Don't castigate the SNP based on imaginary decisions

This got in the Evening News but was chopped a bit.

http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/letters.cfm?id=279102007

The Editor
The Evening News

Sir,

I am an admirer of Ian Swanson. I think he is an excellent journalist and I was therefore a little disappointed to read his column about the SNP's flagship policy of a referendum on Scottish independence.

Whoever the SNP anonymous source is that Swanson quotes he must be aware that he is doing the party no favours with his suggestion that the SNP might renege on their commitment to a referendum. I therefore doubt this unnamed individual's genuine commitment to the Scottish independence cause. Who does this idea benefit? Only the SNP's adversaries in the Scottish parliament.

It is unfortunate that our politicians are amongst the most mistrusted individuals around. To a certain extent of course they have only themselves to blame, however by making speculations like this and suggesting that the SNP would betray their supporters in this fashion, effectively the Evening News is encouraging the public to view the SNP as untrustworthy before they have even tasted Government!

The SNP's raison detre is independence and it can reasonably be expected that the party will do everything to achieve that goal.

By all means castigate the SNP (or welcome their change of heart) if they do decide in Government to waive the referendum idea (and commit political suicide) but please don't insult our intelligence by suggesting it just now simply because it suits the Scotsman group's political prejudices.

Yours faithfully,

Joe Middleton