The Scottish National Party is now at its strongest level of supportever. Over a third of Scots tell opinion polls regularly that theywant Independence within the European Union. At election afterelection more than a quarter of Scots vote for the SNP. And with thelatest anti Scottish blunders by Labour and Tory there is an even highertide rising.

Our ancient nation has all the trappings of statehood - a unique legalsystem, a distincitive educational system, administrative organisations and even our own football team! All we lack is our own Parliament - a beating heart for our democracy that can allow the people of thiscountry to make their own decisions and use their own resources fortheir own development.

What Scotland wants is - very simply - to be normal. To be a normalnation and to be able to speak for itself.

For the past 100 hundred years Scotland has been promised some sort ofchange by the British political parties - but nothing has happened.Even today, when the mood of Scotland is for freedom, the Tory andLabour parties are working hard to try and frustrate our legal anddemocratic right to choose.

Scotland can only prosper as an Independent state We are a richcountry - the 21st richest in the world . Despite the scaremongeringfrom London we know that we are not subsidised - in fact the Union withEngland costs every Scot £10 a week.

The Highlands of Scotland have suffered for generations fromdepopulation, the high handnesses of absentee landowners and theindifference of Westminter government. We have to reverse those trendsand ensure that the people of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland -like the people of the whole country - are able to live in peace andprosperity once again.

Magazines like "Highlander" can tell the truth about Scotland to thewhole world, and can feed the strong desire of many with Scottishancestry for information about the old country. More than that - wecan inform and educate the world about Scotland's desire to join inand get much needed support from those who want to see this countryflourish.

Highlander is right. There is only one way forward, and one partythat is shining a light on the future. Independence will be "best forScotland" as our election message says - for the whole of Scotland,Highland and Lowlands, Islands and Borders: for this whole country whichneeds once again to be free.

Many congratulations to Highlander and its editorial and support teamfor their firm and proud declaration in favour of independence.

Alex Salmond MP
National Convener SNP

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Alex Salmond is the Member ofParliament for Banff & Buchan and is leader of the SNP. An economist aged 42 , he is widely regarded as one of the most effective Scottish politicans of his generation.

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If you would like to know more about the SNP and HELP SCOTLAND contact snp.hq@snp.org.uk or visit the official the Scottish National Party web site.

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