I have only ever been a member of one political party, the SNP. I have only ever voted for one party, the SNP. I have been a council candidate several times, an election agent, held most offices in the branch, delivered thousands and thousands of leaflets, canvassed, stood at street stalls, marched, fund raised, donated, the full gambit in other words. Back in the days before the party was the giant it is today there were occasions, particularly at council level when we could not field SNP candidates. When my particular ward had no SNP option, I abstained rather than vote for a Unionist. I just could never find it in myself to give my X to any other Party. When it comes to Local Authority Elections nowadays, the STV system is in place in Scotland. I have no problem with this system. I follow the adage as it was meant and Vote till I boke. I boke at the bit where I run out of SNP Candidates. Some of our own commentariat advise that we should vote down the entire list. This was never the meaning of Vote Till You Boke. I took the decision when STV was introduced that I would never give any unionist a vote whether as first or tenth preference. Sooner or later your vote counts and no vote of mine will ever be counted for a unionist.
At every Holyrood Election since 1999, I have given both my votes to the SNP. It wasn’t until 2016 that I finally got an FPTP, SNP, MSP, Tom Arthur. Next year Tom, a man I know personally will, of course, get my vote in the constituency. Dependent on my health I may very well go home to Barrhead in 2021 and work my socks off to help get him deservedly re-elected. My seat is in the West of Scotland List. We won eight FPTP Constituency seats, Labour won 1 and Tories won 1. The SNP didn’t gain a single List seat. The Tories gained three, and Labour gained three the Greens 1. This meant after crushing all our opponents in the constituencies the SNP had eight seats and the Unionists had eight seats at Holyrood.
I believe in Scottish Independence. The SNP has always been the vehicle I have believed in to get us self-determination. That has not changed or ever likely to change, even after recent events. I have loyally followed my party of choice my entire adult life. Until the famous press conference on 31/01/2020, I had hardly ever uttered a word of criticism against the party. I have not always agreed with the Party. I was in fact in the 1980s in that ‘faction’ labelled as Fundamentalists by the foreign owned and run media in Scotland. The other name they gave the SNP members was Gradualists. Simply put some of us back in the 80s, and the 90s didn’t think devolution was the way to go. Others like Alex Salmond were of the opinion that the best way to win independence was to first show the people of Scotland we could govern well with limited powers and that they would then trust us with full powers. People on my side of the debate believed devolution was a trap to buy us off and our mantra was Independence Nothing Less.
Fortunately for the Party and the cause Alex and others won that argument. With the gift of hindsight, they were absolutely right and we were wrong. Unlike unionists we in the Independence movement are able to admit when we get something wrong. Unionism is unique in global politics they never get anything wrong!
I do, however believe that Gradualism has had its day and we need to be more aggressive and demanding in our pursuit of independence. I have already written of my disappointment with the Party’s stance since the General Election. I think we have a fantastic leader, however it is my opinion she is surrounded by totally unsuitable advisers and strategists.
We need boldness not temerity. Over the years I have had many issues where I have been at odds with the Party. Gradualism was one , NATO, The Monarchy, are just a few of the others. My biggest disagreement today is our insistence on trying to gain our independence while using the Westminster rules. That is a strategy that we can never win, it is their game, their rules, they load the dice! To win, we need to make up and play by our own rules.
I have always as a democrat accepted the majority view on policy. I believe if you are in a democratic party that is what you do and how you behave. Till at least after Independence I think it highly improbable I would ever leave the SNP over a policy issue. It would have to be a monumental change for that to happen. Renouncing Independence as a goal would be one. The acceptance of WMD or Nuclear Power generation as policy is another that could trigger my resignation, not much else. That is not to say that I do not find some things within the Party not to my liking. The GRA is a point in case. This should not have been allowed to become the toxic dividing matter it has. I put this down again to the people surrounding the First Minister. There seems to be a rather nasty vindictive crew that are being allowed to bully and harass anyone in the Party that does not back their very narrow view on GRA. There is every likelihood me even mentioning this in my blog could result in this lot trying to find some way of having me removed from the party, they are viscous and nasty.
I am the same as most independence supporters I only want what is best for the cause. I have over the recent weeks been approached by some fellow Yessers on the matter of a new list only independence party. This firstly came into public discourse following a brilliant article by Stu Campbell last year on this very topic. Since then others have also made moves in that direction. I was asked by some individuals my opinion on this concept. I am, of course, very flattered that anyone would seek out my views on such an important matter. My opinion is straightforward. I think under the correct circumstances and providing there is unity among the Yes Movement this would deliver a thumping Independence majority at Holyrood next year.
