I had no intention of writing another blog this year. However, as Harold MacMillan famously said,’Events dear boy, events!’ Last night I had the great pleasure to be involved in a AUOB Zoom Meeting on Plan B. Angus McNeil MP and Councillor Chris McEleny were in attendance. Susan Blackley and Neil Mackay of AUOB hosted the evening magnificently.
It was a lively meeting as Angus and Chris explained both the urgency and necessity for a Plan B. It was made clear that the coming Holyrood Election is going to be fought along the lines of every other election that Nicola Sturgeon has presided over. She is absolutely fixated on the ‘Gold Standard Section 30 route.’ For Nicola this has become a tram line that she refuses to get off or even turn the tram around at the terminus. It is a never-ending journey or nightmare if you prefer! An SNP election victory, beg London for a Section 30, get refused, wait on next election ask voters for a mandate, win election, beg for a Section 30, refused, rinse and repeat.
Nicola has asked for a Section 30 on three occasions once to Theresa May and twice to Boris, she has of course, been dismissed out of hand on all occasions. Angus McNeil himself both as a question in the house and by written question has had the same Section 30 request refused on multiple occasions by Johnson.
Theresa May said ‘now is not the time’ Boris has said not now, not ever and indeed made it a manifesto pledge to refuse any SNP request for an Independence referendum. Michael Gove, Alister Union Jack, Douglas Ross have all stated under no circumstances will Tories ever agree to an Independence referendum. Sir Keir Starmer, Ian Murray, Richard Leonard have stated quite clearly no matter the size of the SNP election victory Labour will never agree to an Independence referendum. Wee Willie Winkie Rennie, Ed Davey have said the exact same on behalf of the British Liberal Party.
Nothing could be clearer there will never, ever be another Scottish Independence Referendum ‘granted’ by any of the English imperialist Parties. Even the dogs in the street know that however, Nicola Sturgeon has decided one more heave and all this opposition to her polite requests for a Section 30 will magically disappear. Neither she nor the followers of her every word have actually ever been able to articulate a cogent reason why it is likely that any English PM would ever relent.(Feel free to let us know if anyone has a credible answer to that!)
What was made very clear last night was if SNP get a victory in May, Nicola will make her request and it will be rejected out of hand. As there is no Plan B, what happens next? Actually same as before nothing but indignation and feet stamping by a few SNP MPs and MSPs and we roll on to the Council elections in 2022.One more mandate will be the cry from Nicola. Time for the troops to march up that hill again. Same outcomes can be expected a victory and a refusal. Then our next opportunity is the UK General Election in 2024.One more mandate required chaps and chapesses!
Meanwhile the 3,000 UK Civil Servants and Alister Union Jack will have had four years to wreak havoc on Scotland.
Holyrood reduced to the status of an English County Council. Tuition fees reintroduced along with prescription charges and bridge tolls. Free private care and bus passes for the elderly stopped. Baby boxes cancelled as too expensive. Scottish Water sold off to the City of London Spivs who will quickly sell it on to the Spanish or French or Germans for a huge profit. Now Scotland will just be like an English County. One nation Conservative Greater England mission complete and the Scots broken!
Still Nicola asks for one more mandate and refuses to listen to anybody suggesting an alternative strategy. Just like Margaret Thatcher this lady is not for turning.
There is indeed a different strategy and it is like all good plans, it is simplicity in itself. I have been suggesting it for sometime now as have others, an Independence plebiscite in May. The only way that we can ensure this happens is to lobby the SNP incessantly. To make Nicola change her mind we need leverage. The leverage we have with Nicola is simply this, either implement an independence plebiscite or face the wrath of your voters. By your intransigence you could turn a certain victory in May next year into a defeat as you did in UK General Election in 2017. Back then we didn’t lose votes to the Unionists. We lost votes to apathy. Our voters were not inspired by the appalling ‘Don’t mention Independence’ insipid election strategy of Nicola and her crew. The result was unionist victories by default. Labours vote only increased by 1% however their seat total rose by 600%. For the first time ever Scotland’s Tory votes made an overall difference to an election outcome. In UK Tories lost 13 seats but won 13 seats in Scotland giving them a narrow victory. That is the lesson to take from pissing off the SNP base!
We all need to impress upon the Party now that we are not willing to accept this stupid Section 30 nonsense. We want a plebiscite and all of us need to impress upon our SNP candidates and MSPs, MPs that message. Don’t just think our votes are automatic. You need to earn our vote and here is how you do that. We need to leverage our representatives to make it known to the tiny SNP inner circle of Nicola that nothing else is acceptable. We have no faith in her one more mandate strategy and she needs to change direction immediately.
