For the past few weeks I have not been doing much regarding independence. I have been more an observer than a participant. There exists at present a malaise over the entire movement. It is my opinion if we allow this to continue the cause could be set back decades. That our so-called independence party no longer enthuses, leads or protects the nation is a deeply regrettable situation. Not a single new idea or debate in seven years!
Meanwhile, the Tories have begun the dismantling of our devolved powers. They are doing it unopposed apart from the usual girns and soundbites from the Skye crofter in the imperial Parliament. We are still following Boris in his Covid herd immunity experiment. Nicola pretending we are doing anything different is purely window dressing. Infections, will rocket over the coming weeks and apart from some hand wringing I doubt we will witness much pushback from Sturgeon’s SNP. She will most certainly not close the border. I also doubt I will get to the Alba Conference in September. The infections by then will make sitting in a conference hall a game of Russian roulette!
The public consultation into GRA Reform has been ignored because it did not agree with Nicola so it has been set aside, such is the Sturgeon way. If it doesn’t suit her narrative just delete it, deny it or just prevent the truth coming out. She behaves more like a spoiled, indulged, brat child than a leader.
What has changed in Scotland’s quest for independence since May election? Sadly nothing!
I have thoroughly enjoyed my recent break from blogging and podcasting. Holyrood is in recess and to be frank nothing much was happening anyway. Sturgeon got another mandate to add to her collection and got back to doing what she does best, preening, posing and looking busy without actually doing anything.Therefore, I took the opportunity to take a break from it all.
More importantly my son and my youngest grandchildren came to visit me. I had not seen them for almost two years. Spending quality time with them was my priority and joy. I soaked up every second they were here. We had the most wonderful 17 days imaginable. Sadly it also turned out to be the quickest 17 days in the history of mankind. After I dropped them off at the airport I cannot describe the feeling of sadness and emptiness that enveloped me on my journey back to Casa MacLeod.
The only salvation is that now armed with two jags I will not have to wait a further two years before reuniting with my family. I am already planning a visit to Dubai in the not too distant future.Only the crippling heat of the Middle East in summer is delaying me.
While I was taking my break, I was still keeping up with the ‘chat’ on social media and enjoying the output of my fellow New Media colleagues. I was delighted to see the debate I began over the voting franchise is still alive and being discussed. Believe me when I say I am just beginning on that topic, there is so much more to explore and discuss. I know that is uncomfortable for some in our movement. It is vital that we ensure the best possible franchise for Scotland in any future plebiscite. By best I simply mean the one most advantageous to a YES outcome. Those that suggest this is blood and soil nationalism or those that oppose any alteration to the losing franchise of 2014 need to answer these two simple questions.
1. Name any other nation on this planet that allows foreign nationals a vote on their Constitutional matters?
2. Why would you want to retain a franchise that you know lessens the chances of Scottish self-determination?
To the SNP 1 2 voters, let me ask you this,
1. In the past seven years, can you name the positive steps that the party has taken to advance the cause of independence?
2. Do you honestly believe that the present leadership is capable or even interested in uniting the entire Yes Movement for an Independence campaign?
3. What practical steps have been put in place to advance the cause of independence since May?
4. How does GRA Reform as presented advance the case for Scottish Independence?
5. How does the Hate Crime Bill advance the case for Scottish Independence?
6. Can you put your hand on your heart and say you truly believe that Sturgeon puts independence ahead of gender issues?
7. If the SNP are serious, about independence, why has all work on the draft referendum bill been halted at Holyrood?
I would hate to leave out our unionist friends from this review. For you I leave my trusty number one question. If you can ever answer it then perhaps your union is saveable after all.
1. Can you name three things that can only be achieved by the British Union that cannot be achieved by an independent Scotland?
These are just a few basic questions that those of you that oppose, Scottish independence or altering the voting franchise need to answer. It also requires those that believe that the SNP is the only vehicle to independence to answer some fundamental questions and to face up to reality.
Over the coming weeks I hope to offer up some suggestions, questions and debate points that will hopefully result in us finding a path to independence. To quote the great Albert Einstein. “Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing Over and Over Again and Expecting Different Results.”
We need to stop repeating our same mistakes. We need to get some fresh ideas to give us some impetus. My grandchildren and that entire generation will never forgive us if we fail Scotland now! We need to do whatever it takes to bring about Scottish independence.
