Thousands protest at Army merger

Thousands of campaigners took to the streets yesterday to protest against controversial plans to merge Scotland's historic battalions into a new "super regiment".

Fired by the news that the six Scottish regiments are to become four battalions in a single Royal Regiment of Scotland, around 2,000 campaigners braved the biting cold to bring Edinburgh's Princes Street to a standstill.

For a moment, even the Christmas shoppers put down their bags to applaud the passing mass of pipers in highland dress, military vehicles, supporters waving placards and war veterans.

Opposition politicians led the march, followed by pipe bands of each of the Scottish regiments in the order they were raised: the Royal Scots, Royal Highland Fusiliers, Kings Own Borderers, Black Watch, Highlanders and Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

Jeff Duncan of Save Our Scottish Regiments, which organised the protest, confirmed the organisation will take on Labour in key marginal seats in next year's expected general election.