I must admit to having a very pleasant lifestyle here in Catalonia. I am retired, albeit on my measly UK state pittance and a small private pension. My wife is still working in the music royalties business. She is employed by a society in London and can work as long as she has an internet connection. She is very well paid, and our outgoings are minimal. We live mortgage free here, and our property in Barrhead is covered by the rental monies we receive in Scotland. Though at present it lies empty, it is not a huge concern. It will hopefully rent out again sometime in the new year. The mortgage on that property only has a few more years to run. When that happens, it will no longer be a rental property more a bolt hole for us to use for part of the year.Ongoing it will be part of my wife’s pension pot.
Here in Catalonia I have my residency, my health cover, my Spanish driving licence and everything else I need to remain here indefinitely. Should the UK Government do anything stupid with Spanish citizens living in UK I have an added insurance. My wife is Polish, and that gives me added protections against deportation or loss of rights.God bless the EU and ECHR Act.
In the spring and summer, I have my tomatoes and vegetables to keep me occupied. I have fruit, nut and olive trees that always need some attention. I have my pool to relax beside and in during the long summer days. The local vineyard sells delightful white and reds at €1.10 cents a litre. (Bring your own container.) The cost of living here is a fraction of the prices in UK, and not a butcher’s apron in sight! In the evenings we sit on our terrace sipping cocktails and looking on to the Mediterranean. It truly is an idyllic life.
I wile away my days tweeting, blogging, podcasting, recording my weekly radio show and occasionally working on my novel. The novel I promised to write when I eventually got around to retiring. I am still on Chapter One! I always seem busy with other things. I, of course, have my other big passion in life, football. I have a TV Box that enables me to watch any game in any country at anytime of the day or night. I do though as you all know mainly devote myself to one team in Glasgow. I am also a devotee of our national team. Indeed, I intend to go and follow them once more when travelling is an everyday occurrence. I won’t be going to club matches I prefer these days being an armchair fan for that.
I am having a new conservatory built, apparently before years end, though Miguel has been promising me work will commence next week since September! When you have lived here long enough, you learn not to get stressed with the Mañana calender. It will be built when it is built. It is to be my sanctuary for my writing and broadcasting. So you can see my life is really rather pleasant.
I only tell you this so that you might understand I do not really have any need to spend most of my days promoting the Scottish independence cause. I do so because I love my country. I have campaigned my entire adult life to see Scotland restored as an independent nation of the world. I have never done it or been involved for personal gain or recognition. I am old fashioned I guess, I believe in the right of the cause. I am unsullied with any other conditions.I have never had political ambitions for myself. I have no financial interest that will benefit from independence.
Some of those that have attached themselves to the cause to promote their narrow views on gender or left wing idealism get no support or sympathy from me. I couldn’t care a jot if you wear your mother’s knickers at the weekend, sleep with someone of the opposite sex, the same sex one or more of each sex! I do not care if you think Marx was more important than Jesus Christ or Allah. I personally detest all religions and communism in equal measures however I defend anyone’s right to believe whatever they choose. My problem with religion, gender woo hoo, political dogma today is when you try to force your narrow views on the rest of us.
My motivation for independence now is for my children and more importantly my grandchildren. Even if independence arrived tomorrow, it is too late for my generation and me. Sure we might get a bit of a pension rise to make our twilight years a little better. The biggest benefits though will accrue to the kids now just setting out in life and the ones younger. We can give them the platform to make Scotland a truly great place to live, to learn and to love.
It can be a model for our neighbours to aspire towards. We should also try to be like our Nordic neighbours and distance ourselves from the economic and political illiteracy of our racist, aggressive neoliberal neighbour in the South.
To progress Scotland to independence, the SNP needs a complete rethink of their tactics. Contrary to the Wheesht For Indy cult the surge in the people desiring independence means nothing if the leadership of the SNP has no credible plan moving forward towards independence.
