REGARDING Corbyn et al’s statements that a putative Labour government wouldn’t “allow” a second Scottish independence referendum until after its first term in office. Perhaps they believe that five years of a left-wing Labour government would result in former Labour voters in Scotland reverting to voting for the party in droves?

We may be a right bunch of ninnies who’ve been pure duped by the SNP into crossing over to the dark side of “separatism”, but five years worth of socialist “investment” etc across Scotland will surely show us the error of our indy ways and all will be well with the Union once again.

READ MORE: John Curtice dispels myth that Labour voters oppose independence

Aye right. For this socialist at least, there’s no going back. I was a Labour party member and activist for almost 20 years, up until 1997.

I became an indy supporter, albeit an ambivalent one, during the indyref campaign. Since 2014 I’ve become even more convinced of the case for independence, not least due to one of Wee Ginger Dug’s columns in The National, which caused a further significant shift in my understanding and awareness – everything finally fell into place. And I know I’m far from alone in experiencing such a shift.

READ MORE: Labour defectors: Vote SNP to stop Tories winning General Election

Rather than trying to tell us what’s “relevant” to Scotland, Corbyn, McDonnell et al would be better to show an interest in Scotland’s changed political culture and an openness towards the many who have moved away from their party towards the cause of self-determination for Scotland; if they actually listen, they might learn something – not least that the case for and momentum (no pun intended!) towards independence isn’t going away as long as the democratic deficit which we in Scotland endure fails to be addressed. Far from merely deigning to “allow” us a referendum, perhaps they should be supporting our cause!

Mo Maclean
Glasgow

JEREMY Corbyn’s promise to improve services in Scotland as an alternative to a referendum is tantalising but just proves that wrapping a donkey in a tartan scarf doesn’t bestow any benefits of insight.

Scotland’s health performance is already better than England’s by a margin, our students benefit from free tuition fees, our old people benefit from care services, we build houses, we plant trees, we care for the environment. It will be a hard enough task to bring England’s public services up to the level of Scotland’s.

Is Corbyn merely promising us parity? So will Scotland be marking time while England catches up? Or is he promising to maintain the achievement gap between us? That may be a hard sell in England. We can generate our own finances. What we need is the freedom to pass our own laws and spend our own money to achieve the sort of society that Jeremy Corbyn can only dream of.

Ian Richmond
Dumfries and Galloway

THE right-wing pact between the Brexit and Conservative parties only underlines the case for Scottish independence, as Scotland’s future could be decided by Farage and Johnson.

When respected senior Westminster politicians, like the former Tory Chancellor and deputy Labour leader, resign and are cast aside it is obvious that the continuing disaster of Brexit has broken the UK. Because of Brexit the UK, which Scotland voted to stay part of in 2014, no longer exists.

When Unionist parties say it doesn’t matter how Scotland votes at this election or at the 2021 Holyrood one, that no matter how large an independence mandate is secured they will not allow a referendum, this flies in the face of democracy. Scotland’s future must be in Scottish hands, and not in the hands of a Westminster government we did not vote for.

Grant Frazer
Newtonmore

FROM Friday’s National we learn that high-profile Labour “defectors” are encouraging previous Labour supporters to “lend their vote to the SNP” in order to get rid of the Tories. This carries the dubious implication that a Corbyn Labour government would be somehow acceptable to Scotland.

I sincerely believe that these politicians mean well, but I suggest that their advice is misplaced. The era of Scottish voters having to choose the best of a Unionist bad lot to rule us from Westminster has been left far behind. Nicola Sturgeon has made it crystal clear – “Independence will be at the very heart of this election campaign.” Talk of SNP votes being cast just to get rid of the Tories is a gift to Unionist commentators.There must be absolutely no doubt: every vote cast for the SNP in this General Election will be a vote for Scottish independence – nothing less.

Billy Scobie
Alexandria

REGARDING the ITV leadership debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn (which the SNP is currently pursuing through court), we already know that the Tories are completely self-serving and will happily trample roughshod over democracy at any opportunity, but what about Jeremy I’m-alright-Jack Corbyn? I seem to have missed his firm, principled stance on this matter – acting as the bastion of fairness and democracy by refusing to take part unless all the other main parties are also represented...

Caroline Choucha
via email

LET’S be fair to the Leavers. They do know what they want – to leave the EU now. The only problem is they haven’t a clue what will happen on day two. Nor do I. Do they care? The British empire will be re-established, England will be great again and foreigners will put in their proper place. And the 16 million losers, including the 62% Scottish Remainers, should remember that they lost and no more of it.

Derek Philips
via email