WHILE the Alba Party received a clear message from voters and got no MSPs returned, did they cost the SNP a majority? I would suggest they did!

Had the list Alba Party votes come to the SNP, there may have been an increase in the SNP’s list members and the ultimate goal of 65 MSPs achieved.

But let’s look at and analyse Super Thursday, where there was more than one clear winner in Scotland, because the turnout here in Scotland was the largest for a Holyrood election. Across the UK, the winners were Labour in Wales, the Tories in England and SNP in Scotland.

Here in Scotland, the same Labour and Conservative parties that won in Wales and England were standing, yet they were nowhere to be seen on the constituency votes, barely achieving double figures between them – needing the help of the LibDems who have been reduced to a mere rump.

The SNP took 62 constituencies – a clear endorsement of the SNP in government and a clear message.

It begs the question, where does Scotland go from here?

Well, the First Minister laid out her plans for all to hear on the Andrew Marr Show yesterday, emphatically reiterating tackling Covid is the priority going forward. Then, and only then, will the next agenda item of independence take priority.

But thanks to the voters in Scotland – and certainly in my own constituency of Falkirk West – the message was loud and clear. Scotland needs to be in charge of Scotland’s agenda.

Catriona C Clark

Banknock