The face I see in my mind's eye when I think of The Clique is smug, self-satisfied, complacent and condescending with a barely suppressed superior sneer about the curl of the crocodile smile and a ghost of scavenger guile behind the eyes. A bit like Angus Robertson caught off-guard ..read more

At long last we have a journalist willing to press the SNP on its actual plans for restoring Scotland's independence. At last we have a journalist who recognises that slogans like 'Uniting for Independence' are nothing more than vacuous electioneering devices devoid of meaning or substance. Moreover, we have a journalist who is prepared to ask the awkward questions, if only she were to be given the opportunity ..read more

My reading of the situation as it stands is that John Swinney would probably win this race. My opinion would be that this is probably for the best, all things considered ..read more

No horses will be scared in the making of a John Swinney leadership. He could be just the man to bring about some healing. He could be good for the party and for the country. But can he provide leadership for Scotland's cause? It seems unlikely ..read more

All leave has been cancelled for politics reporters, columnists and bloggers ..read more

Consider this thought that occurred to me in the shower ..read more

Scotland's fate hangs in the balance. Only the combined might of the independence movement can stop self-serving, blinkered, dogmatic, cowardly politicians making an error that could very well prove fatal to Scotland's cause ..read more

Had Ross wanted to strike a blow for the British Tories and the British Nationalist cause as well as against the SNP and Scotland's cause, he would have sought to bring down the SNP Scottish Government ..read more

It can’t be done. And it wouldn’t help even if it could. Nobody – and I mean nobody – can stipulate or predict what Scotland will be like after independence is restored. Think about it for a moment. You want an “image” of future Scotland. Is this an image of Scotland the day after Independence ..read more

If ever there is a "convention on self-determination" I trust The National will let us know. I, for one, would enthusiatically welcome some discussion of the process by which we become independent ..read more