There are, however, many variables that could go wrong with this idea. A few that immediately spring to mind are, more than one List Party is formed. That the List Party of choice does not get buy in from the wider Yes Movement. Not enough of the 2nd votes go to List Party. That the SNP loses constituency votes and seats. The latest Survation Poll put SNP on 50% in the Constituency and 38% the list. This would generate 64 constituency MSPs and Zero list seats. Should those % remain constant then the List Party idea is a necessity, not an option. The view of the SNP will be to encourage everyone to Vote SNP 1 & 2, swathes of their voters will do as the Party asks. In 2016 the SNP received 960,000+ list votes and gained just four List seats. Three of those seats came in the South Scotland area, one in Highlands and Islands. Those two regions are the least populated areas of Scotland. In all the other regions and parts of Scotland all those 2nd SNP List votes were worthless. Lastly, and probably the biggest danger to this plan succeeding is ego. Many people will have to be willing to park their egos for the common weal. Individually everyone has to decide do they want to see a huge Independence Majority at Holyrood or will they be satisfied with the SNP as the largest Party and dependent on the Greens for their conditional support?
Over the coming weeks and months, this topic will be discussed, tweeted, posted more and more. The Green supporters and Unionists will certainly attack the concept with gusto. They are the ones that will suffer the most if we as a movement manage this properly. Those that have closed minds and repeat the false mantra about ‘splitting the vote’ or ‘gaming the system’ will be noisy in their opposition. Just as with British Unionists on the union who refuse to see a different viewpoint you will have Yessers with closed minds on a List Party.
I would say to everyone take on board everything you hear and read and make up your own mind. I want independence more than anything. I am loyal to my Party, however my greatest loyalty is to my nation. I will always do what I think is best for Scotland. You have to do what you think is best for Scotland.
Saor Alba gu brath.
I don’t know why you are so anti Green. We are relentlessly pro indy and actually had the policy of independence subject to a referendum before the SNP. We are a proper, democratic party and part of an international movement. We have many young members. The planet is also burning.
Personally I am so against it because of actions like siding with Unionists on too many occassions for example to have OBFA repealed and just like Unionists offered no alternative policy.
Siding with Unionists against Business rates, Backing Kezia Dugdale in her case against a Pro Independence blogger. The latest contortions on this years budget taking ideology to the limit over A9 and A96.dualling. PH stance on GRA is as bad as the mob that have grabbed this issue in the SNP. Lastly for being so stupid to bite the hand that feeds you with second votes. Does that clear it up for you?
Thanks for accepting my comment and your reply. The OBFA was a bad piece of legislation already covered by existing Scots Law (my husband is a lawyer). Business rates should be devised more locally, but I agree councils (mainly unionist) are crap. Agree with the Kezia comment. We need to stop building roads but we do need to make them safe. Agree over GRA, I think MI5 have infiltrated the SNP and Greens over this (I nearly resigned from SGP over this). Don’t understand last bit, some SNP voters give Greens their second votes (some (nearly all?) ) Greens give SNP their first votes (including me) but SNP as a party never gives us the nod, and we have supported SNP on many, many occasions.
List party with Pat Lee looks to be the only game in town and it should deliver the indy majority with no real downside to the SNP. If they lose a few list MSPs it is a price worth paying to get rid of the unionist squatters.
Actually Lee’s idea does not involve having a List party it is more to be a conduit for campaigning.
The people I have been in conversation with are not in the Alliance it is a stand alone party
Pat Lee of Solidarity? The entryists never give up do they? Definitely NOT the only game in town. List party must be non-agenda, only for independence. No former names from Solidarity or RISE or it will again be lucky to get 1% of the list vote as combined they did last time.
I repeat again the Party I have referred to in my blog has been formed by ex members of SNP, Greens and Labour Party. The Alliance is a separate entity completely.
Not sure if you are referring to the independence party scotland that george kerevan is now promoting. But we spoke with them also and their main greivance for starting their own party was the disagreement around GRA. So basically another snp but with a policy difference.
As for the AYE Alliance, i am working within the alliance and am also ex snp and have been a candidate for them in the past on more than one occasion aswell as working on a ton of campaigns. Most of the Allioance members are ex snp or from smaller parties like solidarity etc. I must say though, this is not a front for any party whatsoever and neither is it being run by Mr Sheridan or anyone else from Solidarity or the SSP. This is a grassroots movement of YES groups and even some snp groups from all over Scotland. So it is not a socialist movement nor an snp 2 movement. Hope that helps clear things up
Thanks for this Jim, I am aware of all the different groups trying to make this happen. I remain resolute in my belief that there needs to be a single entity,an entity that the YES Movement buys into en-masse and the biggest obstacle to that happening as my blog indicated is ego.
