Yes grumbles

Hard to know about the Yes Campaign. The SSPs Colin Fox tells me he has regular chats with Yes SNP organisers and thinks a structure will be worked out in weeks to deal with the worries voiced over the weekend by the Greens & Margo. On twitter though, some indy supporters who signed up to help at the launch are wondering when they'll be contacted by anything but a mass email. For me there are too many breast-beating, sloganising MESSAGES in lieu of practical activities being arranged or thought-provoking, non-pointy-finger observations on the go. Couldn't we have something a bit more funny, knowing, ironic, connected and....well...Scottish? It's this "trying too hard" feeling that suggests to me the Greens and other low key and less trumpeting political performers are NOT in with the bricks of the Yes Campaign. What about forgetting the daily updates of how many people have signed what - and organise a giant happening festival or something fun that everyone in their right minds would like to attend? It's that old maxim for good communications -- show don't tell. Meanwhile it also strikes me the "all things to all people" strategy currently being deployed by the SNP is fast running out of road. We aren't stupid enough to think we can have our cake and eat it. Independence can't possibly benefit everyone and risk nothing. The suggestion that Scots can keep all our comfort blankets, dummies, favourite toys the Queen, the pound sterling, NATO and the Union Flag – just makes me wonder what kinda bumpy ride really lies ahead. Mind you that could just be me. The last time I was allowed to keep my wee doll with me in a hospital operating theatre I had the most horrible cortizone injections in my feet (aged 8 in Belfast right enough). Anyway my Scotsman column tries to tackle some of this today – hop over to www.lesleyriddoch.com