The timeline for restoring Scotland’s independence is not a matter of choice. If bold, decisive action is not taken to initiate an equally bold and decisive process before the next UK general election, we may find ourselves in a situation even more precarious than now. Who can now doubt that the next UK general election will be a contest of superficially different flavours of right-wing British Nationalist populism? If you dismissed this as scaremongering prior to the Tory leadership contest then you’d have to be completely oblivious not to have changed your view by now.
Similarly, if you imagined British Labour might be offering some alternative to this BritNat insanity then you’ve surely had second thoughts by this time. There were moments in the past weeks when Keir Starmer could have easily been mistaken for one of the contenders in the Tories-only wrangle over who gets to wear the British Prime Ministerial crown.
Whoever wins that unedifying rammy will lead the British Conservative Party into the next UK general election. It has been a contest among the very best of the Tories and therefore some of the worst of humanity. The candidates were all deeply unpleasant people each in their own way. What the early rounds of voting did was pare away those who were unpleasant in the wrong way or who weren’t unpleasant enough. It is entirely possible that in the next year or so we may find ourselves looking back with something akin to fond nostalgia on the days when jolly Boris Johnson was PM. At least he was occasionally comical.
Where British Toryism goes British Labour follows. It is inevitably so as both the main British parties are chasing the same voters. The voters who gave us Boris Johnson – and would do so again tomorrow. Having realised that, unlike Gordon Brown, there is no way Margaret Thatcher can be revivified, these voters are looking for someone in the same mould. But they broke the mould before they made Thatcher. So all they – and therefore we – can possibly get is a cracked and misshapen approximation of the Batty Baroness.
Those who thought the British political system had reached its nadir with Boris Johnson are about to learn a very hard lesson.
Whichever of the remaining two contenders wins, the next Tory leader and British Prime Minister will be the instrument of such dark forces as roil in the underbelly of every society. Those forces will define the next Westminster election – to be held sometime before the end of 2024. Desperation to retain power will drive the Tories to unprecedented extremes with the other main British parties not far behind. This will not be good news for Scotland. This will be very bad news for Scotland.
If the UK general election is to be fought as a battle to save the Union and ‘make Britain great again’, as it all but certainly will, then Scotland stands to be the villain of the piece. Just as the 2016 EU referendum saw antipathy towards the EU whipped to a frenzy, so the 2024(?) Westminster election will see Scotland presented as a threat that has to be ‘dealt with’. Just as trade unions are even now being portrayed as a threat that has to be ‘dealt with’. As Lesley Riddoch observes, negotiation plays no role in the British political elite’s plans for ‘dealing with’ these threats.
The timeline is drawn for us. Whatever leeway we might have had, it has expired. As have whatever choices we might once have had about what Lesley refers to as the “gameplan”. Like a growing number of people, I have come to realise that most of the choices we thought we had were not real. I have come to realise that all the talk of various ‘routes to independence was just circling a core truth without ever connecting with it.
There is no legal way out of the Union for Scotland. There is no way out of the Union for Scotland that will not be deemed illegal or unlawful or illegitimate or invalid by the British ruling elite. There is no way for us to restore Scotland’s independence that will not be labelled ‘UDI’ by the British state, while their propaganda machine hangs every imaginable negative connotation on that term. All that is left to us is to decide what form that ‘UDI’ should take and how soon before the next UK general election it can be initiated. That is what “gameplan” means. It may be what it always meant. There is absolutely no doubt that it is what it means now.
Will our First Minister be the last person in Scotland to acknowledge the reality of our predicament? Will she finally admit that the consensual, cooperative, non-confrontational “legal and constitutional” route to independence that she hoped for simply doesn’t exist?
Now is the day. #ScottishUDI is the way.
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Peter A Bell 
You’re right Peter, UDI is the way to go . Time to stop the fannying about .
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I didn’t watch the Tory ‘leadership contest’, except for the odd clip posted online by independence bloggers. Nor did I follow the progress of ‘The Lionesses’ as Eng-ur-lund competes in some football tournament of great historical significance, it seems – at least significant enough to be broadcast live throughout the Empire (i.e. Scotland).
