The best George Galloway’s party can hope to achieve is taking seats from other unionists. They’re more likely to hand them to separatists.
It might allow Sturgeon to focus on the progressive, europhile case for independence whilst Salmond rallies leavers and cultural conservatives.
“They are determined to have another referendum – even if it is an illegal, wildcat one,” warns the Scottish Conservative leader.
The constitutional struggle is a long game, and in the ‘war of position’ unionism is in a stronger position than the SNP would have you think.
The Scottish Conservative leader calls for devolution from Holyrood to local councils, and says he is looking forward to campaigning with Boris Johnson.
A string of polls have found both the SNP falling short of an overall majority and the Union outpolling independence.
It’s clearer than ever that the Scottish Government is covering things up. But that is likely not enough to bring down Sturgeon before May’s elections.
It will probe whether or or not Sunak can prepare the country for that future – and perhaps succeed Johnson himself, “one fine day”.
“The Scottish civil service has not failed, its leadership has. The Crown Office has not failed, its leadership has. Scotland hasn’t failed, its leadership has failed.”
Plus: Have you got your popcorn ready for Salmond’s appearance before a committee of the Scottish Parliament this lunchtime?
As Alex Salmond’s evidence is censored again, now the reputation of Scotland’s prosecutors is dragged into the mire.
Also: Ministers can’t bleat about the ‘culture war’ if they’re prepared to let their planned celebration of Britain be renamed ‘Festival UK* 2022’. Get a grip, DCMS.
And this power struggle carries with it serious threats to free speech and democratic accountability.
Meanwhile the Nationalists’ civil war deepens again as witnesses clash over whether the former First Minister was ‘physically aggressive’.
Also: Downing Street shakes up the Union Unit as it goes on the attack over the SNP’s botched handling of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout.