It’s been a sad few months up here in the Highlands, after a time of hope that promised a new way of life to break away from the English politicians when we got our chance to vote for freedom, yet didn’t take it.

It’s a strange place to be, after we so resoundingly voted for Scotland in the general election – you couldn’t have got two more conflicting messages.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve nothing against the English, unlike a good number of my neighbours up here, I just would have like to seen us get the chance to rule our own country, and put to bed once and for all those gripes about how we’re an afterthought and get the dregs of the money and benefits.

It’s a time when English voices want to break away from Europe, a place they dragged us against our will to begin with, and at the same time tell us unity is important. I can see the vast cost of Europe, but I also see the benefits from afar, always easier to see what other people have when you don’t have those things yourself.

In the coming days, I’ll set out my personal manifesto to life in more detail, along with my self sufficient blueprint for a self sufficient life.