Despite denials by many, it is abundantly clear beyond hoping that the criminal syndicate that is the British Government will suddenly become democratic and cede a referendum is insanity. The Section 30 nonsense should never have become an issue. Countries take their independence it is never given over freely by imperialist occupiers.
The narrative of the SNP of one more mandate and we will be granted a referendum by London is both misguided and a lie on the part of the SNP leadership.
Nobody in the leadership for a minute believes that Johnson or any of his successors will ever grant such a request. The only people that believe such nonsense, are the same ones that believe any nonsense Nicola Sturgeon or the SNP leadership say. Indeed, the SNP leadership depends on nobody questioning them. They require all people blindly believing anything and everything they say. They want you to believe if you give them a majority in May next year your desire for independence will be met shortly thereafter.
They are counting on your desperation and desire for independence being so great you are willing to ignore the glaringly obvious realities. There is no Plan. Nothing is in place to hold a referendum. There is no money to fight an Independence referendum and a Holyrood election. There is no forward planning in the event of Independence. The only plan in place is that if the sheeple all votes SNP in May then they get another 5 years of huge salaries and perks. It will also allow them to enact the GRA and Hate Crime Bills. These they have been working on throughout this time. Your mandate will be used for those, not for independence. They and their families will be shielded from the worst excesses of Brexit, you and yours won’t!
They will shortly after May’s election next year do the exact same as they did after the December 2019 UK General Election and announce a referendum is not possible in 2021 and they need one more mandate in the 2022 Council elections.
The Internal Market Bill will come into force in under a week from now. That will very much allow the English Prime Minister and his crime syndicate to do much as they please with Scotland and its democracy. We know for example the present Home Secretary in England, Pritti Patel has instructed her civil servants to look into the possibility of reintroducing the death penalty in England. How long after that do you think it will be before Westminster legislates on our behalf and introduces the same barbarity into Scots Law? How long before they legislate that holding referendums is the prerogative of Westminster only? Do you think that it will take them long before they pass a law, saying any independence referendum for Scotland must have a 2/3rds majority approval at Westminster and then by the same % of Scottish voters too? That a secession referendum can only be held each 25 or 50 years?
We need to act now, not later. I have been advocating an Independence plebiscite in May. The SNP need to announce that now before London enacts something at Westminster that prevents us acting in our own interests.
If the SNP will not declare May a plebiscite election then I implore one of the other Independence Parties to do so immediately.Then we all must support that call to arms. This is not a time for Party tribalism it is, a time for Scottish Nationalism.Scotland has never been in greater peril!
Failure to act now may mean Scotland trapped inside a right-wing English Nationalist hell hole for decades to come. I refuse to be party to that. If the Scottish people cannot see or react to the imminent danger why should I bother? I give notice if you meekly go along with this present strategy of Section 30 it will only end in disaster. Come June next year it is too late for you to realise the present leadership’s ideas for Scotland will be a disaster.
I have a novel waiting to be completed, wine to be drunk, tomatoes to be tended. Grandchildren to visit. Here, where I am there will be no shortages of food or medicines. I can just as easily write blogs and make podcasts about football. I do not need to take some of the abuse I receive daily from so called fellow Scottish nationalists because I am pointing out obvious dangers. Some prefer to pretend no dangers exist and Nicola has some secret plan. I just cannot listen to that idiocy any longer. I do not need the hate filled bile and insults. I can easily join the ranks of the I’m alright Jacks!
I truly believe a Plebiscite Election in May is our only smart ‘legal’ move left to us. I am though prepared to listen and support any other credible options anybody else has to offer as alternatives. Speak and act now or forever hold your peace.
Free Scots or possessions of Mother England, your choice!
Have to agree totally. I no longer give my services to SNP and if Yes movement can’t rally for what you suggest then, the cause is finished.
I await with caution and hope.
Totally agree with your comments, and i’m well envious of your la vida loca life in catalonia.