Scotland has never been in greater danger than it is today. In 1707 an English Army was on our border ready to invade and lay waste our nation if we didn’t join their union. This time an army of 3,000 Civil Servants is poised to lay waste to our nation. Let me crystal clear even if SNP win a majority in a business as usual May 2021 election those UK civil servants will be laying waste to our democracy. While Nicola is pleading for a Section 30 and Boris is avoiding her right up until the summer recess the UK civil servants will be doing their worst to Scotland. It won’t stop and when Boris gets round to saying no.That is when they will up the tempo of their wanton destruction.
We cannot afford to wait for another election cycle or an unlikely Labour Government. They too are English imperialists and they too will deny our pleas for any Section 30. A plebiscite victory is an Independence declaration. It is a mandate to the SNP to negotiate secession, not meekly to beg for permission to hold a referendum. The first thing to negotiate is the removal of the 3,000 vandals of the UK Civil Service!
Another really interesting point to come out of last nights meeting was for the first time ever I heard an SNP politician say that an Independence super majority at Holyrood was even better than a tiny SNP majority. It was music to my ears and vindicated my entreaties on this topic to everyone.
Keith Brown as Deputy Leader of the SNP is in charge of bringing the manifesto together to present to the leadership for consideration. When you email him, make it clear it is in his capacity as Deputy Leader you communicate with him not as a constituent. Tell him you want an Independence plebiscite nothing else!
Keith.Brown.msp@parliament.scot
Then lobby your MPs, MSPs Councillors make your feelings heard loud and clear. We have to take our independence it won’t be given to us by purely asking for a Section 30 from our English Imperial Masters.
We can all take matters into our own hands. Sitting back and hoping Nicola has some secret plan or knows what she is doing is not an option or reality.We need a Plan B, and this is it!
- Successful people make things happen. Unsuccessful people wait for things to happen!
A serious question that I have asked before but it can’t be ignored, it has to be asked,
Let’s speculate that a plebiscite is held. What’s Plan B if the Yes side wins it and Westminster again rejects it?
Your allies in Westminster cannot reject it they have no grounds your union is over,abd please no lies about being a die hard Indy voter your words in every contribution say otherwise. If you love your union so much at least have the courage to tell the truth.
“Your allies in Westminster cannot reject it they have no grounds your union is over,abd please no lies about being a die hard Indy voter your words in every contribution say otherwise. If you love your union so much at least have the courage to tell the truth.”
That is downright offensive. I am 72 years of age and I have supported independence since Winnie Ewing won Hamilton in 1967. I still have a copy of the newspaper that reported it.
I am disappointed and surprised at you. You should apologise.
My site I don’t need to do anything. I find your constant whining and negative nonsense, offensive. You should take heed your whining makes you sound like a unionist or a, Wheesht For Indy at best.
Then Westminster finds itself in a bit of a dilemma. If, as claimed, the Union was voluntary then in the eyes of the international communities and those pending trade deals it will need to let Scotland go regardless of their own feelings on the matter – same as in any divorce. If it decides that it needs Scotland more than it’s international reputation then it will need to instruct whatever agencies it has power with to disrupt the setting up of the new state of affairs in the hope that the whole thing collapses and a new Union is created. If that does not work or when it stops working then it needs to consider the cost of more forceful measures.
I don’t see any profitable outcome to this. Scotland has many valuable resources which is getting in short supply in England – water, for example. It would create a much more stable situation and prove profitable in the longer term to build a new relationship rather than attempt subjugation.
You are talking about a govt that is willing to break international law. they don’t care about consequences. they do what the hell they like. Don’t attribute any sense of anything to them. they are psychopaths. Look at the things they have done already whilst people have stood around saying “Oh, they wouldn’t/couldn’t do that”. They will they can and they do. Their sense of superiority and exceptionalism has blinded them to common sense and decency.
Make no mistake the UK will break international law, will use physical force to take what it wants.
Ireland most certainly showed us that and recently had it not been for the EU and incoming President Biden, the UK would have reimposed a border, and a military one at that across Ireland.
And in relation to fishing it was only a couple of weeks ago that the UK was threatening Gun Boats against the French fishermen, until the more mighty EU told them otherwise.
So the message is crystal clear. The only thing Westminster understands is force and like all playground bullies it needs to know that there will be consequences against its intended course of action.
The recent international interventions have most certainly shown that. But that shouldn’t be a green light for us to lie prostrate Wheeshting for Independence.
