Thread by @MartinJKeatings

The question is not about SNP or ALBA on the regional ballot. The question is do we want to let unionists in the back door by default? That makes this a mathematical decision, not one of the heart or feeling or intuition or bias or dislike of a single candidate.

This is one of the most amazing moments in Scottish History, a clear mathematical certainty that will lead to our independence. It's like the 2014 independence referendum. The future of your country is in your hands. You can embrace it or throw it away.

The are those saying they wont vote SNP on the constituency ballot because of a political difference, and I would say fair enough to that. But then I would also say to you, what is the primary reason that person you dislike keeps getting re-elected?

Simple, the polarisation of yes and no. The vote for one more mandate. The fact that to let the unionists in would end the hope and the dream of independence. So you do have another choice.

Elect them! (and that might be a WTF moment) Elect them as a parliamentarian but make your position perfectly clear, online, to your friends. Put it on the line - this is the last chance your getting, don't deliver and I am voting for someone else.

Give them one final chance (and I mean final) expressed in no uncertain terms. Remediate yourself or you lose my vote. Deliver independence. Scare the crap out of them by showing them that if they don't deliver the ass will fall out of their vote.

The mathematical certainty of the SNP "MAYBE" getting a few seats on the regional list is clear. Sure there are a few areas they might get one or two seats in.

But really? The maths on this is clear - maybe a few SNP seats but definitely a wad of unionists elected by default - vs - The decimation of unionist parties replace by a party that are always going to support the SNP on independence...

...but in fairness would also be a party that actually held them account to their promise of independence, lighting a fire under their backsides. Because honestly, do you want to remain in purgatory within the UK for the next 4 years...

...subject to tory austerity and our wellbeing and recovery sacrificed to the benefit of the London elite. Seriously? Is that what you want for you and every generation to follow. Because I don't.

I'd rather chew broken glass and be set on fire than put Scotland through that. Enough is enough. We must get out of this union. And while teeth will no doubt grate, and while left eyelids will twitch, and while the grievance of the past might boil under the surface...

...let it boil! let it twitch! let them grate! I'm sucking it up, god knows I have political difference with the SNP, but my first vote, my constituency vote will go to the SNP, period. And it will do so with the caveat that this is their last chance to do the right thing.

My second vote, well, unfortunately, wont goto the greens, and that's because they're standing candidates against the SNP in the constituency and that most certainly is splitting the vote.

ISP won't get my vote because they have continuously put themselves before the movement as a party, whether it be demanding AFI dissolve itself when it was conceived prior to AFI coming on the scene (although registration took AFI much longer)...

AFI have stood down (I was a candidate for them) to clear the way to a larger team with more clout in order to carry forward the same message of a yes supermajority that we were putting out. And while hard, we knew it was right to do.

Cue the Alba party. A list party - you vote for the party not the candidate. One candidate might urk you, you might have issues with that. You might have biases and you might also have genuine strong feelings. But I would urge everyone....

...to to judge the book by the cover. There is some great talent in ALBA. You might not like Alex personally, but the one thing nobody can say is he doesn't put together a good team with the wherewithal and the mindset to do what's needed.

So as I grit my teeth to vote for the SNP, I ask that others who might have an issue with ALBA to grit theirs also. Put aside the fights for another day. Extend and hand, then turn and fight.

Let's send a bloody message to Westminster. "Div ye think so, aye?" - Let's fill the chamber of our bloody national parliament with more yes parliamentarians than you can shake a royal sceptre at! (see what I did there!).

It's time to stop the timid and coy attitude. Let's make some noise and show the world its time to take our place alongside them, and simultaneously make the pacemakers in the house of lords skip a beat.

If we can unite behind a shared message of SNP 1 | ALBA 2, not based on feeling or emotion but on raw maths and empirical evidence, we can finally deliver equality of arms and use the system the same way that the unionists have used it and never complained.

And when they scream out "you're cheating" we need not prove anything other than to say "You designed it! You've used it like this for two decades - pot - kettle - black" Period!

If we unite, we can win and not to push too fine a cliche, we can have what we've always wanted - a country of our own. One which serves the needs of the people living in Scotland and delivers justice, security, fairness and opportunity -and maybe some civic pride in the process!

Plus! I really wanna see an election after we're independent, where politicians will be judge on policy, those who can't defend their position get pummelled and those with great ideas that will benefit us all, rise to the top.

Voting in the UK - Voting for the least bad option.

Voting in an independent Scotland - Voting for the best option.

If we cannot put aside our differences then we've already lost. So the choice is to acquiesce to the status quo, or to cast aside those differences. Choose, but choose wisely because this time and this chance may never come again.

The politicians are not in control - you are. If those on the SNP side say I vote for my own party in the constituency, I vote for ALBA on the list - try and stop me.

And those on the Alba side side say - I vote for my party on the regional ballot, I vote SNP on the constituency - try and stop me!

You have just immediately deprived the politicians of control. You've exerted your sovereignty - period.

That's all sovereignty is really, the ability to say No! We're doing it this way, and resolve to do it. It's simply the ability to make the choice for yourself.

But you combine your choice with that of millions of others - then you have yourself a people-led revolution, and politicians who finally remember - they work for you!

This is your future! This is your choice! Don't let politicians dictate your actions. They work for you, not the other way around. So support who you believe in and support those who believe in independence like you do - and that can lead you to only one choice.

To vote your conscience, to vote for independence - because independence is the root of it all. It's the policy from which all other independent policies are derived.

And yes you might come into conflict with yourself, but nothing worth it was ever easy. Momentary pain for long term gain - might just be what the doctor ordered.