I AM surely not alone in being disgusted by the queue of Conservative party leadership hopefuls who are presently trying to drum up support by boasting that, if chosen, they will emphatically not “permit” the Scots to run an independence referendum.
The stated position of the Labour party is precisely the same.
The arrogance and condescension of such an attitude is quite entirely in keeping with Westminster’s conviction that Scotland is an English possession. After all, they bought us in 1707 and they have no intention whatsoever of releasing us now or at any future time.
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The Supreme Court will almost certainly rule that the Scottish Parliament is not legally entitled to hold an independence referendum.
The UK Government has no regard at all for the democratic will of the people of Scotland, whether expressed in a referendum, a General Election or in any other way.
This is not Union. It is subjugation.
What are we going to do about this? What can we do about it?
It may look, on the face of it, as though our independence aspirations have run up against the brick wall of Westminster intransigence. However, I do not doubt that our First Minister, with her trained legal brain and shrewd political instincts, is wisely and meticulously exhausting every conventional option before defying Westminster with some masterstroke of democratic expression which will lead Scotland to liberation.
Meanwhile, let us all give her our patience, loyalty and trust.
Billy Scobie
Vale of Leven SNP Branch
TORY leadership contender Penny Mordaunt incredibly pronounces that as a member of the Royal Navy she can “defeat SNP”. Outrageous. A complete negation of Scotland’s claim of right to nationhood and undemocratic in the extreme.
With her association with the armed forces she will be well aware of the violence of the American war of independence, the turmoil of Ghandi leading India to independence, and the rebellion in Ireland that claimed the lives of many innocent victims for a hundred years, as well as key members of the British establishment. Aren’t these the historic lessons of undemocratic “no”?
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Scotland is rightly seeking a democratic route to establish our rights as a nation, by electing officials to represent us who reflect our desires and rights. We are being responsible because we wish to earn the respect of those we would partner with internationally as well as the new relationship with rUK that should surely follow.
The British establishment, however, seems hell-bent on driving Scots into a corner where dark forces could take hold and replicate the worst excesses of history.
Let’s see common sense from Westminster, rather than the unwanted civil disobedience, angry marches and a breakdown in law and order redolent of a fascist regime enforcing its will on a population in revolt. In short, not allowing common sense to prevail is bad for business. And no-one with a scintilla of democracy in their veins wants that.
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The rhetoric of these lightweight Tory contenders is just getting folks’ backs up. Let’s hope realisation sinks in and undemocratic Westminster becomes tempered with political logic and common sense.
Finally, be clear. Both the unionist blue and red Tories are a busted flush in Scotland. Whatever the political makeup becomes in independent Scotland, because of their failure to put the interests of Scotland and Scots first, neither of these political “sects” will have any relevance then.Get used to it.
Jim Taylor
Edinburgh
SO Boris has been finally brought down by his own incompetence – well not quite! The contest for the next worst PM in British history is under way. We won’t mention Mr Broon or Sir Blair. What a situation the British electorate find themselves in! But the situation is not new.
I spent almost 20 years outside the UK back in the 80s and 90s, and the UK was a joke back then, usually with the Tories and Daily Mail moaning about the EU. Nothing has changed, except with one important exception. Scotland got to re-establish the Scottish Parliament! Since then Scotland has diverged away from the politics of Westminster.
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Over the last 20 years the Scottish electorate has got more confident that it can elect governments that can run our own affairs competently. Of course the voting system for Holyrood was designed so that no party would gain a majority. That was thrown in to disarray when the SNP won a majority. Even back then the Westminster parties were showing signs of the contempt for the Scottish Parliament, by not implementing the laws that would have made the Scottish Parliament sovereign and Westminster unable to override bills in any area that was not reserved.
So here we are 2022. We have an absolute majority of MSPs in favour of a referendum in the Scottish Parliament.
When we see the total paralysis of Westminster during this period, for more and more of the people who live and work in Scotland the need for a more representative government becomes that much clearer. Independence is no longer a desire; it is an absolute must!
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I have said many times in these pages that the the road to independence is a marathon not a sprint. To coin a phrase, “now is the time”! It’s obvious that the BritNats in Westminster are not going to respect the will of the people of Scotland. I think that if the Supreme Court’s decision is to reject the Scottish Government’s attempt to make a referendum legal – and it most certainly will – then all SNP MPs in Westminster should resign their seats and force a mass by-election. This should be done on the day of the proposed referendum to maximise media coverage. It would show Westminster that we in the independence movement mean business!
We cannot wait for the Tories to set the agenda. It’s winner takes all! If we lose then so be it, but my instinct is that Scotland would vote for independence! Let the campaign for a better Scotland begin. Freedom!
Colin Counter
via email
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