I just returned to Catalonia yesterday from a six-week Christmas holiday in Dubai with my family. Both my kids and all my grandkids live there. I always stay on till this time as we have three family birthdays in January, my own included. The day before I left it was the birthday of my youngest granddaughter Isla. She became nine on Monday and is as cute as cute can be. The time goes by so quickly, it seems only like yesterday when she was born at the RAI in Paisley. Then again, it only seems like yesterday as a teenager I began working towards Scottish independence, last week I became 68.

It was after I had landed at Barcelona International Airport that a stark reality hit me. When I make this trip next year, I will have to stand in the non-EU queue at passport control. Yesterday, as an EU citizen I very quickly entered into Spain at the border.That will all  change for UK Passport holders this time next year!

I also observed on the plane journey that around half the passengers were Asian. Unseen or noticed by many, the Chinese ’empire building’ is in full flow throughout the world. Unlike the European and American versions of imperial reaching the Chinese are not using violence. They are flexing their financial muscle and buying an empire using their trade advantage. I noticed in Dubai the number of roads, bridges and tower block constructions that were being built with Chinese companies, capital and oversight. This is being repeated all over the Middle East, Asia, Africa, Australasia. Throughout Spain not just in Catalonia more and more Chinese superstores are appearing. In our tiny village alone there are three of these huge stores that literally sell everything from a pin to an anchor, and all manufactured in China. Consequently, you tend to notice now on the plane coming in from Dubai, at least 50% of the passengers are Chinese. Let me be clear this is not a racist rant, the exact opposite in fact, it is one of admiration. It is to highlight two things, my ingress and egress in future to visit my grandchildren will involve me in standing in a long line, filling in an immigration landing card and greater delay in my journey time. The other point is the Globalisation of the world’s trade is picking up pace. This brings the Brexit farce into even greater focus. When the Chinese trading giant is flexing its muscles now is not the time to be isolationist like Little England. The realisation of this has made me mad as hell. Many of us have asked these leavers what is the upside in all this madness.

We Scots have believed that by exerting our right to self-determination we can escape the stupidity of Brexit. I think many of our fellow citizens have too easily adopted the mantra, ‘it will all work itself out in the end.’ That kind of attitude will actually achieve nothing, except disaster. We all need to work together to ensure we remain with the other 27 EU Nations. The Chinese juggernaut is not the only threat to trade and living standards. The Americans under this present regime could start a trade war tomorrow that would reverberate around the world. This makes membership of the Single Market more important than ever. The UK on its own, with or without Scotland in it will quickly be overwhelmed by any such trade wars.

The Russians and Chinese have for the last few years been buying gold in vast quantities. While US, and UK dropped the ‘Gold Standard’ sometime ago it seems these two Superpowers intend to back their currencies by gold and could possibly take over the US$ as the main international trading currency.

‘ Russia’s Central Bank purchased another 55.3 tonnes of gold in the first quarter of 2019, bring their total reserves in the metal to 2,163.8 tonnes, and 17% of total reserves. China followed suit, buying 33 tonnes over the same period. Russia bought 274.3t last year — the fourth consecutive year of +200t increases – while drastically reducing its US Treasury holdings, as part of its ‘de-dollarization’ drive” according to the World Gold Council. Russia now holds just a tiny proportion of US debt at less than US$15 billion. But it also holds the worlds largest gold deposits and could arguably be in a position to use that as a tangible asset to generate support for currencies such as the Ruble and the RMB Yuan.’

The above from the Russia brief of May last year. https://www.russia-briefing.com/news/russia-china-keep-gold-buying-q1-2019.html/

This buying up of gold has pushed the precious metal to record heights. A scary thought for some is if the Russian and Chinese work out some sort of monetary arrangement/pact they could swamp the $. Nowadays you do not need military might to bring a country to its knees. The US broke the back of British world influence at Suez by attacking the £. Ever since then the British global and currency influence has diluted to almost non-existent levels.

This is why it is more important than ever that we make ready to dissolve the British Union. We need the maximum protection for our economy, trade and jobs. Remaining in the British Union, we have no protection or control over our own destiny. Inside the EU we have 27 nations working in partnership not one nation controlling 26 others for its sole benefit. I have said many times I trust the SNP and the First Minister to have a strategy for this Tory intransigence. We all knew the stance they would take. It is unthinkable that our political leaders thought any different.

Today, Wednesday 29/01/2020 the Scottish Parliament will hold a debate. The motion is “Scotland’s future” Holyrood will ask MSPs to agree that “there has been a material change in circumstances since 2014 and that a referendum should be held so that the people of Scotland can decide if they wish to become an independent country.

This will pass by means of the SNP and Green Parties MSPs. It is probably the last ever chance for the Labour Party in Scotland to save itself, however I fully anticipate that ‘the union before all’ will be the outcome for the lemmings of Labour. Our FM is to give a speech on Friday, the next steps to independence. I would just say this, if that speech uses words, like untenable, undemocratic, unacceptable, unsustainable and nothing else. I am going to be mad as hell! I imagine I wont be the only one. If there is not a strong indication of a referendum this year and more importantly a strategy to achieve that, then it is the positions of the SNP leadership and advisors that become untenable and unacceptable.

One of those birthdays I mentioned in my opening paragraph was my own. I am now nearing the famous three score and ten. Time is running out for my generation and me. We were the ones that kept the flame of independence flickering so that this generation could take the final few steps to independence. I want to go to my grave feeling like a Scots veteran from the Battle of Bannockburn, not as a survivor of the Culloden massacre!

Gradualism is finished, Belligerence needs to be the new watchword!

First Minister, and SNP hierarchy if you do not have the plan or the nerve to take the fight to the imperialists of the English Parliament then stand aside. We will find others that will take this fight to them. Any mention of seeking a further mandate at Holyrood 2021 will result in mass resignations and extreme anger. The people of Scotland have given you several mandates. You would be forgiven for losing a referendum, you will never be forgiven for losing a mandate! It is time to attack not make a ‘strategic withdrawal!

This Spring and Summer should be all about the YES Movement campaigning flat out towards an Autumn Referendum on Scottish Independence, nothing less!

Saor Alba gu brath!