Yesterday’s article, A matter of conscience, has prompted a rather unfortunate response for certain quarters. Prompted by Professor John Curtice’s, comment that his analysis of a poll “suggests Yes supporters are moving towards voting Labour”. The point I sought to make was that I view not voting for a Unionist party as a matter of conscience just as I consider it a matter of conscience to always vote in the way which I calculate best serves Scotland’s cause. Note the word ‘calculate’ there. I support Scotland’s cause with both heart and head. But when it comes to deciding how to vote, it is entirely the head that is involved. I take a wholly rational approach to my voting strategy. I do not allow emotion to cloud my judgement.
What I said in that article was that in a straight choice between a Unionist party and a nationalist party, I would always choose the latter. This remains true even if, as is the case, there are only nominally pro-independence parties from which to choose. The simple point I was making is that not voting for a Unionist party is at least as important to me as voting for a pro-independence party. If there is no genuine nationalist party, then the second best thing is not a Unionist party, it is a party that at least says is favours independence – even if it does not live up to this in any practical way. Better a party that is at least purports to favour the restoration of independence than a party which is explicitly and fervently in favour of preserving the Union. My conscience tells me this.
In making the point I several times used the SNP as an example of a nominally pro-independence party. Which it undeniably is. Its constitution makes the restoration of Scotland’s independence the party’s principal aim. So there can be no denying that the SNP is a pro-independence party in name, even if in name only. That’s what ‘nominally’ means.
I could have used Alba or ISP or whatever as an example of a nominally pro-independence party. That I used the SNP is simply because it is the most prominent of the nominally pro-independence parties. And, it could be argued, the SNP best illustrates a party that is pro-independence in name only. But even saying that voting for the SNP is better than voting for British Labour – possibly the most damning of all faint praise – was too much for those afflicted with the dumb tribalism that infests the independence movement. Even mentioning the SNP without adding a string of condemnatory invective seems to be sufficient to invite the wrath of the rabidly anti-SNP mob.
The following is a paragraph from yesterday’s article.
You may say that voting SNP doesn’t help Scotland’s cause either. And you’d be right! But at least you’d be voting for a party that is nominally pro-independence rather than a party which is avowedly pro-Union. It may not matter how you vote in terms of its practical effects. But it matters in terms of your own conscience. At least by voting SNP you are not voting against your own principles.
Believe it or not, that paragraph was cited as an example of me supposedly “recommending” that people vote SNP. Apparently, unless you let rip as in the image below at any mention of the SNP, you are classed as a mindless party loyalist by those who think with their hormones rather than their neurones.
Those mindless SNP loyalists exist, of course. But it is difficult to see how the above paragraph could be taken as being in any way supportive of the party, far less being unshakeably devoted to it. Unless your ‘thinking’ is fatally fogged by emotion to at least the same extent as the ‘thinking’ of those mindless loyalists. For both, it is a binary issue. You’re with them, or you’re against them. If you are not heart and soul in their camp, your are heart and soul in the other camp. There only the two tribes. Between their two camps, there’s nothing.
I have frequently expressed the view that the independence campaign urgently needs some hard-headed political pragmatism to go with an unwavering commitment to the cause. Dumb tribalism precludes clear thinking. A large part (at least) of the reason Scotland’s cause is in such dire straits is that for the last decade or more choices have been made for the wrong reasons and decisions taken absent adequate reasoning. We are all, I’m sure, familiar with the catalogue of daft choices and bad decisions made by Nicola Sturgeon. But she is far from alone. Alba Party, for example, has abysmally failed to become the force for independence it might have been entirely due to the choices and decisions of the party’s leadership.
It is because of choices and decisions informed by priorities other than Scotland’s cause that, as things stand, there will be only nominally pro-independence parties standing candidates in the 2024 UK general election. It is the dearth of hard-headed political pragmatism that has brought us to a situation where we, the people, are left with only two options in that election. We can vote for a party that is unequivocally opposed to independence and doing everything it can to preserve the Union. Or we can vote for a party that is pro-independence in name only and neither doing nor proposing to do anything to restore Scotland’s independence. And we choose between these knowing that neither helps Scotland or Scotland’s cause.
