Future choice

Published on 15/08/2012 00:00

David Stevenson's concerns about the future of the SNP after independence (Letters, 14 August) need to be considered alongside the future of other political parties in a new Scottish state. It is likely that, within a relatively short span of years, some existing parties will have devolved into Scottish equivalents, some may have effectively disappeared and others may have arisen.

For example, might we see a recreation of the old Progressive Party which, until the 1960s, stood for election in (and sometimes governed) the city corporations in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee?

In that sense, intuitive conservative voters could have an 
almost ready-made non-Unionist party to support.

There was, in the 1970s, an independent Scottish Labour Party that met with transient success in some areas. And, I suspect, a new social democratic party or a reconstituted Liberal Party might appeal to some.

What we must bear in mind is that, after independence, all levels of government in Scotland will be elected by some form of proportional representation – a state that encourages a greater number of smaller parties.

James D Brown

Burnside Road

Elgin

There should be an additional question on the referendum ballot. It should ask: “On a scale of one to ten, how much is your view based on emotional reasons?”

It would be interesting to know how many people were voting with their hearts and how many had properly thought through the implications of independence or remaining in the Union.

Angela Innes

Dundas Street

Edinburgh