SNP talk about indy in the abstract, not as an urgent national goal

The National

14 hours ago

What we're seeing is a slow, painful truth settling in: independence is dead in the water, not because the people have abandoned it, but because the leadership has.
We've had every kind of democratic mandate imaginable, and nothing has changed. The SNP continue to speak about independence in abstract terms, like it's an aspiration for the distant future – never an urgent national goal. We're told to believe that a plebiscite election will be the turning point, but let's be honest: it won't. Westminster has already said it won't recognise the result. And without negotiation, nothing is transferred – not powers, not pensions, not currency, not sovereignty.
READ MORE: Lesley Riddoch: Zohran Mamdani is showing how a progressive left vision can succeed
Meanwhile, groups like Salvo are pushing for international legal recognition through the UN decolonisation route – doing serious, credible work. But the SNP doesn't support it, and most Scots have never even heard of it, because the broader movement – and yes, the media, including The National – continues to centre all attention on party politics while ignoring the more radical, lawful options right under our noses.
Why am I writing now? Because I don't want to sit and watch this movement bleed out while we pretend everything's fine. Because I see people in your comments – angry, frustrated, calling for leadership – and I want to say: stop waiting for someone to save us. If the SNP won't lead, then the people must.
We need to start building what Westminster refuses to give — a shadow infrastructure. A people's assembly, built by the movement, not party bosses. Independent Scottish media that breaks free from the BBC's framing. Local civic resistance to defend Holyrood powers and disrupt hostile Westminster laws. A national campaign to elevate Scotland's case at the UN – with billboards, street action, and international allies behind us. None of that needs permission.
READ MORE: Scotch whisky wins protected status in Argentina in 'global first'
We've been trained to think independence only comes after Westminster agrees. That's not how freedom works. Real independence movements create a crisis of legitimacy, not a paper trail of unanswered requests.
The SNP's time as leader of this movement is up unless they change course – fast. Their job was to carry the torch. They've dropped it. We either pick it up and light the way ourselves, or we let the fire die for good.
To The National, I say this: be bolder. Cover the people who are building. Don't just react to the party line – help us redefine it. This paper should be the voice of a living movement, not just a waiting room for the next SNP press release.
To your readers: stop waiting for the next election. It's not coming. We are.
James Murphy
Bute
THE latest Labour government fiasco concerning the welfare bill would suggest they have forgotten their roots. They have attacked the most vulnerable in society.
In recent years we have all come through two seismic events – Brexit and the pandemic – which have impacted so negatively on our communities.
Karl Marx many years ago suggested that each time there were such seismic changes, the impact of the change hugely increased the number of vulnerable people that get left behind. We are witnessing this now and at the same time the gap between rich and poor is increasing, ie the rich are continually getting richer!
READ MORE: Rachel Reeves breaks silence on crying in the Commons
It is abhorrent that Labour support the idea of making savings from welfare benefits – all part of the mythical trickle-down economy that does not work!
Unbelievable that Labour should ignore the gravy train of: the Lords, the royals, the billionaires and millionaires, the corporate tax evaders and avoiders. All of them wheel and deal at the expense of thee and me!
Labour ignored the money men and went for the vulnerable who are struggling week to week.
Thankfully in Scotland our SNP government fight every day for all folks in Scotland, and that's with one hand tied behind their back.
Labour offer Scotland nothing – there is no interest, empathy or connection towards us.
Our choice in 2026 is to embrace independence or continue to be at the mercy of a Westminster government that regards Scotland as a region 'up north'. John Swinney must be courageous and make independence centre stage of the SNP manifesto and in each and every future policy.
Jan Ferrie
Ayrshire
WE all witnessed a government in crisis in the House of Commons on Tuesday. In the midst of the debate on welfare reforms the government suddenly crashed, pulling the plug on parts of their proposals. Quite incredible. However, the plug was not pulled in an effort to support the disabled and vulnerable, it was pulled to stave off a government defeat by the Labour rebels.
Shame on Labour.
Catriona C Clark
Falkirk
REGARDING 'Poverty levels in Scotland track below UK' (Jun 30); that's all well and good, but if we had a citizens' income (long advocated by the Greens), poverty would be virtually ended. It should, however, be funded from publicly created site values (mainly due to infrastructure investment) and not from working people. The Scottish Government has the power to recover these values, and was even urged by a Holyrood committee to do so, back in 2021. Why hasn't it done so?
George Morton
Rosyth