Peter A Bell 
To me it is quite clear – vote for:
a) An in name only pro-Independence party shows that you support the restoration of Scotland’s full self-government.
b) A British party and the press/mass media will report that you support (the continuation of) the Union.
Therefore, to me as an Independence supporter, a) is clearly preferable to b).
With respect specifically to the SNP I understand why people will not vote for them:
The LEADERSHIP will interpret votes for them in any way that they wish whether that be to ‘stand up for Scotland’ or ‘stand strong for Scotland’ or ‘make Scotland’s voice heard’ or some other piece of woolly hyperbolic bullshit. Anything at all but actually displaying, and acting on, a full blooded commitment to restoring Scotland’s independent statehood. Plus it will be used as an endorsement of their approach on matters such as genderism, judicial reform, criminal law etc. (Yes, I know the latter are matters purely under the remit of the Scottish Parliament but that’s how the party leadership will interpret their electoral support even if it relates to a British general election event).
For me personally it won’t matter much:
I live in The Heart of Darkness/Ian Murray Country of Edinburgh South. The Britz have this area stitched up. I presume that there will be an SNP candidate standing in this constituency but, unless there is a conversion of Damascene proportions by the party leadership, I will not vote for them. It is highly unlikely that the Alba Party will stand one of their 12 candidates here. Ditto the ISP.
Logically none of the above apply in my case.
So I will vote for the #EndTheUnion party.
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Succinctly put.
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Depending on the constituency you live in, voting SNP runs the risk of electing another trougher who will put themselves and their party before their country. Why would anyone who wants to leave the union cast their vote in that way?
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So what? There is no way to vote for anything better. There is no way to vote that will have any effect on the outcome. It makes no difference who becomes your MP, they will be powerless. It’s a Westminster election. It shouldn’t be necessary to explain how irrelevant it is to Scotland’s cause.
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The fact that it is pointless to send MPs to Westminster is exactly why this year’s General Election is the right time to send a message to the SNP that we will not tolerate them any longer. This is the party that went out of its way to ensure that as many unionists as possible were elected to Holyrood by insisting on their supporters giving them both votes.
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Any ‘message’ to be sent MUST be addressed to our colonial masters who are ensconced in the Palace of Westminster, a place in another country. It is they who MUST be told ‘that we will not tolerate them any longer’. #END THE UNION!
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Nope! As I will persist in saying until somebody listens, Westminster is not and cannot be an impediment to the restoration of Scotland’s independence. International law is quite clear on this point.
Responsibility for safeguarding our human right of self-determination rests entirely with the Scottish Government. The one we elect. It is the Scottish Government’s duty to facilitate the exercise of our right of self-determination. It is the Scottish Government which is failing atrociously in this regard.
We will not restore Scotland’s independence until our politicians and those who applaud their failure stop putting Westminster at the centre of the constitutional issue and start putting the people of Scotland there – where we belong.
The term is ‘self-determination’. Who is referred to by the ‘self’ part of that term? Is it the people of Scotland alone? Or is it the people of Scotland plus whatever foreign government invites itself into the process or, even worse, is invited by the Scottish Government?
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As I perceive myself to be the subject of your rebuke Peter let me say I hear LOUD and CLEAR the point you are making however relying on the Scottish Government ‘safeguarding our human right to self-determination’ has proven to have been a gross dereliction of duty on the part of those genuinely seeking Independence.
‘Self-determination’, aye Peter, on the terms of sovereign Scots. Any reliance on a Westminster sponsored administration at the foot o’ the Canongate only continues to perpetuate the myth that ‘they work for us’. Westminster clearly is in control, until Scots take ‘self-determination seriously.
Right now relying on ‘Scotland’s Government’ as currently installed at Holyrood we are on a fools errand and a hiding to nothing. I urge all likeminded to ‘re-purpose their ballot’ come the next GE so that the organ grinders will get the MESSAGE the monkeys at Holyrood refuse to see or hear or deliver. WE ARE SOVEREIGN, #END THE UNION!!
