ADMITTEDLY, and perhaps belatedly, as a recently recruited member of the SNP, I have to say that I am disheartened at the apparent turmoil currently within the party with regard to how we might best achieve independence.

In his letter of August 8, Pat Lee, founder member of the Alliance for Independence movement and a life-long activist, makes a passionate plea for achieving a Plan B through “unity and using the legal tools at our disposal” in order to achieve a pro-independence government and “follow that legitimate route which makes it impossible to deny”.

READ MORE: We’ve got the Unionist parties on the ropes – time for the uppercut

Impossible, really? If only I was convinced that Boris and his corrupt UK Government cohorts couldn’t somehow manoeuvre a way around this “legitimate route” through passing a change in law, ultimately approved by the guys in the wigs, would I then agree with Pat and perhaps be persuaded that my second vote next May might be better pledged to ensure we “Max The Yes”.

Where I do agree with Pat is that independence will only be achieved through a unity of purpose not, unfortunately, simply by an “uppercut”, but by continuing to do the very things that he has done for many years, ie to persuade others of the differences an independent Scotland would make to all of our lives and our children’s too.

It will take more than a quick knockout blow and it will almost certainly “go the distance”, but the fight for independence has been and will probably continue to be a one which will ultimately be won on points/votes decided by the true judges, ie the people of Scotland.

Like every good boxer knows, the tactics on how we will win the fight depends on what tactics we adopt. We are ahead on points Pat, don’t let your guard down now, we need people like you if we are to achieve victory.

Alex Shearer
Cumbernauld

I DON’T see how Joanna Cherry will lose us support for independence. Alan Lammin (Letters, August 10) talks about a group of extremist agitators carping from the sidelines. Who are they? Certainly not supporters of Joanna Cherry. And then he states that a 54% majority support for independence is not a mandate. Just who is he suggesting said it was?

We are all in support of the SNP leading the cause for an independent Scotland. That is why the SNP are in government, and being superbly led by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

READ MORE: The SNP will restart the campaign when the time is right

The SNP was created initially to see Scotland become an independent country. The 2021 election result we are all expecting would certainly be another mandate for a referendum, regardless of how people might express their reasons for voting SNP.

For myself, I am a socialist and the SNP fits that bill for me. I also want to see Scotland free of any future Westminster interference.

Lammin’s last sentence states the obvious, but 54% is an excellent base to start from where a referendum for independence is concerned and will go a long way in achieving a successful result.

Alan Magnus-Bennett
Fife

HAVING read some of the comments from fellow SNP members in your publication over the last few days, I am surprised so many of the commenters don’t understand what is at stake?

The SNP is a party the largest party in Scotland with more than 100,000 members at the last count, yet rules can be changed with no regard to following the rules that govern the party or the NEC? This is not about a small group of “agitators”, as one of your readers put it. This is about the party’s constitution and standing orders that govern how the party is run being abused or ignored by a few.

We are all poorer if this is let to slide and we all must be on guard to protect the rules that govern Scotland’s largest democratic party. If the membership lets such an

abuse of process go by, then what next? If the SNP take the members’ support for granted we will see many walking away, and all at a time that needs all of us to pull together and play by our democratic rules. Just look what happened to the Scottish Labour party.

Scotland’s future is being put at risk by those who would ignore both the constitution and the party’s standing orders.

David Henry
Edinburgh

NOT being a member of the SNP, I have no wish to give any opinion on their rule changes or alleged stitch-ups etc, so I can give an outsider’s view of the Robertson/Cherry matter.

I am pleased Ms Cherry will continue as an MP, because we require her outstanding legal brain in that house of comedy. Mr Robertson, with his political and analytical brain (provided he is selected and elected), will be an additional strength to the Holyrood forces in our struggle for independence.

READ MORE: Kevin McKenna: This was a vendetta against Joanna Cherry

Finally, Kevin McKenna has always been a National columnist I have enjoyed reading, but some of his language in his August 1 column surprised me (Let’s be clear - this was a vendetta against Cherry by senior figures). I quote: “open sewer running through the SNP”, “coup d’etat”, “vendetta”, “purge”, “SNP’s re-conditioning camps”, “Medieval witch-hunt”, “party before country”, “Scottish independence no longer paramount”.

I’m a believer in honest criticism, but I was taken aback by Kevin’s use of language. Or perhaps it is a type of humour I am not grasping.

Bobby Brennan
Glasgow