
They must also market the idea. I want to see polite aggressiveness at Westminster.
I see in The National yesterday that as of July 7 no civil servants were working on independence. Zero, zilch, nada. A disgrace.
Fingers crossed.
Robert Anderson
Dunning, Perthshire
REGARDING Gregor Young’s article “Construction industry slams waiting times” (July 23) how much of this “waiting time” is due to developers being able to repeatedly appeal against planning refusals on unsuitable proposals, trying to squeeze as much profit as possible rather than produce good design proposals suitable to the locations?
While there is no limit to the number of appeals developers can submit, the public can’t appeal once a developer has appealed successfully.
Jim Stamper
Bearsden
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