I HAVE read many offerings about Brexit and a second independence referendum, and I am left wondering what the No voters feel has changed so much that they feel a second referendum would have such a different outcome?
Last year’s General Election showed, that, although the SNP has 56 MPs at Westminster, the percentage majority was marginal on a reduced turnout. If the “stay at homes” come back to the voting stations surely the outcome would be the same as in 2014?
Francis Deigman
12 Broomlands Way,
Erskine.
WHILE we have been debating the impact of Brexit on Scottish independence, Catalonia has taken a major step on its own path to independence, with clear lessons for us here in Scotland.
Catalonia’s parliament has defied Spain’s constitutional court by debating a controversial pro-independence roadmap, and the region’s president has announced a confidence vote to be held in Parliament on September 28, consolidating the move towards independence.
Since winning the Catalan election last September, the government, led by the Together for Yes coalition, has begun preparing legal steps for the transition and designing a tax collection authority, a social security apparatus and a foreign affairs department.
Last November, the Catalan parliament voted to begin the process of breaking away from Spain after MPs favouring independence used their majority to pass legislation to effect a “disconnection from the Spanish state” and pave the way for an independent Catalan state.
This has paved the way for an independence referendum, likely to take place towards the end of next year.
Madrid’s failure to engage with the independence debate has left the Catalan government with no choice but to forge its own path.
Here in Scotland, should the UK Prime Minister refuse moves towards another independence referendum despite an increased demand for this, the Scottish Government could follow the path taken by Catalonia and hold one anyway.
It is however clearly to be hoped that the UK Government will see sense and negotiate with the Scottish Government over the holding of another referendum.
Alex Orr,
Flat 2, 77 Leamington Terrace, Edinburgh.
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