WELL, the battle lines are now being drawn. The Tory attempts to stop in its tracks the independence bandwagon in one blow by toppling the FM has failed miserably and the Tory branch office will now have to rethink their strategy.

The SNP and the Yes movement can have a momentarily sigh of relief and must immediately not only “put their case for independence” clearly and strongly with a deafening roar but also the clear economic and social benefits which our citizens will continue to enjoy now and in the future under a devolved SNP government.

When looked at closely this a formidable list of successes. This is in sharp contrast to the complete lack of policies from the Tories and Labour. No doubt their wish list of policies and promises will be heralded shortly from their Scottish branch office. The key problem is they cannot create or diverge from their English political masters down south!

It is essential that the SNP repeatedly – and I mean repeatedly – shout from the rooftops that there is no such thing as Scottish Tories, there are only Tories controlled from England. It is a “banner message” I would like to see at every opportunity.

Remember the Tories in Scotland are “owned” by their English counterparts and will do their bidding at every turn. Therefore the idea that there exists some separate “Scottish dimension” to their social, political and economic strategy is pure fantasy. Have no doubt where Scotland is heading with the Tories, look closely at the “Union Jackery”; the attacks on devolution; the Union Hubs created in Glasgow and Edinburgh; the Brexit debacle; the Internal Market Bill consequences and of course the unashamed blatant anti-Scottish rhetoric which is expressed by every Tory politician at every level at the Scottish Office, Holyrood and Westminster and in the Tory press.

The best vehicle for seeing how little influence we have in this broken UK is to look in to Scottish Questions at Westminster. It epitomises, for all to see, how our nation is regarded by these Tory right-wingers. This is what is waiting for our nation, our children and grandchildren, if we fail to get independence. With Johnson, Gove and Rees-Mogg crystal clear about devolution being a disaster and a mistake.

The other side of the coin is for the SNP to ensure that the “too wee, too poor and too stupid” mantra, which no doubt we will hear ad nauseum, is silenced by clear understandable messaging which the electorate can understand. This includes on the currency, pensions, the public sector, our place in Europe and the social democracy we wish to create. A different country going in a different direction with a vision and mission which is light years away from the jingoistic, empire-seeking, divisive, insular broken UK with its Union Jacks proliferating around this nation.

We have weeks to get both messages across. A clear contrast between a broken UK still wishing to put Scotland “back in its box” and a Scotland with a real future ready to take its place in the world. Remember the Tories’ key task is to stop an SNP majority and keep SNP support below 50%. There is no guarantee we will win a majority of constituency seats. We may need regional list seats. It is clear to me both votes SNP will be required.

Dan Wood

Kirriemuir

CHARLES and the Duchess of Cornwall took a two-day trip to Athens to observe the Independence Day parade.

Athens – I can’t get to see my aunty in Arrochar!

Let us eat cake.

Brian Lawson

Paisley