The National:

IF ever anyone wanted proof that the Unionist leadership can be a bunch of sleekit, cheating, conniving, deceiving, dishonest, fraudulent, conspiratorial folks hooked up as the Rabble Together, then it came with Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross’s declaration yesterday morning that Unionists like him should boycott any referendum called by the Scottish Parliament.

As Kathleen Nutt reports elsewhere, he was asked whether pro-UK voters should run a campaign urging supporters of the Union not to vote. “I would absolutely boycott that,” he said.

He went on: “We were told the 2014 referendum was a gold standard of referendums. Nicola Sturgeon accepted that. If that was the gold standard then no-one – not just those who believe in the Union – but those who believe in democracy should enter into this wildcat referendum which would have no actual bearing, in terms of the outcome not being enforceable.”

You see the sleekitness? He said “wildcat” referendum. Now we know the battle lines and The Jouker has bad news for Ross and his colleagues. Some of us are old enough to have been here before and we’re not falling for it again.

READ MORE: Facts are chiels that winna ding ... well, unless you're Douglas Ross

For next thing you know, when an entirely legitimate referendum – it will be, because it will almost certainly have to go through the courts for approval – is called by the Scottish Parliament, the Unionists will say “just stay at home” because that will stop the referendum being legitimate.

There might even be a new George Cunningham out there, probably some publicity-hungry wee Tory MP, plotting to do what Labour MP Cunningham did for the 1979 referendum and introduce a wrecking amendment to insist that a certain percentage must vote in favour of independence.

Forget it, cheaters. Respect democracy, give us an unfettered referendum and may the better side win – and that’s Yes.