Thanks for al you are doing – and so sorry about the idiots. I fear the current snow and ice are a portent of things to come in the doomed, cold, heartless UK and wish our leaders in Scotland had had the guts to do something about it when they had the chance If we don’t act then none of us can claim to be “proud Scots”. We are slaves and sycophants and deserve the contempt of our elite maisters.
Sick of the “secret plan” mantra and the delusion that St Nikla has it all in hand. Still can’t decide if she is a plant, has been got at or is just useless as a strategist. She certainly has the Blair flair for building a fanatical following based on spin and little else.
Your grandchildren may well be fine as she seems totally obsessed with youth culture – maybe building up a base for support in the future? (Although they may have to adopt the woke outlook).
As an auld wumman wae nae job (unpaid carer not even on carer’s allowance), nae weans and nae state pension because of the age change I feel she has abandoned me and others like me. Cannae even use the bus pass (that her party would have deprived me off, given the chance) because the virus has made it unsafe to use public transport. Scotland is becoming no country for old men or women. Looks like you made the right move. Here’s to a sunny 2021 for you and your family.
Wee Child: I feel the same. As a WASPI woman, I will never forgive the Tories and Lib Dems for what they did to us – deliberately, I believe, because we are women. I cannot find it in my heart to forgive Nicola Sturgeon either for what she has done to us as women with her insane GRA reform/hate crime nonsense. Women and children are always at the end of the line when it comes to cruel and monstrous policies; always the ones to suffer most because of the way that our society – all societies, actually – are structured. I don’t feel I’m a victim, though; I refuse to be one; I’m just angry at the deliberate injustices. I wish I didn’t care. Sometimes, just in a moment of weakness, I wish I could just turn off the feelings and emotion and become a cold-hearted person, trample everyone underfoot; look out always for numero uno; and grow into a real b*****d. I will see it through, though, because I have grandchildren. For their sakes, I will not stop fighting for our right to independence and our right to justice. As for those who are all ‘wheesht for indy’, their despair will be their reward and their punishment when they come to understand that they have been used and abused, their trust trampled on and their faith spat upon.
BB is right. Time is running out. If we don’t do it soon, it will be gone for ever or we will have to fight for it with the blood of our young people as so many peoples before us. God Forbid.
Thank you for not giving up .The SNP will never be forgiven if they do not seize the moment. The fixation on GRA and deeply equally flawed hate crime legislation is a betrayal of the people who want independence first.The FM going cap in hand to Johnson on the Erasmus Scheme when the house is burning down is pathetic.
Enjoyed your post, mind you it did make me very jealous, stuck here in wet Ayrshire and not able to travel to our finca nr. Tarragona. Have to say I am getting more and more frustrated by my party leadership, still hanging onto the thought that there is, after all, a ” secret plan ” to win the day. A plebiscite election in May will do.
All the best
We are part of Tarragona so when it is safe again give us a shout!
As you may know Roddy ( my partner Fiona – aka Donna Quixote – was on one of your 1st broadcasts ) we live in Catalonia , though not the rural idyll of your location but the hustle n creative bustle of Barcelona , and we too could stay here indefinitely , barring , as you say , any further Brexit-related idiocy from WM , which I think unlikely if only for the reason that the UK would then see the return of the sun-dried senior resident battalion all demanding sangria on tap and someone to clean their house for 5 quid ph : however , for a few different reasons , it’s looking likely we will return to Scotland next year , something which , despite what will be a severe wrench – we’ve come to love BCN and Catalonia – we were also excited about , looking forward , as we did until round about the beginning of this year , to participating fully in the final campaign that would see our country fulfil it’s destiny . The determined uselessness of NS and her assorted dopes n dupes , scary monsters n super freaks , the fetid fumes of the ” Alex Salmond ” case and ” all the rest ” have served only to all but extinguish that prospect , though our desire and willingness to work n fight for Independence is undiminished . Excuse my dwelling on the personal Roddy , all of which is to say I agree 100% with your article , and we´ll wait to see if there are any signs of a radical change of strategy from Aunty Nicola’s Cabin before taking the serious step of leaving our life here .
