I READ Tom Tracey’s letter in yesterday’s National regarding the SNP’s record on education, and as a set of statistics I’m sure it appears impressive. However, the true measure of education is not mindless repetition of numbers but a display that one has taken that information in, assessed it and that you can make practical application of that data. Which is why I had to shake my head in despair when I saw that Mr Tracey concluded his interesting list with the much-derided cry of “BOTH VOTES SNP”.

One thing I have learned through my political education is that both votes SNP, while easy on the ear and simple to trot out to the unthinking, makes no practical sense across much of Scotland, including Greenock where Mr Tracey lives. In 2016 in that region the SNP took 135,827 list votes, a whopping 42.2% of the list votes, and yet it returned a grand total of ZERO MSPs on the list. For the SNP to have gained the final seat on the list, squeezing out the Greens, they would have required an additional 19,144 votes – more than the total of all their West Scotland constituency candidates' votes combined!

READ MORE: Let’s remind ourselves of the SNP’s many achievements on education

Surely Mr Tracey can see that all those wasted votes were for nothing? In fact, they would have been as well voting Labour or Tory, for that is what their SNP2 vote got them, and at least then they might have had a say over which Unionists were going to be elected to work against Scotland in our parliament.

Sadly, many SNP die-hards are now utterly welded to the comfort blanket of both votes SNP, but thankfully many are seeing the reality of the situation and are choosing to cast their list vote for another pro-independence party. In fact what I am seeing locally is that some of the SNP’s most dedicated and long-serving activists are now switching to the Alba Party and are actively out there chapping on doors to ensure that the representatives of parties working actively against Scotland are diluted and that the parties working for Scotland are strengthened, giving a breadth and depth of support for independence previously unseen in Holyrood, while holding the SNP’s feet to the fire in regard to their commitment to independence which has been somewhat lukewarm over the course of the last parliament.

If there is one lesson we should all be able to agree on, it is that the Unionists will be motivated to get out and vote (or will have already done so by post) and it is imperative that we turn up and cast our votes and encourage others to do so, particularly younger voters who are by and large more disposed towards independence, but less likely to actually cast their ballot. We cannot assume that other people’s votes will carry the day. Otherwise we run the risk of letting our parliament and our chances of independence any time soon slip from our grasp. Here endeth the lesson.

James Cassidy
Airdrie

TOM Tracy offers a commendable list of Scottish Government education initiatives, some delivered and some proposed. These, however, are inputs to the education system and what really matters is that they collectively result in positive outcomes. What we need is better understanding and better evidence of what has been achieved.

I don’t doubt Nicola’s ambition nor John Swinney’s commitment to improving Scottish education and acknowledge the “limited” improvement that has emerged, and that’s just one of the reasons I am a SNP member. I do believe, however that we are not really seeing, as yet, the gains that we anticipated.

Archie Drummond
Tillicoultry

I AM 70 now and all my life I have longed for Scottish independence after seeing Scotland treated as an afterthought through all the decades.

The rise of the SNP brought hope to me and many others, and this year with support going the right way I thought, and still believe, this is finally our time to break free from the UK establishment, the cronyism, jingoism, superiority, and Westminster elitism.

We always knew that these Union forces and the compliant media would throw everything at Scottish independence, but this time it was seeming to have no effect as many Scots were finally saying “NO, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”. Never in my wildest dreams though did I expect a party full of “chip-on-the-shoulder” politicians to throw a spanner in the works.

Not only are they causing unnecessary confusion where none existed, but there is absolutely no need for a “supermajority”. This is just mischief-making that could possibly mean my dream might never happen in my lifetime.

We have undoubtedly the best leader in the UK and greatly respected throughout the world, who is seeing us safely through Covid, has produced an excellent and positive manifesto for Scotland going forward, and has her eye firmly set on indy. She DESERVES the thanks and support of all of Scotland and I for one sincerely hope she can bring Scottish independence in my remaining lifetime, and that she will not be bullied by others who should know better.

Ian Couper
via email