A good article Barrhead Boy as we finally in less that 24 hours exit the EU.
We need to up our political game.
.
England has no authority bar that which Scotland grants. What was ratified in 1707 by both parliaments on the express condition that they were equal partners with equal authority was a TRADE AGREEMENT not a political union. It is just a pity that those who were elected to represent Scotland fail to understand this fact. 300 years of being fed a lie and the representatives believe every word of it without question.Yet, if they bothered to simply read the terms and conditions and to note what was specifically omitted they would not be selling Scotland up the river. They would be doing exactly what England does and asserting Scots sovereignty at every opportunity. They would not be looking at the English government and its establishment as their superiors. But the representatives can not be held solely responsible for the situation Scotland finds itself in. The majority of Scots also by the English continuator state narrative simply because the English government and its establishment refer to themselves as “UK”. Ask to whom Scottish matters are reserved and they say England (UK) without stopping to consider what they are implying. When they talk of the government it is in terms of being devolved as though devolved from the English government when in truth it is the Scottish administration that is devolved from the SCOTTISH government. So, taking us back to the start, what will happen if the English government rejects the result? Most likely nothing will happen as the Scots and their representatives genuinely believe that England has dominion over them and therefore are incapable of making a stand on their own. The follow up question then is, if Scotland should assert its rights and sovereignty and proclaim Scotland’s statehood, what is to prevent the Scottish government and its people from acting exactly the same way it has done for the past 300 years given they were only ever in a TRADE AGREEMENT and actively refused to assert their rights when they always had them?
That is as plain as can be, however, I do have an increasing feeling that NS simply cannot do otherwise than continually put obstacles in the way, I really now have a feeling that she is being controlled, I feel that only her and her husband’s removal will suffice to take this fight forward.
Johnson is not the stumbling block to Indy. Nicola Sturgeon is. Pure and simple. So Plan B is essential.
If the plan going into the next Holyrood election is to beg our colonial masters for a Section 30 then I hope NS lets us know in plenty of time so I can find something else to do that day. I won’t waste my time voting for that.
We’re a captive electorate and the SNP know it. “Voting for us is the only way to get indy,” they repeatedly tell us before pulling a bait and switch to focus on things like their science-defying gender nonsense. I’ve had enough of them. Last chance saloon as far as I’m concerned.
“My site I don’t need to do anything. I find your constant whining and negative nonsense, offensive.”
Oh I see. It’s ma ba’ and you’re no gettin’ a kick!
I’ll trust others to decide whether I was “whining” or merely responding to the debate in a reasonable manner. You have become like some of the other egotistical old bloggers, who think that their opinion is not to be questioned.
You can’t just accuse people who question your comments of being Unionists. That is not how it works.
Aye my house my rules. If you want to pay for the site,the hosting, write the blogs,pay for the Internet the electricity then you can make up the rules, till then my rules.Tbe content to you is free so are my barbs if you don’t like either you are free not to visit my site. Many people on here challenge and it is never a problem. You though have done nothing but argue with everyone on here in every single thread. It is as if you have a need to be the opposite maybe it is an attention seeking thing I don’t know. As things stand and if you had actually been reading my blogs intently you would sense my frustration and despair is at a tipping point with the Wheesht For Indy and Nicola cult please do not try my patience anymore or roll out you bloggers ego pish either.
Pish indeed.
“If you want to pay for the site,the hosting, write the blogs,pay for the Internet the electricity …”
The three not-for-profit websites I run cost me about £100 per year in total and I don’t ask for donations. If your charges for running a wee blog like this are a burden then you’re doing something wrong.
I am going to let yourlatest childish attention seeking comment pass. I am warning you now anymore nonsense and you are blocked. Either contribute sensibly and in a meaningful way or go elsewhere and troll to your hearts content.
Final warning!
Scoot:
My missus wanted to have a place in sunny spain, but as neither of us are retired, we had to look carefully at the costs.
In spain the leccy is crippling, despite their energy companies having a good dip in the UK market.
But the fact that you zeroed in on that point makes me wonder.
The work that goes into making engaging content,cogent arguments, managing comments from people like me, is pretty much a thankless task*.
It is also exhausting,
BHB is paying with his own good will, and his readers appreciate that.
Show me your websites, and as I know how much excessive traffic (people who are engaged) can mount up, share with BHB how to reduce costs.
*I am very thankful
I will do this today.
It is at least a plan. I have been betrayed by the SNP leadership. I really have had enough.
If Liar Johnston and his Queen ignore it then we go to the UN. And form a UK wide republican party to leave england a wee present for after we’ve gone.