Robert I never realised till now you are Mr Fiona😁😁😁. When all this Covid nonsense is over you must take up that invitation and come and visit us and share a glass or six together!
Lol , yes I am that Mr Fiona , though I insist on retaining my masculine pronoun ! Absolutely Roddy , had it not been for auld Capn Corona I’m sure we would have made it up to yr bit this year , we’ll make every effort to do so next year , when , hopefully , the travel n other restrictions are eased , Hasta El Vino amigo !
That blog absolutely sums up the present position, No if’s and no buts. It gives a stark choice, I live in hope that both Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrel will be forced to stand down before further damage can be done and then we can have a leader who will take us forward in a logical manner and not this crazy section 30 nonsense.
It was interesting to hear you talk about the mind-numbingly stupid section of the independence movement as the “sheeple”. Way back in the early days after the 2014 referendum and when I was encountering a huge amount of resistance from the SNP council in Dundee with regard to organising “Road Map To Independence Rallies” It was apparent that there was a large section of the independence community in and around Dundee who just could not see that time was being wasted and there were no preparations being made for any future referendum. It was then that I started getting these people telling me that “Nicola had a clever secret plan” which was to be announced very shortly ( generally just after the next election)
It was then that I came up with the designation of “sheeple” ( I am not saying it had not been used before but I hadn’t heard it) It worked a treat and got right under their skin. Well, 6 years on and they are still there and it is these self-same “Sheeple” who have held back the cause of independence all of these years.
Keep doing what you do, it is most appreciated by the non-sheeple section of the independence movement
Agree 100% in all you wrote about the SNP of today, also agree 100% what Scotland needs now is for a party to come fwd stating a vote for them would be a plebiscite for INDY.. There are so many great minds out there, surely they can all come together for the good of Scotland, get together in the ONE party with enough members to stand in both seats.. We need to forget the SNP as the party of INDY.. It is so obvious it is the party of settling party of comfort. But Hey! She gets more TV time now thanks to COVID. Just be sure she will never use any of that exposure to mention the dirty word of INDY..I am 71yrs of age, Only ever voted SNP, done my part in treading the concrete for them. But unless she finds the guts to declare a Plebiscite I will never vote SNP in May… NOT that there will be a Parliament worth voting for..
Everyone in Scotland has watched as WM built a new U.K. GOV BUILDING That will house the Scottish Secretary of State & 3000 civil servants. And still, the SNP just LOOKED ON.. She has two options right now, she can become a hero in the eyes of every Scot that wishes this country to be INDY, or she can be the most HATED & USELESS FM ever to have sat in HR.. Right now I have NO faith in her, I hope she proves me wrong.
We both hope she does Kate, sadly it seems we both doubt she will!
I agree, can’t see any real plan, unless it is to wait for the U.K. to collapse.
Waiting for a burning building to collapse round you is not a good way escape plan.
Thank you for your sane words, I totally agree.
SNP grassroots are trying to get the party back onto Independence rather than the idiocy of more controversial policies (those promoting them know their only chance is holding Independence to ransom). I was sent by our branch to conference and we managed to get some good people elected as office bearers to sort things (despite shenanigans).
It is an uphill struggle and I really hope we get it sorted in time for May. It’s our fault for taking our eye off the ball by accepting too many people on trust.
The sad thing is that many on the payroll know that independence would spell the end of SNP dominance and dent their career prospects (some honourable exceptions, mostly folk who have succeeded in other areas). I get shouted down for pointing this out. Sometimes the people we really need are turned off by the political process while those who get a buzz from it are the last people we need.
The people I trust must are those who’s attitude is:
‘I’m good at what I’m doing and enjoy it, do I really have to get involved? OH NO! Look at the danger, I guess I MUST otherwise it’s a disaster for those I care about. Count me in’
Perhaps conscription for political service would be going too far ;o)
Like you, I’m in this mostly for my family.
