TONY Perridge (Letters, Mar 28) makes a pertinent point, and something we must all recognise. We will of course need our own currency sooner rather than later.
However, it is not a simple process and we cannot start developing that currency and associated central bank until we have control. This process can only start and be completed during the transition from subservience to sovereignty. We will not be following the Brexit model of the Unionists, where there was clearly no thought-out plan. The transition process cannot of course commence until we have won a referendum and entered into negotiations with the UK rump. At this stage all we can do is offer alternatives and what-if scenarios until rUK starts talking to us in an adult fashion.
READ MORE: 'Boring banker' Stewart Hosie defends SNP currency plans
At the same time as looking at the finance, we will also need to build our own administrative functions to replace those run directly from Westminster such as the DVLA, HMRC, defence, and many more. There will be lots to do and we need to hit the ground running when it happens. Until we get to that position all we can do is explain to the soft No voters what options we have, viable budgetary plans, and crucially a draft constitution that sets out how we will govern ourselves.
The SNP administration has to prioritise dealing with the day-to-day consequences of working within the current constitution, and therefore much of the persuasion and preparation needs to be done by the collective Yes group in which we all play a part. Crucially we still need to support the SNP as a political party in government to enable all of this to happen.
Nick Cole
Meigle, Perthshire
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