I WATCHED The first 20 minutes of the STV debate on Tuesday. I found it disappointing. I turned over to watch something more interesting and turned back again at 10pm in order to hear the comments of the observers in the studio.

In the short time that I did watch, I got the impression that while Humza Yousaf wants more of the same, Ash Regan and Kate Forbes both want a change but seem intent on just using the same again to get that change. Quite honestly that won’t work. This was borne out by the commentators in the studio in their summary of the performances of the contestants.

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But the main reason I turned over from the debate was simply because none of them in the first few minutes came up with any strategy to get independence. They all seem to believe that the only way to get it is by putting pressure on the Westminster government until they can no longer refuse to grant it. They all seem to believe that if the mandate from the people is strong enough then Westminster will give in. I’ve got news for them!

No. The Westminster government – either party – won’t give in under any circumstances in that respect. The Supreme Court judgment has firmly closed the door to independence via domestic law and Westminster.

There was a glimmer of hope from Ash Regan in that she was prepared to discuss with the wider independence-supporting movement – including other political parties – other possible ways of getting independence, but she came back to the idea of using every future election as a “de facto referendum”. By denying that the present majority of both votes and MSPs who support independence in the Holyrood government is a mandate, Westminster will deny that any future election result is a mandate.

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We are held to England by an international treaty. The way to independence is by withdrawing from that international treaty under international law. We need to ignore domestic law and demonstrate to the United Nations that repeated majorities of independence-supporting MSPs and MPs, elected to Holyrood and Westminster, indicate that the people of Scotland require the independence-supporting politicians to achieve that independence for them. And therefore, request the United Nations to recognise a declaration of withdrawal from the Treaty of Union, so that steps can be taken to fulfil the wishes of the Scottish electorate and get them the independence they have asked for. Scotland doesn’t need any future election results. Past results, where independence-supporting majorities of seats have already been won, on numerous occasions, should be sufficient.

At the time of the signing of the Treaty of Union, the Whigs, who were the predecessors of the Tories, were in power. They stated in parliament, “We have catched Scotland and we will not let her go”. It seems their descendants are of the same mindset. They will not allow us to have independence, so we must take it for ourselves.

Unfortunately, none of the contenders for First Minister seem to have grasped that fact yet.

Charlie Kerr
Glenrothes

I THOUGHT that having the three candidates for Scotland’s next first minister take part in this programme was a great mistake by our party.

It isn’t their job to question, argue with and criticise each other over their proposed policies.

D Ross and his like must have been cheering in the aisles.

Robert Cumberland
Blantyre