A large gulf has now developed between Yessers and the SNP
Firstly, the SNP for some years have stopped putting over their case for independence and are focused on the Union parties. When you are focused on the other parties, you fail to get your message across to the electorate and the media don't pick up on your cause. The result is a loss of MPs and MSPs, which can result in the loss of control of government.
READ MORE: Wee Ginger Dug: John Swinney needs to rethink his strategy over Scottish independence
Secondly, Tuesday's article by James Dornan MSP left me wondering where he's been hiding, certainly these last few weeks but moreover during the last 11 years since the independence referendum in 2014 (Tell voters we will hold new indyref no matter what Westminster says, Jun 10).
Since September 18 2014, we've had three first ministers and six prime ministers. Each first minister has pleaded the case for a Section 30 order on numerous occasions without success. The SNP even went to the Supreme Court to try and get something done but the answer is always 'NO!' I'm afraid to tell James that although his intentions are good, they stand as much chance as the snowball in hell.
That doesn't mean that I disagree with the full article, or for that matter the sentiment of the piece. However, asking for a Section 30 is like watching a dog chase its tail. The only difference is that my dog usually catches his and it's much more fun to see. Yes, James, we need to put independence front and centre as you say in your article, and we've been telling the SNP that for some years now without success.
So, I'm asking on behalf of the electorate: why isn't it happening?
I also agree that the SNP should legislate for a second independence vote. But James, why wait until after the election and after a further request to the Prime Minister for a Section 30 has been refused? The best time to do it would be now, when there is about 54% support for it, as it would show us voters exactly where the SNP stand. Also, the petition from the Scottish Sovereignty Research Group for Scotland to be recognised as a non-self-governing country has been lodged with the United Nations. So what has the present SNP government to lose?
READ MORE: Kelly Given: Independence needs more than John Swinney's safety-first politics
At best the UN backs our claim. Then the worst that can happen is that Starmer says no and the UN overrules him and gives Scotland the power to hold a referendum anyway.
Starmer can't go to the English Supreme Court and argue that we can't hold one without his say so, as the union of parliaments didn't happen so he and England have no legal authority.
Above all that, if the Unionists get a majority at the next election then the first thing they would have to do is to revoke the referendum act, and by that time the UN may be telling Scotland how to proceed anyway.
If the legislation is there, then who are we in the indy movement going to back at the next Holyrood election? The ball is in your court, James.
Alexander Potts
Kilmarnock
FROM an enthusiastic supporter in Ireland, I offer this advice: work towards a majority of independence supporting seats at Holyrood, a majority of independence supporting local councils and a majority of Scottish Westminster seats. Then, having achieved that, go for UDI! Ye have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
Pádraig De Búrca
via thenational.scot
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
29 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Industrial strategy 'will drive tens of thousands of new jobs in Scotland', as business power cut promised
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Sir Keir Starmer's industrial strategy will "drive tens of thousands of new jobs" in Scotland, the Scottish Secretary has claimed. Ian Murray said the areas featured in the decade-long plan "are really a microcosm of the entire Scottish economy". The strategy includes specific funding to train people for work in defence, engineering, digital and construction roles. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scottish Secretary Ian Murray | PA Meanwhile, electricity costs for thousands of businesses will be cut by up to 25 per cent by scrapping green levies to help them compete with foreign rivals. The Prime Minister said the plan marked a 'turning point for Britain's economy' by supporting key industries where there is potential for growth. Launching the strategy on Monday at the site of the former Cockenzie power station in East Lothian, which is being redeveloped with UK government funding, Mr Murray said: "The big positive thing from a Scottish perspective is the eight sectors that are part of that industrial strategy, developed with business and sectors, are really a microcosm of the entire Scottish economy. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What does the future hold for Cockenzie after its famous chimneys were brought down in 2016? "So whether it be defence, professional services, financial services, life sciences, AI, all of those kinds of parts of the Scottish economy are key. Scotland will drive a lot of this industrial strategy." Mr Murray added: "It's a really good news story for the Scottish economy and will drive tens of thousands of new jobs." 'Stifling growth' But Mr Murray argued policies pursued by the Scottish Government, such as its opposition to new nuclear power, risked stifling this growth. He pointed to the 10,000 jobs promised as part of the Sizewell C nuclear plant in Suffolk. "That investment could be coming to Scotland, but it's currently not because of the de facto ban on nuclear here," Mr Murray said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Likewise with defence. We have a very, very big defence footprint in Scotland. In fact, the SDR [strategic defence review] and the investment in defence will disproportionately benefit Scotland in terms of jobs and that growth. "We have to look at that as an economic opportunity. But if that is stifled, it's not going to happen." UK ministers target SNP over munitions UK ministers have criticised the Scottish Government's policy of not providing public funding for munitions. Sir Keir said the decade-long plan would deliver 'the long-term certainty and direction British businesses need to invest' during an 'era of global uncertainty'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: 'This industrial strategy marks a turning point for Britain's economy and a clear break from the short-termism and sticking plasters of the past.' The strategy's key areas The strategy focuses on eight areas where the UK is already strong and there is potential for further growth: advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, defence, digital, financial services, life sciences, and professional and business services. Manufacturers have warned 'crippling' power costs are far higher for UK businesses than competitors overseas. From 2027, a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will cut costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour for over 7,000 manufacturing firms by exempting them from levies on bills including the renewables obligation, feed-in tariffs and the capacity market.
