READ MORE: Now is not the time for the Yes movement to be complacent and compliant

Take for example the plight of the Scottish fishing industry, in particular coastal businesses and the huge drop in income they have suffered from the drop in exports to Europe since Brexit. Is it really just an unfortunate event? What if we see it as a pre-planned situation allowed by the Westminster government during the Brexit negotiations, as it would ultimately lead to a significant decline in Scotland’s viability going forward?

Then we come to the still largely secret Australian deal. If allowed to continue, this source of cheap meat supply has the potential to wipe out large swathes of Scottish agriculture and ranching, with the consequent depopulation of large areas of the country as we know it. Again I would say this has been well taken into account in the negotiations to ensure that we are carefully tied up to help the Scottish economy fail in the future.

This would then help to secure our wonderful country as a playground for the Southern Hunting, Shooting and Fishing Brigade, and of course a suitable venue for all nuclear stuff if all goes wrong.

Some will say that this is just a conspiracy theory and reject it outright. Think about it well; the Westminster government will stoop to any level to prevent our country from achieving independence.

No tip will be too dirty.

George M Mitchell
Dunblane

It is reassuring to read that SNP members are starting to wake up and question the lack of progress because the SNP leadership is not preparing us for self-determination. These well-paid, underperforming leaders have failed to move the vote forward in the past seven years. The move was led by Theresa May, Brexit and Boris Johnson, but that progress has now been lost by inaction from SNP officials, providing no guidance to members.

The two main questions that lost the 2014 referendum were: (a) what currency? and (b) what might a self-governing Scotland look like? Common Weal, Business for Scotland, the Scottish Currency Group, Constitution for Scotland, the Land Review Reform Group and others all have well researched and achievable proposals ready to go, but from the SNP just talks.

READ MORE: Don’t talk about SNP wake-up calls if you’re not doing your part personally

According to their record, the current leadership of the SNP will not give us independence or launch the preparations that should have been in place by now. They take us up and down more hills – lots of talking but no decisions. Decisions that would have raised the yes to at least 60 to 70% instead of returning to 2014 levels.

If you or I did not meet the goals of the company that employed us, we would be fired. Members must regain control of their own party and elect proactive leaders NOW. Leaders who will act, initiate preparations now, set a referendum date, respect the sovereign authority of the Scottish people and stop pulling the nerve of a foreign nation, a nation that has frequently violated the treaty between our two nations.

Politicians let the people down in 1707 and 2014, and the current group is failing us now.

Bob ingram
Aberdeenshire

I totally agree with Shona Craven on Thursday’s National – PMQs are just a shame (Johnson shamelessly rewrites the story on Hancock, June 30). How is it allowed to continue by the President when Boris Johnston categorically refuses to answer a single question? You get ten words if you’re lucky, then the usual “how wonderful the vaccine is” and the platitudes of scripted one-liners.

We may not like the answers given, but they should contain explanations and details in response to the question. The answers are now so obvious that you could put a robot in Johnson’s place and I doubt many would notice the difference. You can’t even embarrass this PM because there’s nothing that someone else hasn’t done before them.

READ MORE: PMQ: Johnson shamelessly rewrites the story of Matt Hancock leaving

When Blackford said Johnson was sacked for lying it was factual, and yet he was reprimanded by the President. It seems that this British government is not held responsible by anyone and can do whatever it wants.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Tories are struck dumb as they sit on their hands and let their advisers troll the SNP with impunity.

Winifred McCartney
Cashmere

So the Conservatives’ last marketing blast to promote the failing UK is’ Royal Week ‘, as if remembering the greed of the royal family would force us all to hold on to the wreck that is the UK. Maybe they should launch a series of special weeks to remind us of what we get by being part of the UK? We could start with “Bedroom Tax Week”, followed by “Benefit Cut Week”, then of course “Brexit Week”. However, the one most people will remember about this corrupt Conservative government would be the week “Hundreds of Pandemic Deaths Tories ignored so their friends and backers could get shady deals to get rich. “! It’s not the catchiest term, so maybe shorten it to ‘Corrupt UK Government Week’ – except it doesn’t last a week!

Councilor Kenny MacLaren
Cashmere