I’VE been so pleased to see the entries coming in for our Yessay contest at The National – but there’s still plenty of time for more, before the July 11, 11.59pm deadline.
My first full-time job in journalism was at this paper, and my brief spell away at the Glasgow Times before returning hammered home the worth of these letters pages.
Having a space like this to facilitate extended back-and-forths and up-to-date comment from those at the heart of the independence movement is crucial – and the quality of the debate here is something that goes without recognition by those who like to pretend indy activists do nothing other than wave flags (though we do love a good saltire...).
READ MORE: Here's how you can enter our Yessay contest – with prize of 500 pounds
This helped inspire our idea to hold an essay competition – we wanted to give our readers the chance to put the knowledge and expertise they have to good use, winning over undecided voters.
There’s still time to enter, and I would encourage anyone reading these pages to do so – there is a £500 prize, after all... and a bonus £250 prize for the best entry from an under-21, so if you know young people who can write, it’d be well worth recommending this contest to them! (Perhaps you can claim a commission if they win?)
All we need are 1600-2200 words on “Why should Scotland be independent?” emailed to letters@thenational.scot. You can find all the T&Cs on The National’s website, above the main article and just under the banner at the top, by clicking the headline reading “Here’s how to enter The National’s £500 Yessay competition”. Good luck!
Stewart Ward
Engagement editor, The National
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Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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