We need to get on with it before Holyrood is dismantled.
Really glad that Catalonia is suiting you so well, it sounds great.
Best wishes
(Sorry did put paragraphs but seems to have reverted to a single paragraph)
Ach, the best yet! The vino would all be gone, me with it, in a year!
Like you and many of us, I have waited and waited, kept the faith, began to doubt, watched in horror as the AS case unfolded and honestly began to thoroughly dislike the SNP Leadership. My faith in NS as the figurehead of that is gone. I cannot listen to a word she spouts, and I don’t give myself the stress of trying any more. There is no plan, only play the game, moan, get shouted down, make ultimatums, get laughed at, and meanwhile the shitstorm is coming our way. It’s at best naïve, at worst very calculated – and it’s not WM they are fooling, it’s us.. I’m leaning towards the latter.
It’s now time for something to give, someone to blink, and for all of us to wise up and start working the alternatives – to at the very least make the SNP get back on it. ISP/AFI etc need to lay down the gauntlet. The YES Movement – all of us – need to get more than restless, and someone like Joanna Cherry needs to make a stand against the present incumbents, call them out and get something done, before – as you say – it’s too late, and that is days away.
I sincerely hope NS proves me and many others wrong, but I hae ma doubts. Play the Joker now, or get out of the way.
Regarding lack of funds – where did they go? Is it maybe time for a community crowdfunded self run Indy ref by the wider movement, something not controlled by the SNP, and see where that takes us. There must be some big donors out there willing to help fund it, and there are many of us too, so we should maybe be thinking of this type of crowdfunded DIY IndyRef? Just a thought that ran through my head…perhaps unrealistic, but worth a ponder?
I also agree on the May event being a single issue Plebiscite election, but will we even get there?
Any roads, thanks for all you have done and the spot-on analysis.
Roddy,the nec must act to challenge Nicola and the leadership,Scotland and our liberty are in serious peril. The other thing that is starting to really annoy me is the silence from Alex salmond on this whole situation,when his country and people are in serious peril. If the snp st Nicola and even Alex salmond fail us then I fear they will leave us no other option than to get the claymores out from hiding. I for one will and probably many more of our country men and women,will live up to the declaration of Arbroath and carry out those words within
I think Alex is keeping his powder dry until he has given his evidence to the Inquiry. His contribution I expect to be explosive and he may take a few out with his damning comments. He is the master of strategy and timing, keep the faith.
Nae disrespect Roddy
But I’m getting fed up with hearing keep the fucking faith. But imo the real reason for brexit was to free England from European interference so they could crush us once and for all.Our parliament and democracy where the power of the sovereign Scottish people lies,will either be totally neutered,suspended,or most likely closed permanently.
Why the need for the new yoon hq and 3000 new government civil servants??.2014 scared the shit oot of the English establishment,their golden goose nearly escaped the coop.thus plans were made so it would never get another chance tae flee.We are sitting with our thumbs up our arses while our enemies are preparing to burn us tae the ground.
No argument from me Tony. I have been raising the alarm about this for some time now. Our Party Leader has been negligent.
I know you have Roddy,
Surely there must be a way of the new next putting serious pressure on her to change her flawed strategy?? .I don’t know but even calling a vote of no confidence or something on her or something?.I used to really like her now that like is turning into contempt. Even I’m beginning to think she’s a double agent.
I can understand people moving from away from Scotland because it is shackled to the UK. I have even thought of it myself as my taxes are yet again wasted by the Treasury in London. But, to be honest, life in Scotland is still good even though we are in the control of this despicable Tory government. The people, the football, the banter, the scenery, are all still great, and with the Scottish Government in control of much of our needs, it is certainly not a dark, unforgiving, doom-laden place that some people seem to think.
