RADICAL Independence Angus & Mearns is just a wee group, but we do have some pretty big ideas. We advocate an immediate referendum on independence. We say all the justification, and all the “mandate”, which could ever be needed, already exists, and needs acting on now.
The Scottish Parliament could, and should, legislate, now, for a new, non-party-political referendum on independence, to be held on a specific date just a couple of months or so away, which would give both sides plenty of time to campaign. If the UK Tory regime should attempt to suppress a democratic referendum by going to the courts and/or by brute force, we should still press ahead with the referendum.
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If the undemocratic Tory regime should have some success in suppressing democracy through the courts and/or by brute force, THEN there could be a declaration of independence, which would be widely and enthusiastically supported precisely because of the regime’s attempt to suppress democracy.
In those circumstances, declaring independence would win widespread support both at home AND internationally. However, it might never get to that stage. Faced with the determination to proceed with a referendum, the Tories would be divided on how to respond. Despite a lot of Boris blustering, the referendum might go ahead anyway.
I think we’ve outlined a reasonable course of action. It’s a pity all we’re hearing from professional politicians are reasons for delay and dithering.
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Like many other professional politicians, Joanna Cherry started off as a professional lawyer. As she is herself a lawyer, she may not be aware that millions of people do not have high regard for lawyers.
She talks of “respect” for the so-called Supreme Court. Shortly after I left Her Maj’s armed forces in February 1964, The Supremes had their first big hit with Where Did Our Love Go? But the so-called “Supreme Court” invented by Tony Blair is a much more recent innovation. The jury is out on whether Tony Blair’s invention deserves “respect” or not.
The members of that court will be well aware that the jury is still out on their case, and it’s entirely possible they could still tell Johnson the country is facing a political crisis, and it will require a political, not a legal, solution. In any case, whether they do tell him that or not, it’s a fact, and facts are chiels that winna ding. Although Boris isn’t too bright, there are folk around him who have probably figured all this out. They will seek some sort of fudge, rather than go to court.
Joanna Cherry supports the idea, the proviso, of “getting support for independence to the 60% mark and keeping it there”. That would make a referendum conditional on repeated opinion polls conducted over many months by Tory polling companies. A recipe for permanent delay! And it’s a stupid proviso. At the last referendum, we increased support for independence by 50% DURING the referendum campaign. Not BEFORE it. Making the increase from campaigning a condition of ever starting the campaign in the first place is putting the cart before the horse.
Joanna Cherry says a referendum should not be called until all of the right policies for independence are in place. That is also a requirement which would make referendum date The Twelfth of Never. There is never going to be a time when everybody is in agreement about policies. In all of history, there never has been such a time, in the case of ANY country which did proceed to independence.
To advocate waiting until after the next party-political election is thinking like a professional party politician. There can be, and there should be, a new, non-party-political, referendum on independence, early in 2022. Anything less would be support for DELAY and DITHERING.
Dave Coull
near Brechin
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