It’s good to be back.
Saor Alba gu brath.
Unfortunately a number of pro Indy sites have turned out to be merely pro SNP sites and have blocked a number of bloggers, including myself. We have managed to frustrate these efforts to close us down through our readers sharing our articles and building our audience. In addition many have taken out free direct subscriptions. I very much appreciate this support.
Great to have you back Roddy, you’ve been missed.
I understand totally your feelings on being separated from your children and grandchildren. My own youngest son has been in Hong Kong since January 2020 and we’ve spoken on the phone and even video called, but it’s just not the same. There’s still no sight of him coming home any time soon, it’s very frustrating and sad. He is very happy, I’m delighted to report, but would be happier if he could see his old Mum and Dad and siblings.
Excellent as ever Roddy —the Sturgeonista are now at the Jim Jones juncture where everyone that opposes them is a unionist in some guise and wee Peter of the permanent smirk is mixing the Kool Aid as we speak .What a bunch of frauds they are but l notice on Twitter at lease the men in Skirts are now having a hard time and as for the Hate crime bill Humza is as clueless as he always appears to be .More power to your elbow
Well said Roddy, glad to see you back in the fray, I was beginning to wonder if you’d given up the fight as a lost cause, to be honest I wouldn’t blame you if you did it certainly looks that way at the moment.
I want to see an independent Scotland that is inclusive and welcoming to people from all over the UK and the wider world but I’ve never understood why we allowed so many non Scots the vote in 2014, this was a Scottish question for Scottish people,
It is utterly ridiculous for us to expect English people to vote against the British union even those who’ve made Scotland their home, their loyalties will always lie with their homeland and that’s perfectly natural just in the same way your loyalties lie here in Scotland even though you’ve made Catalonia your home.
If all the above make me a blood and soil nationalist then that’s what I am calling me names won’t change anything, but for those English people who voted to keep us under their domination I call supremists, the morally decent thing for them to do in 2014 would have been to abstain but mother England comes first and always will and why shouldn’t it
Good to see you back Roddy
Why shouldn’t it, Wullie? Because the UKG signed up to the UN Charter and is a signatory to human rights and other international law, that’s why it shouldn’t. No one ever bothers to tell them that they are breaching international law and decency. It’s time they were told, and, if they don’t like it, tough. If we are not prepared to play hard now, we will almost certainly find ourselves in a NI situation in the not-too-distant future. rUK people are welcome, but they must honour their side of the bargain. Scotland is NOT the same country as England and never was – ever in our mutual history. The UK is a Union of once-independent states, a principality and a province. It is not and never was Greater England.
Good to see you back, Roddy, after your short break. I’ve been reading Alf Baird’s impressive book “DOUN-HAUDEN”. If that book had been around all these years ago when I was a student, we’d be independent by now. It’s a “MUST READ” for all Scots.
I agree, Jan. I was hugely impressed with Doun-Hauden as it is so well researched and so much to think about. Have you been following Alf Baird’s essays based on it published by Iain Lawson under his Yours for Scotland blog?
Alf expands some of his ideas there and it’s very readable.
I’ve now got The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon, inspired by reading Doun-Hauden as Alf refers to it a lot, but it’s harder going, though very thought provoking.
Really missed you Roddy. I was afraid that you would be gone a lot longer. Hang in there, we need you.
Welcome back. And no we mustn’t shy away from having a grown up conversation about the voting franchise and the future of Scotland.
Hi.
I understand what saying about the franchise but would it not be better to have main residence as the qualifications. Strictly enforced this would prevent holiday home owners and transient students voting but include people who have made a decision to make Scotland their home? To my mind enforcement is more of an issue than nationality. We already demand people are resident for two years before becoming eligible for free tuition fees. Good to see you back refreshed by the way.
I suggest you read my earlier blog
https://www.barrheadboy.com/our-independence-our-rules/
The first part of the blog is the most important the mechanism to dissolve the union.
I’m ashamed to say I missed that particular blog, barrheadboy. I’ve now read it. It is essential reading/viewing.
Paul, can’t agree I’m afraid on the residency point. The bottom line is some of these transient students become fully employed after gaining their Honours degrees (and beyond).
