THE long wait is over, the starting gun has been fired and an election has been called to take place on Thursday, December 12.

The last time an election of this type took place in December was just under 100 years ago.

Nicola Sturgeon as the SNP leader decided to launch her campaign last week by visiting Stirling. She made it quite clear that her one and only priority is to use this election to push ever harder for another independence referendum.

It is her hope that an increase in the party's share of the vote and representation will mean that the Nationalists will then have a mandate to ask for Indyref2.

There are rumblings from her side that many are disagreeing with the tactic and there is even open dissent within the party.

We know that Labour will not stand in their way of a second independence referendum so if you vote labour, you now get nationalist!

If Sturgeon and Corbyn get their own way, an independence referendum would be on the cards just after Christmas.

Sturgeon proclaimed that she is going to sweep the boards with new MPs and rid Scotland of Tory MPs. She may be in for a few surprises.

The public want an end to continued constitutional chaos and want Brexit done whilst the SNP only want to add oil on troubled waters for as long as they can as it suits their purpose to create continued division.

Having been on the doorsteps this week in the Wee County, it is quite clear what the voters want.

Brexit sorted

An appointment at their GPs practice

A good school for their children and grandchildren

A council that is competent and provides good services for their council tax

An economy which is fit for purpose

But all of the above is being jeopardised due to the short-sighted vision of the Nationalists who only see one game in town and are prepared to sacrifice anything for their goal.

At this election, parties will have choices to make on what kind of United Kingdom they want and what part Scotland will play in that.

There is still an overwhelming view that the United Kingdom should remain as it is.

It is only the Nationalists who want to make more mischief and are not prepared to get on with the day job.

The public are tired and weary of their claims that Scotland would be a strong independent nation in Europe.

In actual fact, there are many obstacles which would require to be overcome before that dream became a reality, if ever, and a hard border would indeed exist between Scotland and England.

I would encourage everyone who truly believes in democracy to cast their vote on the 12th of December because every vote will count in every constituency.