HOW did we manage to get intelligent Yes campaigners wasting their time with the red herring of devo-max once again? I note that Chris Hanlon, for who I have the greatest respect, appears to be re-examining this.

Have we learned nothing from our experience in dealing with Westminster on the independence issue? Prior to the 2014 referendum the Unionist media played up the devo-max idea.

When it looked as though Alex Salmond was prepared to consider this, he was attacked by the same media, accused of trying to get independence “by the back door”. Cameron came up to Scotland to discuss this with Alex Salmond and claimed a victory in the discussion because he had ruled that option out.

READ MORE: David Pratt: Scots must ensure we do not fall into devo-max political ambush

In drafting the legal document referred to as the Edinburgh Agreement on the referendum, devo-max was specifically ruled out. Then in the referendum campaign, in a direct breach of the law, the Unionists, including Cameron used many of the devo-max claims and attached them to the No position on the referendum.

This was a fraud, it was dishonest, it was in breach of the Edinburgh Agreement so was illegal, but with the help of a wee bit of rigging of the postal ballot it worked, and produced the result that the UK wanted. Chris talks about using this approach to get firm agreement with the UK Government which can’t be broken. Well, that is not possible in the Westminster system. No government can tie the hand of a future one so it is futile to suggest this.

READ MORE: The REAL Scottish Politics: Devo-max will lay a 'trap' for Scotland

In any event it is not necessary. The present SNP government can hold an advisory referendum, just like the EU one was, and if we find that the Westminster government or English courts refuse to co-operate we just make all SNP candidates at the next UK General Election in Scotland stand on an independence commitment and if we will a majority (under a UK election system) we can claim our rights under the UN charter and establish an independent state with, or without Westminster support.

There is an old saying: once bitten twice shy.

Chris is right, the Scottish people are sovereign, and the Scottish people are not daft. Currently the young people in the Scottish electorate are showing consistently support in excess of 60% for independence, and it is the young who motivate people in election campaigns.

Show them that the SNP are serious about independence and that they will not be diverted or tricked again, and the people will be right behind you.

Andy Anderson
Saltcoats

HENRY Hill, news editor the Conservative Home website, was quoted in The National as saying devo-max “might come about”, describing it as the next iteration of “the best of both worlds. Basically as many of the advantages of the Union as they can get away with, with as few obligations as possible.”

Obviously yet another Tory bigot who has absolutely no comprehension whatsoever that Scotland has been subsidising England for well over the past hundred years.

If he got off his lazy arse and did some investigative work for his living, instead of relying on the lies he is fed from his Tory head office, he’d quickly learn the truth of the matter.

May I remind him that David Cameron described the Brexit deal as “the best of both worlds”? Basically as few of the advantages of the EU as possible, with a surfeit of troublesome obligations.

Bruce Moglia
Bridge of Weir