I worked for a ‘Global’ Consulting Engineers here in Glasgow with a staff of 300 plus. In 2014, my department alone of 60 or so. We had 4 Irish (1 NI), 6 Polish, 3 Greek, 1 Romanian and 2 Oxford Graduates.
Similarly we sent a number overseas.
All graduates (apart from the posh Oxford sorts) from Scottish Uni’s, all resident and all eligible to vote.
2 Irish voted for Indy as did 2 of the Greeks, no idea about the Poles but by 2019 every singlebone had gone home because their economy had almost levelled with ours. One Greek was a remainer because her husband worked in banking and they were more or less instructed to do so.
The point I’m trying to make is residency is no yardstick unless its made over a substantial period of time like 10 years or so.
For myself, if we adopt a more European style of franchise (although there will) there shouldn’t be cause for complaint. I’m sure some residents/ retirees from the South will be angry, some not, but that’s just English entitlement talking. Can’t think the French, Italian or Portuguese contingent will complain, even if they are resident.
Currently WM are attempting to disenfranchise a million or two of the poorest British residents by the introduction of ID in the form of driving Licences or passports which they may not have or can afford.
WM Tories are happy to move the goalposts to suit themselves – why shouldn’t we?
(All predicated on there being another Indy ref of course)
Massive welcome back Roddy.
Another referendum in the form of the last is an absolute is an absolute elephant trap for the independence movement.
It is a rigged plebiscite. In 2014 over 72% of people who were not born in Scotland voted No. since then nearly half a million people, predominately English have moved into Scotland. Another referendum where the franchise is extended to predominately English immigrants will kill independence stone dead.
But there is no need for a rigged referendum. The 1707 Act of Union is a fully recognised international treaty. Scotland could dissolve the Union through legal process. Dissolve the Treaty, take our MPs back from Westminster, could all be done, and legally so with international recognition.
But Westminster don’t want you to know that. And their apparatchiks the SNP don’t want you to know that either. Scotland is in the teeth of the biggest colonial onslaught since 1707 and the objective is to destroy utterly the Scottish social, political and cultural identity.
Well some good news today at least, you are back, you may not think it, but we Auld timers in the INDEPENDENCE movement need you bloggers to keep us up to date with the goings on now that so many of us have left the party we helped to build..
My brother-in-law who is English, actually said, WHY would you give ENGLISH people a VOTE in your referendum, he is one of the English people that has lived here for some years now, he voted YES, and was a member of the SNP as well. He believes in INDEPENDENCE.. He is also disgusted by his own home country & how it treats Scotland, something he NEVER believed until he saw it or felt it for himself..
My sister & I have always believed that anyone that has a period of at least 10yrs residency in this country, no matter where they came from, should be entitled to vote here..
I have to say after reading Alf Baird, & seeing the graph on who voted what way in our referendum. I am inclined to believe that we must go the same way as every other country that won it’s INDEPENDENCE from England.. Just dissolve the UNION and take back our country…
I have never believed in referendums anyway. As I have always believed Scotland will NEVER win a referendum, seeing that graph and now knowing how many English folk move here a year. I understand it all so much better too.
I do not want a referendum, OR a plebiscite election knowing that English plantation is going on in this country. We ARE being colonised. So our only option is to ensure we have more Indy parties in this country than Unionist ones, and we the indigenous Scots vote for what Alex Salmond called for a majority of Indy seats won in HR, & we do the same as in 2015 with the GE. But do NOT take up the seats..
There is no point to that, if you want to leave that UNION & that Parliament then stay the hell out of it. But take the seats away from the Scottish UNIONISTS. Then declare INDY, if we have to keep waiting on the SNP doing anything about INDY, us Scots will be hugely outnumbered. I am a member and subscribe to NOW SCOTLAND.. But to be honest I see nor hear anything from them about moving forward. If we don’t get our INDY movement back to where is was before Sturgeon became leader. Then SHE has won..
Agreed, Kate. Independence will not be handed to us on a plate. We have to get our hands dirty. We have to fight for independence.
Kate, however you look at it, the SNP still won the SE just gone. They are perfectly entitled now to introduce an independence bill, pending the resiling of the Treaty in international law (it will have to be resiled however we reach independence because it, and only it, forms the basis of the Union, and Westminster and the Lord know that, even if most Scots don’t). Seeking to resile the Treaty on the introduction of the bill will ensure that we are recognised internationally, and that our central bank, currency and borrowing powers are also recognized immediately.
