Set in stone

Published: June 9, 2020, 12:50 p.m.

When Black Lives Matter protestors in Bristol toppled,then threw the statue of slaver Edward Colston into the river on Sunday it was the culmination of nearly 100 years of local anger at, not only its presence, but the blocking of even the slightest steps to recognise his involvement in the vile "trade". 

This incident has sparked controversy and renewed analysis of Britain's and, in our case,Scotland's role in slavery and its memorialisation in our street names and monuments. We ask how best to tackle this.

Recent opinion polls have shown the potential for landslide victories for the SNP in any future Holyrood and Westminster elections. But, given the refusal of all the unionist parties to even consider the possibility of indyref 2, where is the strategy from the SNP to achieve this? 

Lesley also reflects on the role the broader Yes movement can play over the summer in getting this strategy in place.

All this plus Church of England court proceedings on Irish epitaphs, Richard Leonard vowing the maxist od Devo Maxs, and the Duke of Sutherland statue in a tutu.