Letter: Another Scottish independence march - so why does support remain the same?

So another independence parade has taken place, this time in Inverness.

A few thousand dyed-in-the-wool separatists marched, waving Saltires. They attracted extensive media coverage while the remaining five million-plus Scots carry on as usual.

Opinion polls repeatedly show support for independence remains around 2014 levels – most made up their minds during the intense campaign running up to the referendum and haven’t changed sides since. If another referendum were ever to take place, enthusiasts on both sides would campaign passionately, but it would entirely be a battle for the hearts and minds of maybe 300,000 waverers – soft Yes and No voters. The rest of us won’t matter much.

Blood and soil separatists may nod approvingly as indep­endence-obsessed marchers cross their TV screens. Yet Nicola Sturgeon and her spin-doctor team will realise these kind of demonstrations do little to influence the chances of Indyref2 taking place, nor enhance the likelihood of a result in her favour.

Martin Redfern

Edinburgh