On St Andrews Day Neale Hanvey MP brought forward an ‘Early Day Motion’ it was to discuss an independence referendum for Scotland. Incensed at the Supreme Court ruling Neale thought it imperative to debate this affront to democracy in Westminster Hall in the belly of the beast.
Both he and Kenny MacasKill attended of course, its the Alba Party, 100% turnout as expected. Sadly, and also not surprisingly only one SNP MP thought it right and proper to support this push for a Scottish independence referendum. Angus MacNeil, MP, take a bow!
Where were the other 43 SNP MPs? In the bars and restaurants? Having coffee with Penny Morduant? Maybe at a Stonewall or Mermaids meeting. Catching a west end show? A meeting with their investment managers? Filling in their lavish expense claim forms? Plotting to overthrow the present Westminster leader? Indeed, replacing Blackford is just like arranging the deckchairs on the SS Titanic! The rumours that were denied only a few weeks ago seem to be coming to fruition. Is there anything the SNP won’t deny or lie about?
As an aside not one of the SNP MPs down there fills me with any hope of a change in either their behaviour or attitude towards Scottish independence and unity!
Such a debate in light of the Supreme Court judgement and the SNP MPs didn’t think it worthy of even turning up to participate.They preferred pleasing their vindictive boss in Edinburgh giving Alba the old Willie Bain treatment! For sure the last thing on their minds was working towards Scotland’s independence!
They will of course, in 2024 expect you to turn up to vote them into the English Parliament at Westminster for another 5 years. Another half decade of warming the green benches and curtsying and bowing to the Speaker in that undemocratic anti-Scottish establishment. Great for them, they get to enjoy the heavily subsidised food and drink. They get invited to all the best parties, not forgetting the jollies galore. They can even get to dress up in British Army uniforms and play at modern-day British Redcoats for the day!
Maybe they were enjoying a day out with some of their Tory pals from Westminster?
Whatever they were doing, we know they spurned the opportunity to unite for Scotland in this debate. If they cannot be bothered turning up for such a topic why should Westminster take us seriously or listen to us when our own side wont even unite for a debate on Scottish independence?
We must not forget that as a minimum these carpetbaggers and grifters will earn over the 5 years of a Parliament the sum of, £420,720. They will earn appreciably more than that for being on or chairing Westminster committees. Throw in that on average most MPs claim around £200,000 p.a. in expenses another £1 million to add to their £420k! Nice gig if you can get it and you don’t even have to do what you promised your voters was your one job!
Get elected on a ticket of independence, then you do not even have to turn up when there is a debate on independence.You then just tell the voters the SNP are the only route to independence, and everyone else is bad. Nicola has a secret plan.Those YES Groups, SSRG, SALVO, AUOB, Now Scotland, Alba, ISP label them all anti-independence, homophobes, transphobes and nutters and the money and votes just keep rolling in!
It breaks my heart to see that the party I supported and campaigned for over 50 years has become nothing more than the Scottish Labour Party with a bit of tartan. Carpetbaggers, conmen, grifters and bullies.Now a week on from the judgement and no date, location or agenda for the SNP Special Conference, will it even happen?
Just like the broken promises of a Constitutional Convention, a referendum once we know the terms of Brexit, a Not for Profit Energy Company, Free school meals will it just not happen? It seems our SNP MPs and MSPs think they are in a career not a liberation struggle!
Should the upcoming UK General Election in 2024 not be fought as Scotland United and instead is just another SNP ‘one more mandate vote’ we will need to drain the swamp.
They are doing nothing to advance our cause. All they are doing is advancing themselves and their bank balances! Blackford going won’t change the culture or lack of movement for our cause. We need new leadership throughout that party to make any difference to the plight we find ourselves in now!
If the SNP is unwilling or unable to fulfill their single mission then we need to remove them and replace them with patriots that will do what is needed for Scotland!
Saor Alba gu brath!
For some reason, I’ve never been able to “like” your blogs, Roddy. It simply does not register. I’m sure, though, it’s obvious from my comments that I thoroughly enjoy your writing.
Your latest is EXCEPTIONAL.
You are too kind Jan x
Couldn’t agree more with your observations about the settle in and cosy up brigade.
Interesting however that the chief cosy Iain Blackford has just announced he is stepping down.. Going to do good thing with Nicola he declares there was certainly something about his press statement that was decidedly iffy.
Could it be perchance that Gauleiter Sturgeon’s grip is failing.
Ian Blackford resigns as SNP leader at Westminster
Ian Blackford is stepping down as SNP leader at Westminster, as Nicola Sturgeon’s party prepares to appoint a new chief to lead the push for Scottish independence in parliament.
The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber said it was time for “fresh leadership” in the Commons, announcing that he would not be standing again at next week’s SNP parliamentary AGM.
His exit follows reports of a plot to oust him as the Westminster leader amid a row over his handling of sexual misconduct allegations against SNP MP Patrick Grady.
Only last week Mr Blackford insisted that he would stand for re-election and lead the party until independence. “I look forward to being the MP that leads the SNP group out of Westminster for the last time,” he had told The Scotsman.
But on Thursday Mr Blackford said he was leaving the job to take on a new role in the SNP’s push for another independence referendum, leading on business engagement.
“After more than five years in the role, now is the right time for fresh leadership at Westminster as we head towards a general election and the next steps in winning Scotland’s independence,” he said.