Afterwards, we can hold a ratifying referendum to put the bill into law as an Act of the Scottish parliament as is. In effect, it would be creating itself into the (now democratic) parliament of a Scotland which had its independence restored. All those rUK who do not wish to remain in Scotland after independence, or who feel they cannot vote for it, will have the opportunity to leave at this point.
The rest would be offered temporary citizenship until they were able to apply for it (at a nominal cost), while Scots-born Scots would have it conferred on them immediately. Dual citizenship for all non-indigenous Scots should be possible, and, eventually, dual nationality for their off-spring. That should placate those who would not wish to give up their original heritage. Trident on our soil is a huge problem and I think we need to look hard at how we can negotiate with the US (rUK will do as its told if the US agrees to its removal).
I don’t believe we will be able to negotiate the removal of Trident without being a member of NATO, although there is no reason why we shouldn’t try, but, realistically, we may have to make that choice. What we must not do is agree is to lease our facilities for many years on some vague promise that they will be removed at a later date, because accidents can happen at any time.
Another question that Scots of all hues need to answer. Given Scotland and England are legally equal partners with equal authority to the state, why do Scots believe that the English government has sole authority? MP and population numbers are irrelevant as the treaty was drawn up when Scotland was governed primarily by the kirks and various charters not parliament. Nor is there anything in the treaty that grants dominion based on either or a majority vote. Nor is there a party political system. So, given both countries are equals who decided that England spoke for all of GB?
One would think that the Scots, especially those who purport to want Scotland’s statehood reinstated, would be demanding that Scotland’s representatives not only assert their authority but act in the capacity they were elected and legally recognised within the treaty. As equal partners. A partner does not allow the other to walk all over them and make all decisions that affect them. And one that seeks to dissolve that partnership does not seek permission to do so. It takes action.
Scotland’s representatives and many Scots seem happy to wait at least another half decade for a mere sniff of an opinion poll, claiming that Scotland cannot act before that as there are far more important issues to deal with before then. Yet, isn’t that an admission that Scotland would be incapable of running its own affairs if it can only do one thing or the other? Do they think that the English establishment will put their attempts to extinguish Scotland on a backburner until Scotland has dealt with it’s other issue? And whatever excuse it can think of next? Of course not. Already the English government have enacted in all but name the new English Act of Union (2017-2019) Bill. The last piece it required was the IM Act and yet where is the outrage? Why is the Scottish government permitting such a fundamental breach of the treaty? Surely, if they were true about wanting Scotland’s statehood reasserted they would not only highlight every breach but would on account of the breaches dissolve the treaty, no refs needed! Whatever happened to needing only to return a pro-indy majority of Scots MPs to the parliament of GB? And why do folk seem to think that the time-frame in which they can act is only in the first month? It would appear that the Scots including their representatives have bought hook, line and sinker the English government and its establishment line that Scotland was extinguished and subsumed into a greater England albeit under the new name of UK as espoused by Crawford and Boyle and promoted by the English government. And sadly by Scotland’s own representatives too who refuse to recognise the English government as their partner not their superior.
Welcome back Roddy , you have been
missed but looks like you have not been slacking and some good points to be explored.
Something that gets on my goat is the phrase. The People of Scotland. Let’s get away from this and use proper terminology. The Scottish People
Therefore if you are from some other part of the world you will recognise that you are not Scottish.That should make it easier for those people to understand that they have no right to participate in any way in Scotlands political direction or in any political process.
Born and live in Scotland you can participate in the decision making process across all matters.
All occupations to be advertised in Scotland to give indigenous people the opportunity for well paid employment and all avenues exhausted before any other persons may be considered.
I would say 20 years tax paying residency should suffice to secure a say in running of Scotlands.
People moving to Scotland must be able to provide for their own health care, rather than burdening the Scottish people with the cost as is the case at this present time.
Do in Scotland what is done in other countries, work by international rules. We cannot afford to be nicey nicey and that we are aw jock tamsons bairns so come and live here.
The SNP The Scottish Nasty Party want the indigenous people of Scotland watered down to the minority status in our own country and to be forever the north of England.
