NICOLA Sturgeon’s pledge that the fight for Scottish independence will be at the heart of the SNP’s campaign for the Holyrood election will undoubtedly lead to a loud cheer from readers of The National.

Until she made the dramatic announcement yesterday, the First Minister had been fairly reticent on the subject since the Yes side was defeated in September 2014.

Independence or the prospect of a second referendum was barely discussed at her party’s October conference in Aberdeen.

Back then, she appeared content to reiterate the view that a second independence referendum would only come about when the time was right.

Last weekend, albeit rather quietly, she broached the subject of independence again, saying she “hoped” to win the support of No voters in the future.

However, in the Scottish Parliament yesterday, her arguments for independence were made loud and clear and with a new vigour. Independence “is the best future for our country,” she said, before going on to say she was “confident” her party could persuade a majority of Scots to support the move during the next Parliament.

It is not quite clear what prompted the new thinking – maybe it was the First Minister’s secret plan all along – but what was certain yesterday was the loud applause from SNP MSPs for the announcement independence would again be taking centre stage.

We look forward over the next months to the renewed debate, to even stronger arguments – ones less easily dismissed by the Unionists.

As well as the fresh ideas that will be forthcoming it is impossible to ignore how the UK has significantly changed since September 2014.

Most Scots were dismayed by the election of a Conservative Government in May and are angered by its the policies: continued and deepened austerity, air strikes in Syria, and its heartless approach to the refugee crisis.

All these factors will make the forthcoming Holyrood election an extremely interesting one.

Nicola Sturgeon puts case for independence at the heart of SNP's election campaign