SOME 80,000 independence supporters took to the streets of Glasgow to demonstrate their desire for self-determination and here (I paraphrase) was the political response over the week that followed:
Jess Phillips:
No to indyref2. I don’t know Richard Leonard, Scottish Labour’s leader, such has been my engagement with Scotland, but I do know, in my imperialist, middle England bones, that Scotland certainly cannot have indyref2. Did I mention I’m a deeply committed democrat?
Alister (Union) Jack:
Indyref2? Not in Nicola Sturgeon’s lifetime! Which is my new definition of a “generation”. In fact, not ever, no matter how many mandates are given to the SNP by democratic votes. Never, never, never! You had your democracy, Scotland. You had it in 2014!
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Rebecca Long-Bailey:
Ultimately the people of Scotland have to make the case, and then I’ll consider it as PM. I heart democracy, really I do!
Boris Johnson:
No, forever and ever. I’ll die in a ditch first. Sturgeon, Blackford, I demand you stop whining about independence. I don’t do democracy!
Lisa Nandy:
Let’s adopt the strategies used by Spain against the Catalans. Let’s set up an international commission to explain democracy to the Scots because they clearly don’t understand it! (We’ve just misunderstood her, I believe is the defence).
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Ian Murray:
Colleagues, don’t come to Scotland and pontificate on independence without understanding Scotland’s politics – ie, talk to me first and I’ll tell you not to allow indyref2. We don’t want to risk another unfortunate McDonnell democratic incident after all!
Random Tory peer:
Let’s fix the vote (which they are not getting anyway) by setting an arbitrary, off-the-top-of-my-head, threshold ... because ... I want to! The will of the people? Democracy! I’m a peer, FFS!
And then, just when you can’t believe they could get any more ignorant, up steps Tim Farron to share his musings about “the Scottish problem”. The problem being that without Scotland there is very little chance of ever overturning a Westminster Tory majority. So Scotland, you should desist from pursuing self-determination (although apparently he’s even met some nice SNP MPs), stop being a “problem” and do your duty by Labour and the LibDems!
You would think that would be enough, but, at the very last minute, never to be outdone, Brown shuffles into view and identifies Scotland (and NI) as “outlying nations”. Of what? England?
Scotland this is your future as part of this “precious, precious Union”! The ignorance, the condescension, the entitlement. Roll on indyref2!
Iona Easton
Glasgow
HOLD the front page! Gordon Brown has warned the United Kingdom is at breaking point and could end unless the nations and regions get a real “voice” in decision-making.
This is a man of towering intellect. Perhaps he could consider making a vow to the nations (or as he also tellingly says, the “regions”).
Can I suggest that we locate his resting place and place a head of garlic and a crucifix in it?
Joe Cowan
Balmedie
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