May I straight away take this opportunity to thank the Alba Party delegates for re-electing me on to the NEC at Stirling this week? Last year I was unable to attend Greenock Conference however that did not stop you electing me first on the list on that occasion too.If that wasn’t flattering enough I was elected on the first ballot with no need for transfers. My message was simple, last year I promised to be the conduit for the ordinary rank and file members and not just a nodding head.
While I hold certain views, contrary to the leadership, I am first and foremost a democrat.I did that to the best of my ability last year, and I pledge myself to act in the members interest again this year and always.
You really shouldn’t stand for the NEC if you do not believe in the core policies of the party. Also promoting the interests of another party is just an inexcusable position to take.
I spoke on two motions at the weekend, one I was on the successful side and prevailed. That was the Defence Motion which included the immediate removal of WMD from Scotland. It also held up the position of the independence movement for over 70 years that of neutrality. My greatest joy is that Alba membership believes that in an independent Scotland we should not seek membership of NATO. This vote was unanimous and pleased me greatly. There is nothing defensive about NATO.
The other motion I supported was on Abstentionism by ALBA MPs at Westminster going forward. Although Tasmina cut me a bit of slack on my timing, I was woefully out on the allotted time. I feel so passionate about this topic I wrote not a speech but a blog. I was and remain angry at myself for not being more attentive to the length of my contribution. A salutary lesson going forward. I am completely behind the party position now. It is called democracy. Perhaps at a future conference I will get another chance to plead my case. I may also at an appropriate time post my entire speech as a blog. That appropriate time is not in the near future.
The Conference was full of debate and passion. It reminded me of another party many moons ago. However, those days are in the past now! We really do need to remind ourselves the Alba Party is only 18 months old! In political terms this is the blink of an eye. We are on the move, and the leadership has a plan of several strands. We all need to get behind this strategy.Should it prove unsuccessful as democrats we can convene and make our feelings known and replace the strategy in the future if the majority so decides!
On Saturday night we held our second Live Audience Prism. This gives those that perhaps do not feel confident enough to stand on a podium a chance to ask the questions they want answered. The debate and contributions were lively, and no topics were off limits. Watch for yourself and I hope you enjoy the show as much as myself, Eva Comrie, Robert Reed, Yvonne Ridley and Robert Slavin enjoyed recording it.
In all the years I have been doing this blog and podcast I have never held a Crowdfunder. I am lucky to have some kind souls who make monthly donations and one off payments to my blogsite. However last week we could only find a very expensive location to record Through A Scottish Prism. Again I at a loss of words over the generosity of our members. We covered the cost, and we are humbled by your kind hearts.
Ongoing I will be opening a Through A Scottish Prism on line shop. We will be selling Polo Shirts, T Shirts, Baseball caps, Pens and Keyrings. More on that later when the site is up and ready to accept orders. This way we can fund the TASP Roadshow you have indicated you want.
“Polo Shirts, T Shirts, Baseball caps, Pens and Keyrings.”
How original, big demand for more of those i think… not.
How about TASP branded Kaleidoscopes could probably get them in Tartan Skins from China
in time for Xmas , great novelty with a message in time for Xmas.
And with Guy Fakes night coming up how about online bangers ?
How about Festive Pinata with images of Truss and Boris ?
How tragic it us being a British Nationslist all you have is bile and hatred to your own country of birth and thise that want to bring it to normality. I pity you more than anything. How pathetic your life must be.
Well done on your selection to the NEC BB from your resident yoon. Being on the NEC of any party is important and its good to see you being magnanimous in one of your 2 motions. Seems from here a proper NEC from the abomination of an NEC in the SNP. Will listen to the prism later.
Good stuff Roddy Boy.
Your contributions, those of other contributors and the many below the line commentators show that there is an independence movement out there and outside the now hollowed out SNP.
Last week’s SNP conference and election of members to the NEC brought into sharp focus the extent to which the SNP is now hollowed out. The example of the West of Scotland which is said to have 15,000 members electing a convener on the basis of 26 out of 50 votes, more than demonstrates how disengaged and or reduced SNP membership actually is.
And where the members go and or become disengaged the wider electorate will follow. Death is written all over Sturgeon and her clique’s SNP and this is why a new reinvigorated movement be it Salvo, SSRG, Alba, the ISP are growing.
So Roddy, keep up the good work that you do with your blog and TASP. Dark forces may have nobbled the SNP but they haven’t blunted the wider movement.
Afternoon all, just been catching up. I thoroughly enjoyed again the passionate live debate from both the panel and the engaged audience. To think, following our independence referendum of 2014 and the subsequent events that came about… if Alex had of been able to hand over the indy-reins to Alba’s Eva (instead of Sturgeon), Scotland would have returned to being an independent country again well by now. This we know.
Sturgeon is not a leader; Sturgeon is not a Wallace and is more suited to being a ‘Grommet’.
(also known as a political ring-piece).
Will be keeping an aye-out for when the TASP merch goes live!