Nicola’s continued begging is no plan and not even a vote winner.
Yup – yet I’m still having conversations with people who believe she has a secret plan. Heavy, heavy sigh…
As ever, a welcome and pertinent journal.
Everyone who reads it should write (use writetothem.com) to their respective, current, representatives to declare for independence.
Use your own words (maybe use ‘Pride in Scotland’ as most would understand) to express the urgency of the situation.
If you get any of the ‘once in a generation’ shite, remind her children of their mother’s words:
‘All that is required is that the nationalists return a majority to westminster’*.
Aside that, bueno nova ano to you and yours.
Your work(and the rest of the best) has allowed us not only to see,but laugh, in the dark.
*not verbatim, but who bothers about that these days?
When writing to our reps/Keith Brown, is it better to say that we will spoil our ballots or that we will vote for another party – as an SNP member I’d get thrown out for that but, hey, who gives a shit any longer?
Email sent to Mr Brown, with a link to this blog, suggesting he reads it. Told him quite politely that if the plebiscite is not on the manifesto I will not be voting SNP for the first time in fifty years. I’ve already informed my constituency MSP the same thing. Didn’t bother about the list because they’re not getting my vote anyway.
Good for you I have done the same myself.
According to the 1707 Agreement that was drawn up by the queen’s commissioners and merely ratified by both parliaments, Scotland and England are legally equal partners with equal authority.
While there is reference to the binary parliament of Great Britain in the Acts of Union, there is NO state:
Government of Great Britain (named UK or otherwise)
Institutions bar a shared treasury with equal representation
Military
Border
Religion
Constitution
Legal System
Parliamentary sovereignty nor clause transferring English parliamentary sovereignty onto the parliament of Great Britain
Party political system
Majority Rule nor clause granting dominion based on majority of MPs or population
Capital
However, there is a termination clause which includes violation to the territory of either country, their legal systems, combining of their religions and failure to uphold their rights in full prior to and after the signing.
As all conditions, most notably the termination clause, have been breached including the rights of the Scots and violation of their territory, why does the Scottish government refuse to uphold the terms of the 1707 Agreement by refusing to act as the equal partner with equal authority that they legally are?
As you can see from the above the status of the Scottish government is in doubt as they do not appear to acknowledge the authority that they have and by referring to the English government as the “UK government” despite there being no government of Great Britain, it would seem they view Scotland as an English region and not a sovereign country.
In addition, it was only the statehood that was ceded by both countries, not their independence and sovereignty (though England did inadvertently cede their sovereignty by abolishing their parliament in order to create the parliament of Great Britain) as the Agreement did not have the authority to abolish the other international treaties, constitutions or declarations.
There is nothing stopping the Scottish government from standing up in the parliament of Great Britain and asking themselves if they proclaim Scotland’s statehood reinstated with immediate effect. A majority of Scottish MPs stating it in the parliament is all that they need do. No need to go through all the English code of conduct bs. Do it the Scottish way. Ask themselves and proclaim then simply leave the parliament of Great Britain once and for all. Any business that needs dealt with can be done afterwards from a position of two sovereign states having reclaimed their statehood. Scotland does not need to abide by English rules and it should not act in the capacity of an English region but that of a sovereign country!
The strangest thing is, she has pretty much said she doesn’t.
It is quite Maga.
I have another idea that should also be looked at. If or when Bojo refuses another referendum, NS or her successor should declare that, having a legitimate referendum refused 4 times when a mandate was in place, it is clear that Westminster is denying the Scottish people their democratic right. And so the policy of having an Indie referendum will be dropped and the SNP will revert to the route to Independence agreed before devolution by the Westminster government. That being, at the next UK general election, if the SNP win a majority of the Scottish seats, Independence will follow.
This was the agreed route to Independence before someone came up with the referendum route which was a very bad idea. It was legitimate and can be again. And yeah the British establishment would put all sorts of barriers in our way but they will do that anyway no matter what way we try. This would bring about a final constitutional crisis that will be won by people demanding Independence on the streets and pressure from the outside world. I would interested on any thoughts on this.