The National
44 minutes ago
- The National
Scottish Secretary Ian Murray ends 'lifelong' opposition to nukes
Speaking to Scottish media during a visit to East Lothian on Monday, Ian Murray said that his long-held position on nukes had changed because the world had changed. Previously, Murray described himself as a 'lifelong unilateralist', meaning he supported the UK binning its nuclear arsenal without any agreements for other nuclear-armed states to do the same. He is among the 2000 parliamentarians to have signed the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) pledge, which obliges signatories to work for their respective nations to sign up to a worldwide ban on nuclear weapons through the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). READ MORE: UN summit 'delivers strongest condemnation yet' of nuclear deterrence During a visit to an energy project in Cockenzie on Monday, Murray was asked about his position on nuclear weapons following the US government's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities amid the country's escalating war with Israel. Asked if he was still a 'lifelong unilateralist' who wanted the UK to give up its nukes, Murray said: 'My position's not that anymore. I mean, times have changed. 'You can very much see with what's happened in Ukraine, but also the instability across the world, that is very important for us to have that nuclear deterrent. I think the public's also changed their mood on that.' Murray was then asked if he would remove his name from the ICAN pledge, where he is still listed as a signatory, due to his change of heart. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey on board a UK nuclear submarine at Faslane (Image: Simon Dawson/No 10 Downing Street) The Scottish Secretary initially seemed to play the pledge down, twice suggesting it was something he had signed in 2014. It was pointed out that the pledge did not exist before the adoption of the TPNW in mid-2017. Pushed on whether he would take his name off it, Murray said: 'Well, I would have to look at how to do that. I don't know if it's possible to do that, but certainly times have changed. 'The real important thing here is that the [UK] Government's posture is quite clear. I think the public back that posture in terms of increasing defence spending. 'I think nuclear deterrence is something that is critical in terms of national security, not just for ourselves, but our NATO allies. READ MORE: Kenny MacAskill: Donald Trump's bombing of Iran is illegal and insane 'So things do move on, and it's really important to have that very strong message both to our NATO allies and indeed to our European allies and the US that our commitment to that nuclear deterrent is sacrosanct and our commitment to NATO the same.' Asked again if he would then remove his name from the ICAN pledge, Murray said: 'If that's what's required.' He added: 'If you want to ask if I've changed my view, the answer to that question is obviously yes, but I think it's really important when circumstances change for that to happen.' The Scottish Secretary was visiting East Lothian to mark the launch of the UK Government's industrial strategy, which was published on Monday and outlined eight key areas for development in the British economy. These are: Advanced manufacturing Defence Clean energy Digital and technology Creative industries Financial services Life sciences Professional and business services For Scotland, the strategy singled out areas including Glasgow for manufacturing and defence, Edinburgh for financial and creative industries, Dundee for life sciences, and Aberdeen for energy. It further said a new 'professional and business services skills hub' would be set up somewhere in the 'Edinburgh-Glasgow central belt', mirroring similar projects in Manchester, Liverpool, Yorkshire, and the Midlands. The strategy said the hubs 'will reflect local needs and priorities, from accelerating the development of emerging technology sectors to connecting firms to potential investors'. Speaking to media in East Lothian, Murray was asked whether he believed Scottish Government opposition to the use of public money for arms firms or nuclear projects are holding the country's economy back. Torness power station (Image: Copyright Richard Sutcliffe and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence) The UK Government has said it will step in if necessary after Rolls-Royce was told that a project for a welding centre in the Glasgow area could not be supported with £2.5 million of funding from Scottish Enterprise due to the SNP Government's policy of not funding 'munitions' projects. And the SNP also oppose any new nuclear energy plants north of the Border, a policy Labour have insisted they will quickly rescind if they win power at Holyrood. Murray said: 'We're not very far away from Torness, in terms of Scotland's nuclear site, and if you look at the announcement that's been made in terms of the massive investment into Sizewell C, that's 10,000 jobs, that's 1500 apprenticeships, it's £14.6 billion. 'That investment could be coming to Scotland, but it's currently not because of the de-facto ban on nuclear here. 'Likewise with defence, we have a very, very big defence footprint in Scotland. In fact, the investment in defence will disproportionately benefit Scotland in terms of jobs and that growth. 'We have to look at that as an economic opportunity, but if that is stifled, it's not going to happen.'
The National
an hour ago
- The National
Stirling Labour councillors survive no-confidence vote
SNP councillors called for a special meeting last week to table a motion of no-confidence in the Labour administration's financial management of the local authority. Labour had been accused by the SNP of 'wasting millions' on projects, including shelving plans for £30 million worth of new and refurbished offices, and being in 'financial chaos' by accruing thousands of unprocessed invoices. However, despite being accused of failing the 'most basic financial housekeeping,' the Labour administration survived the vote of no confidence on Monday. READ MORE: Historic estate on banks of Loch Lomond goes on market for £7m Labour survived with 11 members voting in favour, and with 12 against the move. SNP Group Leader Susan McGill said: 'With Tory support, Stirling Labour's financial mismanagement of Stirling Council will continue. 'The Unionist parties will always back each other and put self-interest before services.' The Labour group will continue to run as a minority administration, led by Council Leader Gerry McGarvey. The Council's members are: nine SNP, eight Conservative, four Labour, one Green and one Independent. SNP Finance Spokesperson Councillor Gerry McLaughlan added: 'The cabal is dead, long live the coalition!!! 'This vote leaves the people of Stirling in no doubt; Labour and Tories are joined at the political hip, collude for power and will stop at nothing to protect their own political fortunes.' (Image: Twitter) The SNP said they tabled the motion on Monday due to a number of high-profile failures by Labour, including Stirling Council's agreement to spend £870,000 to rebuild the historic 117-year-old clock tower, which was demolished in a failed conservation effort. SNP Councillor Gene Maxwell said: 'Council Leader Gerry McGarvey has been a senior member of this administration for YEARS. 'Yet today his key defence was based on taking action a whole 5 DAYS AGO regarding unaudited and overdue accounts! Asleep at the wheel doesn't even get close!' The Stirling Labour group has been approached for comment.