However, as you say, it could and should be much better and the only thing required is Independence! I have been fighting for and advocating Independence all my adult life and have watched the movement rise from next to nothing, to having polls in our favour regularly. If I have learned anything in all these years, it is that the Scottish people are slow and canny to political change. They don’t like change for its own sake and so the rise of Independence has come slowly and in waves with pauses here and there. I am not saying that I cannot see that the SNP are at fault with things at the moment, but you really have to understand that they have to take the Scottish people with them, not just the SNP members, not just the wider Yes movement, not just the activists, blog readers or blog writers, but ALL the people. The people who don’t think much about politics at all, don’t know about the GRA or Hate Speech bills, don’t have time for politics as they are trying to survive these hard economic times amid a global pandemic – and that is the majority.
So people please get a grip, there is a coming Holyrood election in May. The Polls are all showing support for Independence at its highest ever. We need to have an SNP majority at this election no matter what your views on the SNP leadership. Without a majority there is absolutely no way forward! I will probably vote for another indie party with my 2nd vote, but please do not think Independence will be gained without the SNP. The party has lost its way a bit but has already steadied the ship with the new NEC voted in. This was done by ordinary members mobilising and putting pressure on the leaders internally. This came about by bloggers and indie sites alerting us to the problems, but now we all have to take a pragmatic view of things and make sure we take ALL of the people with us, because if enough of the people want Independence, we will have it no matter what Westminster, or any other organisation does or says.
Rant over
Unfortunately Roddy, your eloquently penned, “Giving Notice” piece strikes not one chord, but all chords with me. I wish it were otherwise. My God. It’s a hard time to stay positive. Is it not?
In early summer of this year, I came to realise that our true enemy in fighting for Independence, was not the Unionists, but Sturgeon. Scotland’s very own, Judas Iscariot.
In order to defeat your enemy, you must come to know them first.
A long time ago, my father used to tell me not to waste my vote. “Son, if you don’t like those that are in power, vote them out!” So, it looking very much like I will be taking his advice.
As a footnote. The one chord I did like the most, was your personal story of your life in Catalonia. Thank you for sharing it. Was I jealous? Yes, of course. But if Scotland does not break free from her chains, soon. I may very well follow you to Catalonia……..Fuimus!
I know exactly how we bring along the wary and the undecided Roddy,we give them a vision of hope of better days,something that the snp continually fail to do.
Let me give you and others here a couple of examples..Lets take the energy sector. When we are independent if you are the chairman of shell,BP ,esso,Scottish power n power, whoever. If you want our oil and gas you must get your rigs and supply vessels built and serviced here,and when the time comes decommissioned here also. If not the gtf, we will build them ourselves for our own state owned energy company. A born again ship building and engineering industries for Scotland.
Same rules with the green energy sector if they want our energy their turbines etc must be built and serviced here,and the decommissioning work.
Look at the potential for all the ports and harbours and ship building on our West coast when we get rid of the nukes that are in the way.
We have a homeless and housing problem in Scotland,when we become independent the Scottish government will spend 1 billion pounds per year building new modern environmently friendly social housing. With only Scottish companies getting the contracts to not only build but supply all the materials.
Roddy,how many joiners brickies plumbers sparks plasterers painters and decorators heating engineers etc will we need not forgetting the thousands of apprentices for generations to come. As well as the thousands of jobs in the supply chain,people to make the bricks slates Windows piping electrical cable,paint fittings tar slabs block paving etc people to drive the lorries people to lay the new roads to all these new housing estates etc.A bit like when President Roosevelt built America out of the great depression,independence can build our way out of the great union depression.
Serious questions.
“If the SNP will not declare May a plebiscite election then I implore one of the other Independence Parties to do so immediately.Then we all must support that call to arms. This is not a time for Party tribalism it is, a time for Scottish Nationalism.”
I don’t think it’s quite that simple. If one of the other Independence parties does this all it will do is reduce the SNP’s majority and possibly even risk them losing the election. Bear in mind that the majority of SNP voters either do not read these blogs or they believe (rightly or wrongly) that the SNP are the only party to get us there. They will continue to vote as they always do.
