It has been a big week for two very high-profile figures who featured prominently, in quite different ways, in the referendum on Scottish independence in 2014.

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who played a leading role in the 2014 independence campaign, announced on Wednesday that she would not be standing for re-election to the Scottish Parliament in 2026.

Meanwhile, Mark Carney, who in September 2014 just ahead of the independence referendum found himself in the thick of a highly charged debate as he offered forthright views on the big currency question among other things, on March 9 celebrated a landslide victory in the battle to become Canada’s prime minister.

Former Bank of England governor Mr Carney, after winning the race to lead the Liberal Party of Canada and succeed Justin Trudeau as the country’s prime minister, wasted no time in standing up to Donald Trump on the US President’s trade war.

He is surely someone that Mr Trump should not think of trifling with.

Mr Carney, referring to the Trump administration, talked about “dark days brought on by a country we can no longer trust”.

He said: “Donald Trump, as we know, has put unjustified tariffs on what we build, on what we sell, on how we make a living. He’s attacking Canadian families, workers and businesses, and we cannot let him succeed, and we won’t.

“I am proud. I am proud of the........

© Herald Scotland