WHEN to call indyref2 – how do we decide? There are a number of good reasons to go as soon as possible.

Polling indicates a high and possibly growing base on which to build support. The main party of Unionism in the UK is unpopular in Scotland. A campaign fronted by May, Gove, Fox and Johnson is more likely to put people off the Union than to encourage them to vote for it.

It is unlikely that there could be a reasonably well co-ordinated pro-Union campaign like “Better Together” after the extent to which Labour suffered from participating in the previous one. Corbyn is quite likely to back the Union with the same lukewarm approach that he showed for the EU, and for completely the contradictory reasons from what the Tories will put forward.

There can be no credible “Vow” wheeled out at the last minute this time. The UK parties may be too pre-occupied with Brexit to have much time for a campaign in Scotland. EU citizens would mostly back independence, but it is difficult to know how many would actually vote. There are many Yes groups ready and willing to start campaigning.

There are also some good reasons to delay.

Demographics: young independence supporters are replacing older Union backers to the extent of as much as a one per cent swing each year (assuming people don’t change the way they vote). The influence of the mainstream newspapers is declining year on year. Once Brexit hits, it is suggested, people will realise the need to exit the Union, but the effects may not come at all quickly or in ways that are immediately noticeable, mostly not until the end of the transition period – which could be extended repeatedly, so the shape of the Brexit deal may take a long time to emerge.

On the other hand, the UK may crash out of the EU in under a year without any deal. It will take some time to sort out the Continuity Bill in the Supreme Court. Also, it will take time to pursue a request for a Section 30 order whether it is granted or not. If it isn’t, then calling a Scottish general election on the one issue of independence could be a win/win choice for the SNP.

Finally, there is the matter of policies for an independent Scotland to be put forward. Let’s have decisive and clear policies on our approach to Europe and EU citizens, pensions, currency, fishing, agriculture, food, health, education, transport and infrastructure. We can sort the details out later.

While there are some good reasons to delay, there are valid reasons not to. A second EU referendum might be called. A UK General Election is another possibility. A complete split over Brexit in either or both of the major UK political parties could also happen. These and other options will constantly threaten.

It seems to me that we need to have some very good reasons if we are to delay much longer.

Jim Macgregor
Blairgowrie

IF I were to advise Nicola Sturgeon and the wider Yes movement to prepare for a second indyref, I’d take a leaf out of Ruth Davidson’s “How to win” book, keep the arguments simple and anticipate and destroy the points the opposition will certainly make (because they feel that they do not have to change a method which has been so successful, not only nationally but internationally, as the case against Catalan independence has shown clearly).

I’d ask Kevin McKenna, The National’s Jonathan Swift, to produce a short, pre-emptive strike document which would shoot down the Unionist mantras: the SNP is obsessed with independence to the detriment of doing “the day job”/the indyref was a once-in-a-lifetime vote/we won’t have a currency/the banks will move out of Scotland/so will big businesses/the oil has run out/the NHS in Scotland will be privatised/pensions will be reduced, if not abolished/the rest of the UK loves us too much to lose us.

Once these cliches are out of the way, serious points in favour of independence can be made, but the weapon of irony should always be in our armoury to counter the “fake news” of the Unionist parties.

Lovina Roe
Perth