“The narrative of the SNP of one more mandate and we will be granted a referendum by London is both misguided and a lie on the part of the SNP leadership.”
If they declared May to be a plebiscite election and they won it on that basis do you honestly think Westminster would lie down and accept the result?
If Westminster rejected it what’s next?
It is not Westminsters to reject. They cannot stop the Holyrood Election and escape the outcry from the rest of the world. Even Unionists are not that stupid. If the Gender whoo hoo mob move there 3n masse then they might become that stupid. If SNP do not agree to a plebiscite and ISP, SSP, Scotia Future or Solidarity do we vote them on the List and make the list the plebiscite election. This should not stop SNP getting a majority however if they do not back an Independence plebiscite they do not deserve a majority. It would serve them right and Scotlsnd if they needed the Indy list party to give them a super majority. Better for Scotland. The fate of the SNP is secondary to Scotland’s fate. The SNP have caused all their own problems with an ineffectual leadership the idiocy of gender politics and a corrupt back office.
“and escape the outcry from the rest of the world.”
The rest of the world has too many problems right now to be seriously concerned with what is happening in Scottish politics for any more than five minutes.
Westminster bluntly refused to grant the section 30 order. They would treat any plebiscite organised by Holyrood with derision.
That is where you are once again wrong. They cannot treat the votes of the people with derision. Yes they can and do treat our political representatives with derision. They can and treat our pleadings for a idiotic Sec 30 with derision. However even they would not be able to be so flippant with the voters choices otherwise they have to openly admit to being autocratic anti democratic and state that Scotland is an English colony and possession. Just try selling that back to Scotland. We would be at 90%.and ungovernable.
“Just try selling that back to Scotland. We would be at 90%.and ungovernable..”
I think you may be seriously underestimating the misguided loyalty some people have to this Union and the number of Scots who feel like this. You only have to read their comments on social media and in their blogs to see this. I read them and I spend as much time on Twitter following them as I do pro Indy people.
Like yourself I have watched Rangers for most of my life. Many of the people I mix with come from that “side”. I have to listen to their scoffing dismissal of the Scottish Government. They rejoice in every move to take the powers from the Scottish parliament and many of them WANT to see devolution reversed with Westminster having full control of our affairs. I know how they feel and most of them would have no problem whatsoever with this.
Many of them happily admit to this. For them seeing “wee Krankie” and the “Natsis” being deposed would be cause for more celebration than indignation.
Believe me. I know this for a fact. It’s sad but true, a significant minority think like this and we can never let our desire for independence cloud this reality.
Correct in every respect, unfortunately within the membership of the SNP there are too many who rest on every word of the gospel as preached by the Blessed Nicola. A major failing within the SNP from my perspective is that political education for new members who might seek it is not anywhere to be seen and without that it is nigh impossible to prosecute the case for Independence on the doorsteps, the workplace and for that matter within the party.
Waving Saltires on the streets will never achieve what we seek without the political arguments being rehearsed ad nauseum on every occasion an audience can be engaged and the facts presented.
The question must also be asked why is Nicola Sturgeon still permitted by the SNP membership to remain in office given her malign involvement in circumstances which led to Alex Salmond appearing at the High Court at Edinburgh on charges of which he was found NOT GUILTY? It must surely be a prerequisite of any political party aspiring to lead our country to Independence that the leadership must be beyond reproach in all aspects of conduct.
Key to any credible progress must be the removal of Nicola Sturgeon and those within the hierarchy who have engineered and collaborated in the process which to all intents and purposes has driven the campaign into a cul de sac which is the Section30 farce. This process must be structured in such away that the Scottish electorate understand exactly why this has come to pass and more importantly to others of like mind within the party that THE INDEPENDENCE OF OUR COUNTRY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE IT IS OUR BIRTHRIGHT.