I am committed to the principle of a List Party and will do all I can to see this project or similar come to fruition.I am not taking sides I am only ever on Scotland’s side and what is best for self determination. Several different groups standing on the list slagging each other off does not help that aim. Accommodations need to be found and with goodwill they can be found. IMHO
Good points, we need to get rid of the unionist list squatters. play by our rules
nor theirs; quite right the dice are loaded. M15 probably have infiltrated us with the aim
of sowing discord, of which factionalism will be their objective. Unity, above all else, must be our response
Sir, I have been a Scottish nationalist since 96/97 and along the way I have come to support Plaid Cymru and Sinn Fein. For a brief moment I was a card carrying SNP member. I am most glad my gut instinct was right. All the parties I am supporting are beginning to gain power and/or form government. Now we are seeing all the lies since 100s of years ago are unravelling. Truth and falsehood is like water to oil; it can never mix and will eventually separate.
For the past few years though, SNP leadership was and still is concerning me. I have nagging feeling that the quest for independence is beginning to stall. There is a stark difference between the leadership of Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon (NS). I can happily concede Nicola Sturgeon is a most capable FM albeit in an independent Scotland. I am coming to the conclusion she is not capable/willing to gamble like Alex Salmond.
In several conversations with my friend who happens to be a political theorist, I told him my concerns and he simply said: SNP is beginning to morph into New Labour and NS is morphing into Tony Blair. He further contended that with the party, a Brownite faction also would emerge to “allay concerns of other parts of SNP”. The test is quite simple: Is the SNP playing the game within Westminster rules? If they do, they will be sucked deeper and deeper, and eventually will also be part of the Westminster establishment. By the time they realise it, the Scottish electorate will punish them too like they did to Labour. I asked him how is that possible as SNP’s principle aim is to get independence. He replied, as in any political party, once you have tasted power, it is quite difficult to relinquish it.
I found that quite difficult to believe but NS/SNP leadership is making it difficult for me to dispel it. Furthermore the election of BoJo and the Tories made it much more urgent for Scotland to gain independent soonest possible. I also cannot accept we must wait a little bit further mantra. Westminster was weakest when it hadn’t exited EU. From now on Westminster will consolidate its grip on power and undermine the independence cause since Brexit is fundamentally solved. I wouldn’t put pass BoJo to abolish devolution altogether.
This boils down to the only point I am going to make. A significant portion of Yessers are not in agreement with the SNP slowly, slowly method. Each has their own reasoning but mostly the deep seated fear of knowing that we are going to jump into the socio-economic abyss that will come once UK fully exited EU. If SNP fails to take this into account, it will lose a portion of its votes. How big? I don’t know. If you have been give mandate upon mandate, and failed to execute your manifesto, you will be eventually punished/abandoned/voted out. If SNP lets this fester, it will become a disenchantment. If capitalised properly by a List party solely on a manifesto of holding an independent referendum post-2021 election, it will be manifested. SNP cannot believe that the Yessers owe them votes and must vote for the blindly. It is the other way around. If they do so, they are turning into New Labour faster than I thought.
I am personally willing to give my vote to a List party that has an independence referendum as it sole manifesto. I view it as nothing to lose anymore because by not voting for it, there is almost a 100% chance we will still be within UK till 2024. And I am tired of being nice already. As you stated, “To win, we need to make up and play by our own rules”.
SUUM QUIQUE
Abu
Thanks for your comment Suum, one thing I would say if you think Brexit is sorted you are going to be sadly mistaken. Brexit only truly begins on January 1st 2021.Between then and now we will witness smoke and mirrors of epic proportions.This new List Party cannot just have one policy otherwise Electoral Commission would not approve it. However at their very core is Independence.
Noted sir, on the technical details, but the point I was highlighting is the fact UK is actually out of Europe, as promised by BoJo. Whereas SNP has not yet delivered the promise of a second indyref when there is a material change of circumstance to Scotland-Union relationship. Deep down I think BoJo knows as long as England swallows whatever lies he spouts, he will be in the clear. It does not matter what the rUK thinks because he/Westminster (parliament) will bend them to his/its will.
Abu
Enjoyed your blog, its a small world, we stayed in Arthurlie Ave. for a while and also still have a finca in the Priorat nr. Tarragona. Hopefully it won’t be long until we are all European again
All the best
Aye, it is a small world indeed.
It could work, but could easily be sabotaged imo. The unionists could form their own list party, or even form false flag Indy list partys to split the Indy list vote. Like you said, more than one new list party and it wouldn’t work. You can be sure the media will go all out to sabotage the idea.
The danger of a List party in my humble opinion
is that some people who usually vote SNP
will vote List
And then give their second vote to SNP
Thinking that to do so will be a win win
It WONT
It will lead to fewer SNP seats and
very few List seats
List votes have to be second votes with the first vote going to SNP
Otherwise the risk is favouring unionist party,s
I worry that many people won’t realise this