I was still at school when I first joined the SNP in 1968. Then the HQ was in Elmbank Street, Glasgow. I didn’t renew it the following year, records, cafes, and single cigarettes seemed a better investment for a teenager. I became active for the Party in the 1970s. I could take up an entire blog detailing my branches and activities over the years. Suffice to say candidate three times (reluctantly) every branch office except Convener. I never craved front and centre and preferred being a worker bee. I have no idea how many Annual Conferences and National Councils I have attended. They were usually all around the Stirling area for sake of fairest location for all of our few members to attend. I expect now some branches have more members than the entire Party had in the 1970s and 1980s.There was definitely a family feeling about the Party because it was a movement and not really a political party.

I have been through the good times as well as the bad. Indeed the ones running the show now have no idea just how hard a shift it was in those days. We spent more time fund raising than politicking. Money was always tight and in many constituencies, probably most, there wasn’t enough money to leaflet the entire electorate. You would choose the areas we thought our message would be best received. When we canvassed there was no system to collect the data for future use. No computers back then and so few members we only scratched the surface. I loved it and always enjoyed campaigning. I loved the excitement of it all, usually right up to the point where the boxes were opened at the count. When at National Council or Conference the greats like Donald Stewart or Winnie Ewing spoke it was like being the presence of greatness. They had broken the mould and won elections over and over again. I would hang on every word and try and get tips for success. Everyone was approachable we were all on the same side, the same goal, a majority of Westminster seats and we would be free. You had to be optimistic, at one point Donald Stewart was our only MP and Winnie our only MEP. Over the decades I have fought more losing elections than winning ones. I am glad I did it, though. Had we few not been the hardcore, the Party would not be where it is today. I am privileged and honoured to have been a teeny weeny part of the success we now enjoy.

From 2007 till now for my generation, it has been a sweet time. All the doors slammed in our faces, the abuse and ridicule, the despair and anguish have been worth it. We now have a Parliament in Scotland. We have been in power there for 13 years. We have had an Independence Referendum. We have had landslide Westminster victories, though no independence. We have more councillors than any other party. We are the giants of politics in Scotland, and yet, and yet it doesn’t feel so good anymore. It does not feel like a movement anymore. It doesn’t feel like independence is our reason to get up in the morning. Independence seems as far away as it has ever been.

Prior to the influx of new members in 2014, there was a completely different feel to the party. It was bound to change, especially with a new Party Leader. There was no other possible choice than Nicola Sturgeon. It was the right choice. She has been an outstanding administrator and leader of the devolved government. There has been none better. Even if devolution continues, I think she will never be bettered. I do not mean just in Scotland. I include Wales and Northern Ireland too. I have said before, and I reaffirm she has squeezed everything out the devolution settlement that is possible. No one could have achieved more under the straitjacket of the Scotland Act.

All that said I think the Party and Movement has stalled since 2014.The SNP is our vehicle to the holy grail of independence however it has remained stationary in terms of independence and needs a push. Instead of working 24×7 towards independence the Party is ripping itself apart over Gender issues and  trying to introduce a draconian Hates Crime Bill. Some of our MSPs and Cabinet Secretaries seem more intent on attacking YES Supporters than Unionist naysayers. All the while the union remains as intact as it did on 19/09/2014. The polls may be consistently showing 50%+ in favour of independence, the SNP though seem stuck in neutral. To the ‘fundamentalists like me the gradualism tactic has run its course. While we do nothing to advance independence the dark forces of Unionism are beavering away planning against Scottish democracy. Our enemies are preparing a power grab.

Down in the English Parliament our Westminster leader has moved on from’ we will not let ourselves be dragged out of the EU against our will.’ To’ We will not accept a lowering of food standards.’ Soon I expect we will start hearing ‘We will not tolerate this power grab.’

There is, though, a stirring in the movement. The grassroots are getting restless and frustrated. The recent protest at the border was a symptom of that frustration over the inaction of the SNP in Edinburgh. Over the past few days George Kerevan, Kenny Macaskill have expressed concern at both the lack of urgency and direction of the Party. Business for Scotland held an on-line poll that showed a huge 26% of SNP voters are open to supporting an Independence List Party. All these respected individuals and organisation see the sense in piling the pressure on the Party and the Unionist seat warmers. Several bloggers myself included have expressed concern at the lack of urgency by the Party to promote anything that has the word independence attached to it.

Jackson Carlaw a man born in Scotland, a Scot apparently has welcomed the news that the English Parliament is poised to inflict a power grab on our Scottish Parliament. The Tories have firmly nailed their colours to the mast. They will stand aside as our democracy is stolen.What the Anglo-Brits and House-Jocks have been unable to achieve at the ballot box will now be done under the guise of Westminster supremacy. Neither should we look to the alleged 4th Estate to protect our democracy. These people over the decades have shown themselves to be the ones Rabbie Burns rightly described as, A  Parcel o’ Rogues.

The only people capable of preventing this affrontery to democracy are ourselves. Next May we need to flush as many Unionist lapdogs out of our Parliament as we possibly can. By May 2021 the Parliament is very likely to have been hollowed out. That will not take away from a ballot box that gives the SNP 99% of the Constituency seats and 80% of all the seats to Independence MSPs. It will also be a jolt to the SNP to stop messing around with divisive non-independence matters and concentrate on the main goal, Independence nothing else!

Between now and the election, we need to disrupt and agitate against this power grab. We need to speak to and convince our neighbours and friends about the pending Coup d’état. We need to educate and convince people on the need for SNP1 and List Party 2. Anyone with a better plan needs to speak up soon. The House Jock sell outs and their English Lords and masters are about to move us from an alleged partner in a union of Equals to an occupied region of Greater England. No more can we have please may we have, no more Gold Standard nonsense. We take, we do not wait! There is no alternative the English Tory Party aided and abetted by a corrupt media are on course to steal our nation. Will you be found wanting?