If as a result of the inquiry currently underway at Holyrood it is found to be the case that Nicola Sturgeon in her evidence lied to the Scottish Parliament then she must be removed from office forthwith, resignation not in any circumstance acceptable, to commit otherwise is to condone.
I think we need to wait and see the outcome of the enquiry. I note Alex is up first on 19th January (my birthday) could be best one yet! His evidence may just force both the Murrells and other back office charlatans to consider their positions. Sturgeon may decide after heating Alex’s evidence that discretion and resignation are the best options available to her. As to convincing Scots the need for Indy I think we are way beyond that, more than enough are convinced already. It is having a route to independence that is the problem at present. Once the voting begins I expect 60%+ to vote YES.
Completely agree with everything you’ve written in today’s blog the need for independence has never been more urgent the English Nationalist’s will destroy Holyrood and everything else in their path May must be a plebiscite for all our sakes.
Love the blog Roddy , been following you fur a good wee while , agree , there needs to be change at the top of the SNP , also I have this feeling in my guts that May elections might not happen, the deffafel fridge nagnet might declare some sort of emergency under civil contingencies (emergency powers) or what ever name its been walled behind these days, the internal market bill is already an act as of 17th December , which on unrelated note qe2 of England breached her coronation speach as this is directly detrimental to the people of Scotland but as many times have proven England doesn’t care one wee bit about Scotland, unless it is indeed our 200 billion a year economy (too many are hung up on taxation and block grant , Barnet figures) … the whole upper echelons if the SNP need purged and again this will not happen if at all quickly
Agreed, Scott. Particularly with your point about the Queen approving the IM Bill. It WAS a constitutional quandary that SNP SHOULD HAVE CONTESTED in court. With the Internal Market Bill already an act, Scotland is now well & truly backed into a corner. And as BB and yourself have made clear, SNP seem in no hurry to push back against it! And that is exactly how we come to be in this situation. WM has rewritten all the rules of the Treaty deal – and the Scots politicians have allowed them to pass without so much as a by-your-leave or a single protest! In the past, that was unsurprising. Our politicians were labour or tory, but unionists, whichever way you label them. It was in their interests to just let all those re-writings of the Union Treaty pass into law. And thus WM is used to getting exactly what they want, whether legal or not. Because, let’s face it – who exactly is contesting their every change of rules or Treaty articles? But we expect(ed) more of our own, Scottish SNP party.
You would/could be forgiven for thinking a Scottish government would be contesting EVERY SINGLE REWRITE of every single treaty article that has brought us to this place & time. Soooo… why are SNP not doing this? I just cannot fathom this AT ALL. Okay… some past rewritten laws would possibly have to stand but present ones, like the IM Bill, should have been vociferously contested in law, using the ToU as the basis of evidence of it’s illegality. SNP are NOT standing up for Scotland, no matter what they say.
And now… they prefer to fight the brexit plan than to make it clear Scotland didn’t vote for EITHER a deal or no deal & just walk out of WM making it clear that it’s got nothing to do with us. At the very least they should be abstaining, if not actually walking out with the intention of getting on with their independence plans. I’ve never voted any other way than SNP. But to be honest, they are a HUGE disappointment. With the power they have had to redirect Scotland’s legal way forward & thus Scotland’s future, they could have done SO MUCH. And they sat on their hands & did NOTHING. I have really serious doubts they will ever rise up in my estimation. Certainly not with those in charge, STILL in charge.
Oh Roddy, I hope you are right! That Alex Salmond’s statement & evidence at the Inquiry will force some much needed changes at the top of the SNP tree! I’ve always believed Salmond believed so strongly in Independence, he wouldn’t ever give up. But his silence up to now has been quite deafening! I’m hoping against hope that in his mind, it’s a question of ‘timing’. But time is getting so short…
The day after he gives his evidence. Get your popcorn in!
Just sent out for it! THREE BIG BAGS of the stuff! If I’m going to do this popcorn thing, I’m gonna do it right! 😉