I like Gayle Millar’s thinking. Its what I have been trying to articulate for awhile but when I’m raging, I never seem to find the right words. I have called SNP everything for sitting on their hands, accepting all the pretendy nonsense that WM has the power to treat us so shabbily. The worst thing is, SNP is treating us much shabbier. They were elected to confront & contest every bit of legislation that takes powers from Scotland, whether devolved or not. THEY decidedwhat they’d retain – and our politicians let them! SNP have done DIDDLY SQUAT to contest the right of WM to anything we have, do or own. And I think Gayle’s idea of calling time on the union, fits in nicely with this person’s thoughts:
https://wingsoverscotland.com/the-snp-manifesto-2021/
I will also be writing to my MPs, MSPs, etc to make it clear – no plebiscite, NO VOTE from this house. They’ll lose 7 of them right here. As I see it, the string holding the carrot has rotted through. This continuous cycle of asking for Sec.30 and not getting one, simply means living in unionist UK with a useless HR parliament. So why bother voting SNP to get unionist control? That doesn’t make sense. So unless they call it a plebiscite, I’m through with them.
I also found Gayles comment most persuasive and interesting indeed I have asked her to pen an article to share with all the readers. As to you and your families 7 votes you really should email Keith Brown and your local SNP MSP/Candidate and MP. We need to apply the pressure.
PS: I did watch the zoom meeting & found it extremely interesting & informative. Thanks to all involved & I hope there will be more.
@ Roddy Mackenzie 9.23pm I am not being confrontational or argumentative roddy but as always happens people have to add to and confuse the situation by inserting their own plans , BHB has put forward a reasonable , simple , sensible workable solution endorsed and promoted by Angus B McNeil , Chris McEleny , Grousebeater , WOS , Iain Lawson and a host of others , that the 2021 HR election should be a plebicite election . There is no deviation or requirement for that proposal to be amended or added to . If we keep adding extraneous plans or proposals we will just dilute the impact of the necessary force .
With respect all BHB is asking of independence supporters is to email Keith Brown and our own SNP MP’s and MSP’s and to inform them that there will be repercussions if the SNP don’t accept that independence supporters demand the HR 2021 elections be a plebicite election for independence
Robert T – Thanks for your reply although you dismiss me in the exactly same way as the SNP leadership will dismiss the BHB proposal. “There is no deviation or requirement for that proposal to be amended or added to”.
Just who does that sound like Robert?
Just because your favourite blogger has an idea does not make it sensible or, more importantly, workable. I would be willing to go along with the HR election as a plebicite election (and in many ways it is going to be) but I don’t really see where it goes then. I’m pretty sure the SNP know fine well that this is their last chance. But at this time we need a pro-indie majority in the May elections so its a 1st vote SNP 2nd vote for other indie party and lets see what happens.
I am fed up with people parroting their favourite blogger without even questioning their argument – I will not be part of that. At the end of the day, we all want the same thing here and so all routes should be looked at closely, but remember, we have to take all the ordinary voting people with us not just supporters like us.
Regards.
Roddy Mac again respectfully , 1/ I am not dismissing you , 2/ how do you know the SNP leadership will dismiss the proposal , if they do that it will enlighten a lot of people to their intransigence and strategy failure , 3/ I hate to say it BHB but you’re not my favourite blogger WOS is 4/ (and in many ways it is going to be) can you tell me Roddy Mac how is it going to be the same as a plebicite , and if it is why is it necessary to email our reps 5/ YES we are all on the same side and all want what is best for Scotland
Hi Robert T – sorry but 1) you were dismissive: “There is no deviation or requirement for that proposal to be amended or added to”. 2) I don’t “know” the SNP will dismiss the proposal, I shouldn’t have said that, but I just don’t think they will due to what NS has said before and the closeness of the elections. It would be a huge about-face for her to do. 3) I don’t care who your favourite blogger is, its not important, and I was speaking in general terms. I read them all, and what I was trying to say was, they are all individuals with opinions just like you and I. My experience of working towards Independence goes back as long as theirs and possibly longer than most. The blind parroting of what bloggers say is not healthy or helpful. 4) Every election in Scotland is a sort of referendum/plebiscite as far as the SNP and Independence are concerned but that alone will not gain Independence. We will need more, and that is why I still think my proposal should not be dismissed without due discussion or consideration. I agree to contacting the SNP and I have been doing that already. I asked questions of all the SNP candidates in my area and made them fully aware that if the SNP have a mandate for a referendum after the election they have to act on it as it will be their last chance. The candidate I voted for won and I think she knows full well what the ordinary members want. So please Robert, remember your (and my) proposals both need an SNP majority at the next elections.
So lets all see 2021 as a breakthrough year and I wish all blog readers writers and posters a happy new year – stay safe.
In my real life😁 I too a Roddy Mac so this thread was all a little confusing at times😜😜
Yeah it was a bit confusing – I will change my name to something else
Cheers
A bit drastic big man 🤣🤣
Drastic measures for drastic times Roddy!
(BTW I’m only 5’10”)