After all the hard work put in by the Salvo/Liberation workers, if we accept anything other than the gold standard first prize, we will not only have let them down but also Scotland.

Westminster will try anything and everything to keep us tied to them. They will promise the earth, the earth which incidentally already belongs to us, to deny and delay our dream.

Without Scotland, they are in dire straits and they know it and as such they will behave like all dying regimes do…..they will fight to the death!

But they will do so with the world watching on and we must remember that.

Many countries have trod this road before but perhaps not as important to Westminster as Scotland is. According to official sources we have assets beyond our dreams but are regarded by Westminster as theirs and won’t be given up lightly.

Daniel Defoe said in 1706, “We have catch’d Scotland and will bind her fast”

Every Bill, right up to the Internal Market Bill has been made to “bind her fast”.

…..and every bribe right up to yesterdays £200m has been for the same reason.

The temptation to take less will always be there for those who haven’t the stomach for a fight, comfort zones are difficult to leave…..as is the ‘gravy train’!

The whole movement stands on the shoulders of those gone before and those in the here and now who have worked tirelessly to get us to this place. And if I may add are still working on your behalf. This has only been stage 1, there is still a process to go through.

We must make sure that next year we put the right people in place to further the cause.

In the meantime, we wait with patience on those who will decide what happens next and make plans to move forward. One thing is for sure…..we won’t be moving backwards.

…..or standing still!