Glad you are back and my go too trio is complete again. Your break priority is spot on they are the ones that really matter.
Best Lindsay
Good to hear you eventually got some time with the grandbairns
A successful independence movement takes independence, not begs for it on it’s knees.
Glad you had a lovely family reunion, BB. Great to have you back. Great post as per.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Hurrah 👋🏻 Welcome back.
“… The public consultation into GRA Reform has been ignored because it did not agree with Nicola so it has been set aside, such is the Sturgeon way… ”
Have noticed recently that the new way of approaching this issue for some is to sit astride the fence: being supportive of trans is not being anti woman, apparently. No, I suppose you can want proper recognition of trans ‘rights’ (not that there are any left to get, as far as I can see) and still support women, too. Nah, you can’t, not in reality, which comes pretty close to the biological argument being rooted in reality, too.
If you want to have trans women in women’s spaces and rights, you are then taking a side – the trans one. There is, literally, no way you can reconcile trans determination to access all women’s spaces, sports, jobs, health (mental and physical), services, etc. without eliminating women from same. Safety, privacy dignity for women and girls cannot be squared with colonizing trans (physically male) incursions. That probably well over three-quarters of these ‘trans women’ are autogynephiles and festishists (and heterosexual despite their apparent ‘womanhood’) just doesn’t really sit right with the feminine no matter how you twist and wriggle.
Sorry, Mr Pullman (writer and Twitter spatter) you are being illogical, as Mr Spock would say, or, it just does not compute, as Data would say. Isn’t it women who are supposed to have illogical ladybrains? We don’t have to be horrible to each other, but the supremacy of trans rights will lead to the utter subordination of women’s rights, and women will not let that happen, so, no, you have declared your allegiance and it is not with women, and it appears as if Jeggit has, too, since he supports Mr Pullman’s arguments. Disappointing.
Lorna, can I bring to your attention this most excellent initiative by ‘Sex Matters’ organisation. Namely sponsor a copy of Helen Joyce’s book ‘Trans’ charting the rise of the Ideology. Highly recommended. I have nominated my copy to go to my MSP. (and forget Nicola, she’s already on the list).
Think this is brilliant, imagine if all the handmaidens in Holyrood received one, what a great message to send.
https://sex-matters.org/take-action/sponsor-a-gift-copy-of-helen-joyces-book-trans/
I already had mine on order when this suggestion raised its head. I don’t know what you do about those who will never read it, and I just don’t have the wherewithal to waste money on people who don’t give a flying whatsit. Sorry, Nally, but I am way past that now. I want them ousted from the SNP, not sent books. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a great initiative if you can afford to do it, and I support it as an initiative. The party needs to have all of them out, not just the leadership – ALL of the creatures who are little better than collaborators and seat-warmers. That mistake was made in 2007 when the foot-draggers were left to foment their inevitable rise to the top again to take over the party (and the real reason for Alec Salmond’s orchestrated, and almost pulled-off, demise when it looked like he might be thinking of coming back into front-line politics). They, and the pseudo ‘wokerati’, the self-righteous virtue-signallers and the honest-to-goodness witless cabal all need to go – out on their fat a***s or their fat heads, as topsy-turvy is their game.
I’m so glad you enjoyed every single moment with your family. That is so important for your well-being & anything that could make you as happy as you were, is what we wished for you.
But it’s good to hear from you again. Can’t wait to read what’s in yer head now about Indy. More ideas are just what we need at the moment. Welcome back.
I am a believer in Civic nationalism and welcome all who come to Scotland to play their part in Scottish society. These people want to live in Scotland. However many are living here accidentally by circumstances, are just passing through or merely wanting the advantages that accrue to those who live in the best part of UK. Any political attachments are to their native country or to the UK. Surely those with a real interest in Scotland would happily forgo a vote if they realised such restriction was protecting Scotland while there should be no care given on this subject, for the demands of transient visitors, second home owners and incoming Anglophiles. Once independence is decided all residents would continue voting as before but on the one vote deciding the future of the country there must be limits based on birth, parentage and residency. What those limits are requires debate .
The SNP needs the money that being at Westminster provides .A levy on MPs and Short money is needed to pay the over £1m salary amount for staff.