I HAVe seen London-based media portraying Nicola Sturgeon's resignation as a death blow to Scotland’s indy movement as well as some Unionist commentators – and the BBC is stacked with them – revelling in her departure.

I think they are all going to be badly disappointed at the direction we are going to see the independence-supporting parties in Scotland take. The underlying passion for independence is not a flash in the pan and is embedded deep in the Scottish psyche… “When you get rid of a turd, you do a good job” – this quotation was attributed to Edward I upon appointing one of his earls as Guardian of Scotland in 1296 after partially subjugating Scotland by force (shades of Putin and Ukraine).

However, over the following 10 years he was constantly challenged by the Scots – most famously first by William Wallace and Andrew Murray and then by Robert the Bruce who was crowned King of Scots in 1306.

When the news reached Edward, he burst into a violent fury and rode north to finish the job at the head of an English army (England being the dominant military force of the age).

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When he reached the village of Burgh by Sands, still in England, he fell ill and on July 7, 1307, he died with instructions to boil his corpse and for his army to take the bones north to conquer Scotland again.

His instructions were ignored.

In 1320, King Robert the Bruce wrote to the Pope – the famous Declaration of Arbroath, which served as an inspiration of the American declaration of Independence. It contained these words: “... For, as long as but a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be brought under English rule. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom – for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.”

Fast forward to 2014 and the referendum on independence. Scottish voters were told a bunch of lies and made a bunch of promises that were not kept, most significantly that the only way for Scotland to remain in the European Union was to vote No to independence.

Since the Brexit vote, poll after poll has shown that more than 50% of Scots want independence.

Nicola Sturgeon has consistently been the most popular political leader in the UK since taking on leadership of the SNP.

As a result, Westminster politicians and Unionist media (all controlled from London) have become obsessed with her.

Consequently, they fail to recognise that a) she is not the driver of the indy movement and b) there are a number of other people who could take on her mantle, for example: Kate Forbes, the Finance Secretary; Mhairi Black, the SNP’s deputy leader at Westminster, (she’s a little young – but then so was Pitt the Younger); Westminster group leader Stephen Flynn; and older, experienced but no less passionate heads such as Angus Robertson.

The resignation of Nicola Sturgeon does not mean that she’ll disappear, only that she will be able to participate in the movement untrammelled by the constraints of leadership. It also doesn’t mean the demise of the indy movement. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if it is a stimulus with fresh, more aggressive, ideas and actions.

David Cairns

Finavon

THANK you to the brave souls with a sea of Saltires on the bridge at Carnoustie on Friday evening. I hope my three wee toots in acknowledgment of your endeavour, as you braved the elements, lifted your spirits as much as you had lifted mine.

For much of the journey from Edinburgh to my wee sea haven, I had been thinking about our FM and knowing I, for one, will miss her exemplary prowess and dedication to her beloved Scotland.

She had left me wondering how Scotland will navigate its next phase of our journey towards autonomy – and then I saw the dozens of flags, horizontal in the high winds, and I began to dare to believe again that we will somehow overcome, and get to govern ourselves.

My thanks again to the Carnoustie bridge group. You are something else, and your timing was crucial for this wavering activist.

Jenny Pearson

Edinburgh/Carnoustie

WE shall, of course, miss the redoubtable Nicola. But it’s vital that we support whoever takes her place. I am an Englishman who has lived in Scotland for 45 years and believe we must be resolute in rejecting the Westminster stranglehold. Remember, they, the English, know nothing about Scotland. You only had to read the English headlines in last Thursday’s papers to see the disdain in which we Scots are held (I was declared an adopted Scot in 1984 by a former military Scottish boxer).

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Independence is still worth fighting for, whoever becomes the SNP’s leader. Only a few days ago I read that, in England, they really would like an SNP-type party to vote for. And don’t believe any of the rubbish about Labour replacing the SNP. It’s just tosh.

Tony Kime Kelso A quarter-of-a-million baby boxes have now been delivered to expectant parents in Scotland. Congratulations to a forward- thinking Scottish Government.

Surprisingly, contrary to the warnings of some English media outlets, there are no reported incidents of baby boxes being set on fire with blowtorches.

Watson Crawford

Melrose