Speaking today (Wednesday) ALBA Westminster Group Leader Neale Hanvey MP announced that he has written to the two remaining Tory leadership candidates, Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, informing them of Scotland’s Claim of Right and challenging them to respect the clear mandate for a Scottish Independence referendum, given by the Scottish people to their elected representatives in the Scottish Parliament. He is urging them, if elected, to agree to a Section 30 Order which would allow a legal and consented referendum to take place.
In a statement Neale Hanvey MP said:
“Whoever is elected Tory Leader and goes on to be Prime Minister must realise that denying the will of the Scottish people and their elected Parliament is neither a defensible or sustainable position for a UK Prime Minister to adopt.
“Scottish Democracy is not the plaything of Tory leadership candidates, as they attempt to out-bid each other in terms of who can be the most muscular and ardent Unionist. The Conservative Party have not won an electoral mandate in Scotland since 1955, so if Tory MPs are allowed to change their minds over who is Prime Minister and if the Tory Party is allowed to choose a new leader then so too must the people of Scotland be allowed to choose their own future in an Independence Referendum.
“That is why I am have written to the final two Tory Leadership candidates today reminding them of Scotland’s Claim of Right, that it is for the people of Scotland and the people of Scotland alone, to determine the form of Government best suited to their needs. I am challenging Sunak and Truss to respect the mandate for a Scottish Independence referendum given by the Scottish people and I am urging them, if elected, to agree to a Section 30 Order which would allow a legal and consented referendum to take place.
“It would then be for the people of Scotland to decide their constitutional future instead of a UK Prime Minister holding the people of Scotland hostage within the Union and denying Scottish Democracy.”
Dear……….
REFERENDUM ON SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE
The contest to become the next Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is rightly commanding considerable public interest and media scrutiny. As a candidate in that election there is a clear expectation that you will set out your position on a referendum on Scottish Independence.
Scotland’s historic Claim of Right asserts that it is for the people of Scotland and the people of Scotland alone, to determine the form of Government best suited to their needs. It presents you and all of your fellow candidates with a clear challenge to respect the mandate for a Scottish Independence referendum, given by the Scottish people to their elected representatives in the Scottish Parliament.
A majority of Scots voted in the 2021 Scottish Parliament Election, on the Regional List, for the Scottish National Party, the Scottish Green Party and the ALBA Party – all of whom stood on a platform of ensuring an Independence Referendum would take place within the current parliamentary term.
I therefore urge you, if elected, to agree to a Section 30 Order which would allow a legal and consented referendum to take place.
The principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples was incorporated into the United Nations Charter Articles 1(2), 73(2) and 76 (2). This is an internationally agreed and fundamental right, and the legality of independence is therefore a matter of international recognition, not the purview of any UK Prime Minister, Government or Supreme Court. What Scotland voted for last year must be granted next year to allow the people of Scotland to exercise their right under International Law to choose their own constitutional future.
I have to warn you that the veto exercised by the outgoing Prime Minister in denying a Section 30 Order is not a defensible or sustainable position for the UK Government. The Conservative Party have not won an electoral mandate in Scotland since 1955, so if Tory MPs are allowed to change their minds over who is Prime Minister and if the Tory Party is allowed to choose a new leader then so too must the people of Scotland be allowed to choose their own future in an Independence Referendum.
Scotland cannot, and will not, be held hostage within a Union completely detached from the needs, realities, and aspirations of her people. You must recognise that the Union is a voluntary one, and was meant to be a union of equals, as such it can only be maintained by the consent of the people of Scotland.
You have the opportunity if elected as Leader of the Conservative party to set a different course as Prime Minister by choosing to respect Scottish Democracy. It will then be for the people of Scotland to decide which constitutional future they wish to vote for in an Independence referendum.
I trust that you will provide the clarity which the people of Scotland, and indeed all people across these islands, quite rightly expect on this important issue.
Yours sincerely
Neale Hanvey MP
ALBA Westminster Group Leader
Could we, the people, write to them too?
“Whoever is elected Tory Leader and goes on to be Prime Minister must realise that denying the will of the Scottish people and their elected Parliament is neither a defensible or sustainable position for a UK Prime Minister to adopt.”
I disagree with Neale Hanvey on this.
Theresa May and Boris Johnson both rejected calls for referendums on Scotland’s future in the face of pro-Independence victories in terms of votes cast and seats secured in 3 British Parliament General elections, 2 Scottish Parliament elections, 2 Scottish Local Authority elections and 1 European election since 2014.
Self-evidently these British Prime Ministers have found it easy to sustain their position. Their successor will dismiss Scotland with equal proficiency.
What we need to do is let the Scottish public know that, not only are we not going to accept this, we do not need to! The Claim of Right 1689, from pre-1707 independent Scotland’s Constitution, means we automatically have the power of self-determination and it is for the people of Scotland, however, defined, to decide how we wish to be governed.
All we need to do is deliver that ammunition to the whole population and just watch what happens! (Oh we will probably have to do a few more things but you know what I mean!)
Keep the pressure on Sunak,Truss and all the other arrogant Scotland-hating numpties in Westminster. The people of Scotland are sovereign in Scotland.
