Convincing case

Each time a citizen, business or academic unconvinced of the case for independence expresses doubts and seeks clarification they are either accused of being negative or met with the same platitudes time and time again, described by Lesley Riddoch ­(Perspective, 7 April) as “predictable ripostes”.

Neither campaign is at all inspiring and both “must break out of this disappointing stalemate” by taking “reheated speeches … off the menu”.

The Yes campaign must present a realistic vision for an independent Scotland based on facts rather than unconvincing assertions.

The parties coming together under the Better Together banner must acknowledge that there is a lot wrong with a United ­Kingdom dominated by a dysfunctional City and parliament as described by Will Hutton in Lesley Riddoch’s aforementioned article.

This dysfunctionality is recognised not only in Scotland but throughout the whole UK outwith its south-east corner.

Scotland must not withdraw from the UK in the belief that it alone can escape from the consequences of the gross misgovernment imposed by the metropolis on the whole country.

It most certainly will not be able to do so within the framework of a sterling zone hugely dominated by an unreformed capital and the task of reconstruction will not be made any easier by the withdrawal of the Scots from Westminster and the United Kingdom in general.

John Milne

Ardgowan Drive

Uddingston

Colin Hamilton and Donald Lewis’s responses (Letters, 8 April) to my letter the previous day rather miss the point.

I have no objection to anyone making their personal views known on the independence debate. What I object to is the personal political views of business leaders dressed up and legitimised by their job title.

Mr Lewis makes the point for me when he refers to them as experts. Experts in what? Running a travel agency?

I find it hard to believe that Mr Hamilton and Mr Lewis didn’t feel at least a bit squeamish when they heard that some business leaders had written to their staff with their personal viewpoints.

If the business leaders on the Yes side are thin on the ground perhaps this is a matter of good taste rather than anything else. As someone who will vote Yes and runs a business I want people to vote Yes not because my point of view is falsely supported by some grand title but because people are convinced by the force of the argument.

The idea of writing to my staff with my personal point of view on independence fills me with horror and those business leaders who choose to do so should be rightly castigated by all fair minded people.

Andrew S R Gordon

Craiglockhart View

Edinburgh

With a seemingly endless ­succession of establishment figures from south of the Border urging a No vote in September, there is an impression that England is clutching at Scotland as a drowning man at a straw.

My Yes vote, primarily for an independent Scotland, will also be for an independent England.

Although it has relied on Scottish resources for the past 300 years, I am sure that, with a little effort, it could manage ­independently now.

Bob Whyte

East Kilbride Road

Glasgow