Hearts and minds

Peter Jones (Perspective, 2 
September) is to be commended for a more balanced assessment of the manifestation of emotions engendered by the referendum debate than some of the letters presented in The Scotsman, that written by former Tory candidate Mark Tennant being an apt example (Letters, same day).

Where I would respectfully disagree with Mr Jones is his conclusion that the debate is over and that only emotions will now change voting intentions.

Of course, those who have promoted uncertainty and confusion but who are seeing the gap between numbers supporting No and Yes votes narrow day by day would be delighted if he was correct with No apparently still in the lead.

The fact, though, is that increasingly the general public are seeing through the scare stories and the attempts to smear all supporters of Yes as nationalist zealots is not substantiated in neighbourhoods across Scotland as more and more previously apolitical friends and family members decide it is time to take their future into their own hands.

Perhaps if those advocating a No vote could find some more inspiring arguments for Scotland to remain in a declining Union than simply referring to achievements of the past without reference to our current social and financial predicament, they may be able to persuade sufficient “undecideds” of their case to yet thwart a Yes victory. The reality, though, is that many of those supporting the No campaign seem irrationally obsessed with castigating the First Minister and the SNP and not one of the politicians leading the No campaign appears capable of including an honest appraisal of the present situation in any positive vision for Scotland’s future should we continue to be ruled from Westminster.

Stan Grodynski

Longniddry

East Lothian