Yet, I still feel I’ve drifted into some Dystopian nightmare where the thought police of a foreign nation are trying to take control of my mind!
‘Will our First Minister be the last person in Scotland to acknowledge the reality of our predicament?’ I think that is the question of the moment.
I remember when Brexit became a reality and most independence supporters and bloggers expected this to be a watershed event bringing at least a reaction from the FM. She said nothing of relevance.
I remember my daughter saying that perhaps NS was waiting for the effects of Brexit to bite and so bring a reaction from the Scottish people.
Well, it’s biting now.
It’s true the SNP are ‘taking action’ but is it too little too late?
It’s clear from the words uttered by the Tory leadership hopefuls and the actual Labour (red Tory) leader, that they are hardly quaking in their boots at this prospect of taking on the SNP. It’s also clear from the utterances of both unionist camps that, ‘you ain’t seen nuthin’ yet!’
Their message to the English electorate is, ‘this might not be what you thought you were voting for, but it is what you voted for – suck it up.’
Their message to the Scottish electorate is, ‘this might not be what you voted for but you’re an insignificant, annoying gnat buzzing in my ear. We will deal with you in due course. In the meantime – suck it up.’
In April 1916, whilst British forces were otherwise engaged in The Great War – Padraig Pearse and James Connolly stood on the steps of the GPO in Dublin and pronounced Irish UDI. The Irish population was not in favour of the uprising but – following the British reaction to the ‘rebellion’, including the summary execution of the ‘ring leaders’ – the Irish population were transformed and energised into regaining independence from their oppressors. What looked like a misjudgement and catastrophe on the part of the leaders of the uprising led to an historic and inspiring event and a rejuvenated country.
There can be little doubt that the coming winter will be a ‘winter of discontent’ throughout the so-called UK. The cost-of-living crisis fuelled by Brexit and profiteering will really start to bite hard. It seems clear that the Westminster government, led by either someone even more stupid or by someone even more aloof than Boris Johnson and ‘opposed’ by a Labour Party rendered even more toothless than the SNP, will not lift a finger to help the situation of the people. It is likely that there will be protests and industrial strikes everywhere being put down ruthlessly by a clueless far-right government, firefighting on all fronts.
What better time for Scotland to strike for independence?
Scotland should withdraw her parliament sitting in Westminster which is being ignored and humiliated. The unionists who howl with protest in Holyrood should be told to ‘budge-over and make room for the real Scottish Parliament.’ Our Central Bank should be opened to manage funds and all taxes gathered in Scotland diverted to our Treasury. Westminster and the UN should be advised that Scotland is ready to discuss and agree terms of our separation from the UK.
Does this sound like a Nicola Sturgeon move? No, I thought not.
Could it happen? Ireland had it’s Easter Uprising – will Scotland have it’s Winter Watershed, it’s Christmas Confrontation, it’s Hogmanay Huff, its Ne’erday Non-participation?
It’s looking like it’s going to need something historic and inspiring. This isn’t going to be done by negotiation and it probably won’t be pretty.
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“perhaps NS was waiting for the effects of Brexit to bite and so bring a reaction from the Scottish people”.
Thought at the time this was an act of cruelty towards the Scottish people who had never, ever wanted, or voted for, Brexit.
For the series “let them suffer and then coming begging to me”
Arrogance? Power-drunk?
Yet it seemed people approved of it as a policy.
Or at least accepted it.
Or didn’t question they were meant to suffer.
For what reason wasn’t clear!
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Still not clear (if that was part of the strategy – if there ever was a strategy).
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Reblogged this on Ramblings of a now 60+ Female.
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“Will our First Minister be the last person in Scotland to acknowledge the reality of our predicament? Will she finally admit that the consensual, cooperative, non-confrontational “legal and constitutional” route to independence that she hoped for simply doesn’t exist?”
Yes to the first and no to the second is the answers, we know where the door is to exit this union, UDI Plebiscitary election, Claim of Right, we just don’t have the key to open it, a strong indy minded FM to wield any one of those options, and as long as Sturgeon is at the helm we’re going nowhere, and until more indy minded folk wake up and see Sturgeon for what she really is, the status quo will remain, infact I think devolution will be even further undermined.
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