ET tu, The National? On behalf of the many disgusted independence activists who have today taken to social media in relation to the latest hatchet job on Alex Salmond, I feel the question must be asked: “What the hell were you thinking?"

I have today seen numerous people stating they will cancel their subscriptions, including one friend who has championed your paper at every opportunity, who has delivered it on the doorsteps and handed it out on the streets and who has now cancelled their subscription and has vowed never to hand out a copy again. Way to go, guys!

Alex Salmond was acquitted of every single charge, yet his anonymous accusers show no sign of relenting in their campaign to destroy him, and now continue to do so with the aid and abettance of the one paper which had the broad support of the independence movement.

I say “had” in the past tense. Many were suspicious of the paper already being a stablemate of the ultra-British-nationalist Herald, and for them this has surely been the straw which broke the camel’s back. Others, however, were your core customer base and for them this will undoubtedly be a “Ratner moment” which will see them take their once-valued custom elsewhere.

As a very active independence campaigner I value the contribution made by The National to our efforts over the last few years, but I can’t let this pass without comment. There must now be nothing less than a front-page apology from the paper for its decision to give the anonymous accusers a platform, and an open and honest admission as to how that decision was made. If such an apology is not forthcoming then I fear that this paper’s days are numbered.

Jim Cassidy
Airdrie