I WAS a bit confused as I went through Dan Wood’s letter (January 20). Some of what he describes as in-fighting in the independence movement is in fact the perfectly legitimate, and indeed vital, work we will need to have complete on Day 1.

The Scottish Reserve Bank is not ploughing its own furrow; currency was the Achilles’ heel in indyref1. We were all at sea over which currency we would use and why. The SRB and others are making sure we will not be caught out again. They are explaining in all sorts of media outlets why a Scottish currency and Scotland’s own central bank are not only possible, but in fact the only way to go for real independence from the UK, particularly if we want to return to the EU, as I believe Dan Wood does.

READ MORE: Fighting among the numerous pro-independence factions needs to stop

Common Weal’s How to Start a New Country is an in-depth look at what we need to do to set up all the functions of a state. The Scottish Land Commission amongst other things advises Scottish ministers on legislative and policy change in land rights, land ownership and land markets. It also presses for tax reform through making Annual Ground Rent the basis of all taxation in an independent Scotland.

I agree that it is only political parties that can bring about the political change needed, but I fear Dan Wood’s faith in the SNP delivering an independence referendum is misplaced. He wants others like the Independence for Scotland Party to step aside. We did, for a long time, until it dawned on us that we were getting nowhere. And we are not competing in the constituencies. Is Dan asking the Greens to step aside in the constituencies, where they are a real threat to the SNP? Does he have an answer to “Both Votes SNP” being largely a waste of votes? In the area we both live in, 137,000 + votes on the North East list for the SNP yielded NO regional MSPs last time.

Julia Pannell
Friockheim, Tayside

THEY deny access to our most lucrative fish and meat markets, deny our health and care services access to their most vital labour source – yet they dare to call US “separatists”. They have taken away OUR EU citizenship, OUR educational and job opportunities in Europe and our freedom of movement – yet still they call US “separatists”. Of our elected representatives in London, 10.1% sit on the government benches, 1.7% are part of the official opposition while 81.3% are subjected to scorn, derision and contempt – and they dare to call themselves “democrats”. Please, God, let 2021 see us free from the shackles of imperial Westminster.

J O’Neill
Coatbridge