IT seems to me that the situation which is developing is ideal for opening up the road to Scottish political and economic independence.
The Yes movement seems a bit uneasy, with some quick to blame Nicola for the problems which appear to confront us, which is less than fair. For myself I think we are now in a very strong position, the best position we have ever been in, and if we play our cards right we will be an independent country within three years.
Why am I so confident that we will get our independence within that short timeframe?
Well, in terms of international law, in line with the UN charter Scotland has an unalienable right to political and economic independence if its people chose to have this. The important question for the international observers, who form a significant part of the process, is how do they know if the Scottish people really want independence?
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Well, it should not be difficult to convince most countries in the UN that the Scottish people, like people all over the world, want their independence.
They understand that, but did we not have a referendum eight years ago, when the people voted to remain in the UK? People would want to see evidence that the people in Scotland have changed their position on that.
We in Scotland know that there has been a big change in opinion in Scotland since then, but can we demonstrate that to others outside Scotland?
Well of course we are keen to do that and two elected Scottish Governments have tried, within the legal bonds open to them. They asked two different Westminster governments to co-operate with them to run another referendum, but they have both refused.
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The Scottish Government has sought the opinion of the English Supreme Court, which is a creature of the Westminster Parliament, for a view on their right to organise a referendum, which the Westminster government is challenging.
I think it is reasonable for people to expect that the English Supreme Court will find against the Scottish Government and I certainly expect this. So, when this happens, the Scottish Government will have tried very hard get a democratic option to run a referendum but will have been prevented from doing so by the UK Government.
In these circumstances the SNP will have only one democratic UK constitutional option open to it. It will need to fight the next UK General Election on the basis of a call to the Scottish people to vote for independence by voting for SNP.
If they do this and if they win a majority of Scottish seats, this will demonstrate to the world that the Scottish people support independence. So that is what we need to do, and that is our road to independence.
READ MORE: UK Government asks Supreme Court to bin indyref2 case
Now some people say to me, but this first-past-the-post system is undemocratic. Well that is true, but it is the Westminster UK system and is a reserved matter, so we in Scotland can’t change it – we will have to use it as it is. Some tell me we might not get more than 50% of the electorate. Well, yes, possibly so, but that
is the UK system and UK governments seldom get anything near that percentage of the electorate but that does not inhibit them in governing.
If the SNP and any Yes-supporting MPs win more than 50% of the Scottish seats, they should not go to Westminster but meet in Scotland and start the negotiations with Westminster for the dismantlement of the union of parliaments.
I very much agree with George Mitchell from Dunblane (Letters, July 12), and call on Nicola get the campaign going now to make provisions for the negotiation for the New Scotland, to get the institutional arrangements prepared, so that we are ready for the General Election whenever it is called and we can start the serious negotiations without delay.
Andy Anderson
Saltcoats
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