Recommended
Michael Gove eyes concessions to get planning reform past Tory rebels
Michael Gove eyes concessions to get planning reform past Tory rebels
Brexit has added more than £200 to UK household food bills, study finds
Brexit has added more than £200 to UK household food bills, study finds
UK house prices see biggest monthly fall in more than two years as growth slows
UK house prices see biggest monthly fall in more than two years as growth slows
Mr Blackford said: “During my time as leader, the SNP won a landslide victory in the 2019 general election, with an increased share of the vote and MPs, and support for independence has continued to grow with polling this week showing a majority in favour.”
He added: “Whoever replaces me as Westminster leader will have my full support as, together, we stand up for Scotland’s interests and democratic right to choose our future in an independence referendum.”
But Ms Sturgeon has rejected reports of a “coup” against her Westminster chief – but said it was right time for him to “pass on the baton” for someone else.
Mr Blackford had faced calls to resign over his management of sexual misconduct claims against his colleague Mr Grady.
Many in the party were angry that he did not force Mr Grady to step down as SNP chief whip when allegations emerged. Leaked audio sparked further frustration when Mr Blackford was heard saying the MP should be supported.
Mr Grady quit the party in June to sit as an independent after the Metropolitan Police said they were investigating allegation of sexual assault. Scotland Yard announced in July that no further action would be taken following discussions with the alleged victim.
Ms Sturgeon later said that the support shown for Mr Grady at Westminster amid the allegations had been “unacceptable”.
Stephen Flynn, the SNP MP for Aberdeen South who has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Mr Blackford, recently denied reports that he was “on manoeuvres” for the Westminister leadership.
Reports suggest that SNP deputy Westminster leader Kirsten Oswald, the party’s foreign affairs spokesperson Alyn Smith and Joanna Cherry QC will be among the leading contenders to replace Mr Blackford.
Indeed Ms Cherry – who has regularly been at odds with the SNP’s leadership in Edinburgh and London on a range of issues in recent years – openly welcomed Mr Blackford’s exit.Commenting on Twitter she said –
“I’m pleased to hear this. It’s time for fresh leadership and tolerance of debate and diverse viewpoints,” – before warning Ms Sturgeon and her team not to interfere in selecting the new Commons chief.
“I hope the SNP Westminster group will be now be left to choose our new leader without outside interference and in accordance with our standing orders”
Outside intrrference.. Outside interference from Sturgeon. Now that’s an interesting thing to be said as Sturgeon’s man in Westminster departs!!
What chance they all up and walk out one day? No chance! Expecting change from within is as close to stupidity as walking down the road after another carrot. This SNP is not interested in Independence, They are a con, perhaps a neo Con, or nuLiebour – is there a difference?
Mr O’Neil and any other true believers need to leave now and we need to form a true Indy focused alternative that everyone can get behind. Is it ALBA, mmmh not sure, but time will tell. What we cannot do is just tick down the clock as the carrot rolls down the road ever so slowly for the next two years and cross our fingers that they will see the light. NS has a stranglehold on a once great party and has all but choked the life out of it.
Well done to Neale and Kenny, Was it televised?
The SNP have their feet firmly under the English states table.
Sickening, it’s a pity the SNPs antics of sucking up ,aren’t published daily.
Now that would be a good show!
🐼🐼🏴🏴
“Was it televised?”
Diane Davidson handily posted a link yesterday. ( Thanks 🙂 )
https://www.barrheadboy.com/there-must-be-no-limits-placed-on-scotlands-right-to-independence-says-hanvey-in-commons-debate/#comment-22185
If they are not willing to walk out of Westminster permanently then we must vote them out.
Deid richt Roddy, fowk cannae ser twa maisters, fer thay aye luve ane an laith the ither. Scottish National Party MP’s settling down at Westminster only enslaves the Scottish people whilst their nation continues to perish, much as we see, which only serves the interest of the colonizer.
The SNP’s daeless ‘petrified’ MP’s need to be much more aware of the independence/decolonization process they claim to advance; according to postcolonial theory, the continued delay to independence will only make matters worse over time. As Aime Cesaire said: “My only consolation is that periods of colonization pass, that nations sleep only for a time, and that peoples remain”.
Cracker, Roddy. So true. I will not be voting for them ever again. Shower of absolute b******s, with one or two exceptions. Keep up the good work that you and all the other bloggers do. Been a feminist all my life, too, but some of those handpicked women that adorn the higher echelons of Holyrood shame us, shame us to the core: promoted way beyond their abilities and without a critical thinking brain cell between the lot of them or a sense of irony either.
They were elected to put forward women’s (and children’s) concerns, as well as men’s, but they do neither, concentrating all their efforts on men who woman face and daft lassies who get their breasts removed, and who will come to regret it bitterly, not to mention applauding the mutilation of children. They are a waste of space. Collaborators. Handmaidens. No different in essentials from Unionist politicians who tell Scots that they have no voice on their own future. Loathsome invertebrates, the lot of them, the anti Scots and the anti females. This is the legacy of that NO vote in 2014. God help us because no one else will, and we refuse to do it for ourselves.
Every Scottish politician should not only be expected to read Alf Baird’s book “Doun-Hauden” but also have to answer questions on the text. Sturgeon and her many “nationalist” politicians would fail the test – miserably.
Mind, they have to give 10 per cent of their salary to the SNP party funds.