I ALWAYS enjoy reading Ruth Wishart’s column. I appreciate and understand her “mad as hell” feeling, which is common in our movement (I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take it any more, June 20). It prompted my letter.

I learnt very early in my political activism to think about and consider any struggle in an objective way (I had good teachers).

As regards our aim of independence, what do we have in our armoury at this present stage?

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We have a newly elected SNP government. We have half the people of Scotland whom we can possibly assume – though not guarantee – will vote for self-determination given the opportunity. We have the possibility of SNP/Greens in some form of coalition government. We have an indyref campaign ready to go at the appropriate time. We now learn there is an independence unit under the leadership of Mike Russell.

Ruth writes that Nicola should shift her focus from the defeat of Covid, and give it to others. If she did this, the Unionists would attack her for a relinquishment of her First Minister responsibility.

What are we up against? A Johnson government that appears to hold almost all the aces. They have central, legal, constitutional and media power alongside a civil service at their command. We don’t yet know if it is a winning hand. We certainly face an unequal fight.

Sunday’s National contained views from Dr Alex Smith, a Scottish politics expert. Here are some of them: “The stakes for the SNP were really high”, “On the question of a referendum taking place sooner rather than later, what happens if the Yes camp loses a second time? If they lose in this context, it really will be a once-in-a-generation thing”, and “Timing is crucial ... getting the timing right is going to be a very, very tricky calculation”.

We should take serious note of his views.

Bobby Brennan
Glasgow