JIM Taylor letter (Letters, May 2) said essentially that I am a mere apologist for the Scottish National Party, a party which he believes perpetually dithers over the matter of independence. He has obviously forgotten that a couple of years ago he defended in the columns of The National the SNP’s favoured option of full EU membership while I praised the half in/half out flexible arrangement that Norway has negotiated. I think we’d both gladly settle for either of those options now!

I completely stand by my assertion that during the current coronavirus medical emergency Nicola Sturgeon must devote her considerable energies to that tragic crisis to the virtual exclusion of all else. I could also easily point to the Ballot Box Scotland poll reported on May 2, coincidentally the same day that Mr Taylor’s letter appeared, which shows a massive surge in SNP and Scottish Green support. If next May’s Holyrood election were somehow brought forward 12 months, there could be 10 more pro-independence MSPs. Quite useful, eh?

READ MORE: Letters: Pandemic provides an excuse for more SNP dithering

Nicola Sturgeon’s daily broadcast is easily caught all over the world live at 12.30pm on Sky TV news, though not on national UK channels for some reason (though it could be because she’s so good). She demonstrates constantly contrasting knowledge and competence levels when compared to her Westminster counterparts, all of whom look as though they’ve been forced at the point of a sword onto the UK’s daily parade of half truths and propaganda.

For me all this bodes well for our prospects of future independence. But I suspect that is not so for Jim Taylor. We’ve won landslides before and nothing happens, so nothing will happen next time either – so the argument would run.

So here is a friendly wee challenge to Mr Taylor and other SNP critics. How are you proposing we get a referendum before the next electoral event in Scotland, which is the 2021 Holyrood election? What is your blueprint for independence if it is not by building support via competent SNP governance? I do fully understand this approach is way too gradualist for you.

If you don’t like the SNP currently, which party or which politician is going to swing the tide of history within your short timescale? Just as Sturgeon’s reputation enhances, who are you going to replace her with? The politically inexperienced though talented Joanna Cherry? A resurgent Alex Salmond? I don’t see you or anyone else managing that but, if it happened, I’d be a member of the Scottish Greens before you could say “Boris the Buffoon wins again”. That would not really be the reaction of a mere SNP apologist, would it?

SNP membership is in truth only a means to an end for me. Mr Taylor, what’s your route to achieving the prize of Scottish independence?

David Crines
Hamilton

IN a situation of national emergency, surely Radio Scotland could allow the time for us to hear the whole of the First Minister’ daily briefing? This rather than rudely interrupting her after half an hour to summarise what she has just said – often just when the questions are getting interesting!

Valerie Waters
East Lothian

INTERESTING to read other readers’ letters in support of Kevin McKenna’s article on, as Julia Pannell put it, the masterful shredding of SNP strategy.

Just as a follow-up of my own input, it would be extremely useful for Nicola Sturgeon to actually appoint someone, who is perhaps not an MSP and independent of the Holyrood parliament, to take control of the independence movement but with an inbuilt connection to the Scottish Government.

Anne Thomson makes the point that our First Minister and Alex Salmond should meet and clear their individual differences with each other, with a vague inference that this is what and the independence movement needs in order to proceed forward. I agree that Alex Salmond is a strong political character who leads from the beginning towards our independence. But subsequent television interviews revealed a few important holes in Salmond’s ability to see it through.

I feel that Alex is damaged goods now. We do need someone of his strength of character, but with a clean sheet. I did wonder about Keith Brown and his initial role for promoting the independence movement. But that seems to have died away given the lack of any progressive information.

So, do we still need a “Mr Nasty”? I think so, and so do a few other indyref2 supporters, by all accounts.

Alan Magnus-Bennett
Fife

THANK you to the readers who took the trouble to take part on the debate about the branding of our independence movement as “nationalist” by responding to my letter published on Friday May 1.

I think it is also important to look at three countries formerly labelled “nationalist.” These are Nazi Germany, Mussolini’s Italy and Franco’s Spain. These were of course independent countries within Europe. So again, if these nationalist countries were independent, why do we link nationalism with Scottish independence? Another reason which I think clearly demonstrates my point is the following adage, which just does not suit the Scottish pro-independence movement. This was broadcast some time ago on Radio Scotland, but is just as contemporary: “A patriot loves his country. A nationalist hates all other countries.” Do you think this adage applies to Scotland? I hope not!

So again, what actually is meant by nationalism and how does that term relate to our movement? There is also an excellent video online on this subject by Craig Murray.

I am slowly beginning to think that Jimbo Sillars may be right in his call for a second independence party to give us the chance to regroup and reform before our next assault on the British establishment.

WJ Graham
East Kilbride