IN two recent issues of The National, two well-known pro-independence journalists have used the terms “nationalist” and “nationalism” in two separate articles. They were by Pat Kane and Kevin McKenna. I think it is a timely opportunity to reassess the terms we use to describe our movement, for the following reasons.

Firstly, the term is used, and most recently by Michael Gove, to suggest something unpleasant, when he referred to the Scottish “Nationalist” Party. He was corrected I think by Chris Law, but Gove insisted on using the nationalist tag and, as usual, completely avoided answering the question. Nationalist is a term used by our opponents to evoke negative associations and connotations from 20th-century history. These include nationalism in Italy, Germany and Spain. In reality, however, what emerged in Europe was actually fascism, which as Benito Mussolini stated, had emerged from the trenches. Our opponents deliberately use sound bites to convey to people that Scottish independence is evil and sinister because it is “nationalism”.

In fact Theresa May went a step further during her brief tenure as prime minister when she referred to supporters of the Scottish Independence Movement (SIM) as “separatists”. Here again the same trick is played. This time the connotations relate to ETA and the Basque separatists who used bombing campaigns to achieve their vision of independence. Irish Nationalism too has a history of armed struggle and bombing campaigns.

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The term is a complete misnomer for the Scottish situation. Scotland has not experienced nationalism in the historical sense, nor are we a nationalistic people in outlook. We welcome foreign workers here. We wanted to be part of the European Union and will be dragged out of it against our will very soon.

We are not isolationist. Our politicians do not walk around in military uniforms (except Colonel Davidson, of course). Our politics are progressive. No we are not nationalists. We simply want our independence as a nation back!

We must stop using nationalism as a term as it reinforces our opponents’ propaganda: “There you are. Told you they were nationalists, McKenna and Kane said so!”

Of course the name of the party does not help. At one time there were two Scottish independence parties, the Scottish Party and the National Party of Scotland. When they merged there was not much room for manoeuvre as to what the name would be!

To be sure, there is a difference between the words national and nationalist. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is well known for being uncomfortable with the name and its assumption of nationalism.

So, if we are not nationalists, what are we? We are pro-independence and we are social democrats. If asked in interviews what their brand of politics is, both Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon have clearly stated they are social democrats.

To be exact, we are social democrats who believe that social democracy is only possible for the Scottish people, in an independent Scotland. Mr Jim Sillars, in one of his pointless ramblings, has suggested the time is right for a new independence party. Now I wonder what Jimbo would call it? Probably as successful as your Scottish Labour Party, Jim!

So come on, let’s stop describing ourselves as nationalists. If we do it is just what our opponents want!

WJ Graham
East Kilbride