WE are being told by many in the media, including some with an axe to grind, that this election is about two vain, blustering, washed-up incoherent has-beens. The non-partisan truth is that both men are a political and presentational disaster for the side they claim to support.
Every vote Galloway siphons from the Tories and Labour helps elect a more pro-indy parliament, and every vote Salmond siphons from the SNP (he is loathed by Green voters) reduces the number of pro-indy MSPs elected. The pro-indy majority in the next session will be made of MSPs from just two parties: the SNP and the Greens. Between them, Salmond and Galloway poll below the Liberal Democrats, and so between them they deserve less coverage than Willie Rennie, even if they both start posing with animals and disproportionately large deckchairs.
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The best thing that can come out of this is a shift to a proper proportional electoral system, where the best thing to do is always to vote for the party you agree with, not for some tactical sham. That’s the best route to building a real pro-independence majority. Let the past be the past.
James Mackenzie
Edinburgh
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions. What should we do with our second vote in 2021? What happens if Westminster says no to indyref2?
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversation, register under fake names, and post vile abuse. We’ve had hundreds of emails from you complaining about this, asking us to take steps to ensure that these people aren’t given a platform on our site.
We’re listening to you, and here’s how we plan to make that happen.
We have decided to make the ability to comment only available to our 12,000 paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them.
We’ll be monitoring this change over the first few weeks, and we’re keen to know your thoughts. Email us at letters@thenational.scot if you want to have your say.
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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