Real motives of Lawyers for Yes

When Lawyers For Yes wrote to this newspaper on Monday we had 111 signatories to our declaration.

We are pleased to 
advise that since publication another 25 lawyers have
been added to our list of signatories, which can be viewed at www.lawyers
foryes.org.uk.

We continue to be approached by new members every day.

We would like to take the opportunity to tackle the claim that the real purpose of our declaration is a desire to line our own pockets after 
independence (Peter Laidlaw’s letter, 25 June).

Mr Laidlaw singled out our distinguished colleague, Zenon Bankowski, Emeritus Professor of Legal Theory at Edinburgh University, in particular.

Zenon is a Professor of Jurisprudence, which is a theoretical discipline. Quite how he is likely to benefit from an alleged bonanza for lawyers after independence is hard to imagine.

Furthermore, many of our signatories practice in the field of criminal law and we don’t think even the more hysterical of the scare stories pedalled by the No campaign have suggested a crime wave after independence, so, again, it is difficult to see how they might be motivated by self- interest.

What is clear is that independence will bring a fairer and more prosperous country and guarantee the people of Scotland will always be ruled by governments they have voted for.

All of the people who live in Scotland will benefit from the opportunities independence will bring for better management of our economy and the rich resources with which Scotland is 
blessed.

Lawyers for Yes’s purpose in coming together and
writing to this newspaper was to highlight the opportunities independence will bring to enhance democracy by making Scotland a fairer society, tackling inequality and guaranteeing the rule of law and protection of human rights in a written constitution.

Those, such as Colin Hamilton (Letters, 24 June), who are looking for answers to 
some of the more detailed questions of law arising in this debate and in particular the EU question, should 
go to our website, where we have collated a number of articles.

Joanna Cherry QC

Jonathan
 Mitchell QC

Gail Gianni

Advocate

Advocates Library

Parliament House

Edinburgh