Well that letter will have them shakin in their boots. What the hell are Alba SNP 2. A referendum that Alex Salmond said would use the same franchise as 2014. The definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over but expecting a different result.
Scotland is lost
I’m going to be honest, I’ve been a complete tit since we got our own parliament. I fail to see why I’ve been going out and voting In a Westminster elections when (1) if my vote sent more MPs to Westminster than any other party we’d still be in this union because our politicians have now changed the rules without telling anyone (2) I fail to see what difference 59 MPs from Scotland could make against 500+ MPs from England regarding giving a single thought for the people north of the border. What have I been doing? And more to the point why have I been doing it? I haven’t benefited my people or my country one single bit with my vote.
The day after 18.09.14 we had English votes for English laws, now let’s look at the Treaty of Union we all know it state both sides are equal, so let’s go back to Westminster who set up a new act of Union based on the Idea that we have a parliament in Scotland which UKG can overrule whenever it wants and where it states the Scots have to seek permission to be Independent in the form of a Section 30 order now lets have a look at the seating arrangements again in Westminster 59 Scottish MP’s out of 650 MP how is that equal and isn’t that English laws interfering in Scots law.
The Scottish parliament in my opinion no longer serves the Scottish people, if it can be overruled by Westminster. The Scots before 1997 didn’t need to seek a Section 30 to be Independent, me personally I want to go back to the time before 1997 maybe its because I’m an old man. I’d rather see the SNP say they’re no longer going to take part in the Scottish parliament and remove themselves from Holyrood as it isn’t a parliament free to represent Scottish interest, but is purely there to in prison us as a nation.
A bully can only be a bully if they are allowed to be. Scotland is being bullied by England. Scotland should therefore say no, enough is enough and withdraw its consent from Parliament(s), public and civil life, and withhold money, Westminster would sit up and listen to us then. But the SNP are either not big enough or strong enough to do this, but I think it’s more of the case that they don’t want to do this, they really are happy with the status quo.
I expect you to clarify your position…
That is simple and always has been. The English government will not agree to a s30. They are under no obligation to do so and it is not in their interests to agree to a contract outlining a code of conduct for the campaign period. The English gov however do not have the authority to deny or grant Scotland a referendum or anything else bar their contractual consent to s30 which is outwith the treaty terms.
When are Scotland’s representatives gonna stop referring to their EQUAL and mere TREATY PARTNER as though they are sole authority of the treaty? Blooming Nora, it’s like 2 steps forward 1 step back.
What he should have said was that he has instructed both candidates for PM of England that Scotland WILL HAVE A REFERENDUM as per international law. Should they or the current outgoing PM of England continue to use lawfare against Scotland, Scotland will not hesitate to suspend the treaty with immediate effect and in the event of further interference from England’s government or any of its establishment with denounce the treaty without further warning. Scotland has long suffered at the hands of English governments. No more.
The SNP sit on their hands in Westminster, and take the Queen’s shilling (i.e. Eighty Thousand Pounds per year and Hundreds of Thousands more in Expenses). They have never had such good living. Pay, publicity, staff, bars, accommodation, and not a whole lot of work. Look at Chris Law – a big lazy waste of space living in a castle. Do you really think they want to give that up? Nonsense.
“What he should have said was that he has instructed both candidates for PM of England that Scotland WILL HAVE A REFERENDUM as per international law. Should they or the current outgoing PM of England continue to use lawfare against Scotland, Scotland will not hesitate to suspend the treaty with immediate effect and in the event of further interference from England’s government or any of its establishment with denounce the treaty without further warning. Scotland has long suffered at the hands of English governments. No more.”
I agree 100% Gayle but the sad reality is Neale Hanvey does not have the authority to make that statement or the power to carry it out, until we bring down Sturgeon in whatever form that may be Scotland is going nowhere
Except all of Scotland’s representatives do. They also have the authority to remove the FM and her government who has violated the Scots sovereign authority by taking Scotland out of the EU. Regardless of whether folk agree with it or not and numerous other acts against Scots consent. In asserting Scots sovereignty which is invested In them they can make a denunciation at any point. They are answerable to the Scots not government, monarch or any other institution. The problem is Scots do not fully appreciate what it is to be sovereign. If they did they would be demanding it be asserted at all times. Not just when it is convenient.
The SNP interest is in retaining the 40 jobs at westminster no intention of holding a referendum Independence but not yet
The Westminster government operates by no rule of law. It is no respecter of treaties and agreements either national or international.
It does as it pleases and when required it uses force.
This is the reality. The Good Friday Agreement, the Northern Ireland protocol agreed with the EU, with more EU Brexit agreement breaking to come, the example of the a new Prime Minister without a scintilla of choice being given to the electorate, or the total and utter denial of choice to the Scottish electorate, are examples of a rogue state.
And make no mistake the English MPs hate Scotland. It more correctly hate Scotland but love its land and its resources.
There is in Neale Hanvey’s letter a strategy. Of course it is for Scots to choose. That aside of being enshrined in natural law is enshrined too in the Claim of Right. England by its denials are actually holding Scotland against the law.
The case is therefore being made domestically and internationally and the stall being set for Scotland to take its independence.
And take it I believe we will.
Brilliantly put.