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It wasn’t intended as a “rebuke”. Just me seizing any opportunity to repeat the message – Our right of self-determination has fuck all to do with Westminster and Westminster should have fuck all to do with it. Repurposing your ballot is the only way to be heard.
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Agreed, Agreed, AGREED!!!
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And just how are you going to “send a message to the SNP” in a way that they’ll receive the message; know it’s a message; realise it’s for them; understand the message; act on the message? Not voting for them certainly won’t achieve any of these things. It’s a near-certainty that the SNP will lose seat in the election. It’s an absolute certainty that they already have a set of excuses and rationalisation prepared for different sizes of loss. None of those excuses will involve admitting that they’ve been chastised by the voters. Or, if one does, it will be the old “we are listening” bullshit and nothing changes.
Alba supporters are just pissed off because the SNP didn’t gift them seat in 2012. Of course, they were never going to do that. For all sorts of reasons – some good, some bad – that I ‘ve explained far too often already. Salmond isn’t stupid. He knew the SNP couldn’t/wouldn’t play along with his cunning plan. He didn’t care. He was playing party political games.
This was a win/win for Alba. Either the SNP by some strange twist actually gave Alba the free ride it was demanding like a spoilt brat and they got a few parliamentary seats as well as some much-needed cash. Or the SNP knocked Salmond back as everybody except the Alba devotees knew they would and there was a nice big stick with which to beat the SNP at election times – and in between. Alba devotees have been whining about it ever since. They’d do better to ask why their party leadership was playing daft wee games when they were supposed to be working for Scotland’s cause. But whining is easier than actually thinking things through.
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The only message to send to the SNP, as I stated above, is that we will not tolerate them any longer. They have no desire to change, just as they have no desire to leave the union. They may well learn nothing from a defeat but they definitely won’t learn anything from keeping their seats.
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I agree with all of that. But the question was how do you propose to use your vote to send a message? There is no party that is not deferring to Westminster. So, voting for any nominally pro-independence makes it look like you’re content with the fact that they are intent on doing no more than the SNP is doing. You can’t vote for a party that has a viable, credible or even visible plan for restoring independence because no party has such a plan. All of them are offering nothing more than defer to Westminster then… wait and see what happens. The British are supposed to crumble in the face of this determined onslaught. [sarcasm]
A growing number of people are at least considering a plan to repurpose our ballots by writing #EndTheUnion across them. Thousands of ballots ‘spoiled’ in exactly the same way will at least be noticed. Vote for any party and you remain unseen and unheard. It is time to be seen and heard.
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If such a plan comes to fruition I have already stated that I would be delighted to use my vote in that way whether it be #EndTheUnion or any other chosen phrase. The wider yes movement needs to unite. We must all learn to co-operate with people we may not like or agree with as long as we all share the same goal of leaving the union.
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If you want to “send a message” that you wish for the restoration of Scotland’s full self-government and independent statehood you should neither vote for
a) nominally pro-Independence supporting political parties/candidates
nor
b) British nationalist and unionist political parties/candidates.
Instead, as I will do, maybe consider repurposing your vote by boldly stating your explicit aim on the ballot paper:
#EndTheUnion!
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I’m not in agreement with that Peter. When we vote for politicians the assume more power than we in fact give them to do Our bidding. They say we have provided a mandate for them. Providing a mandate however much that is a lie is worse when voting for a Unionist party than a useless independence supporting one.
It gives the union a massive lift. That will never do in my book.
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I wouldn’t include the SNP in the category of useless independence supporting parties. It’s nothing more than a devolutionist party now.
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Then it’s become Unionist party. It has decided to be the colonial administration.
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And as such they have continued to reap financial rewards without any of the hard work that would be required to lay the foundations for independence.
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“I have frequently expressed the view that the independence campaign urgently needs some hard-headed political pragmatism to go with an unwavering commitment to the cause. Dumb tribalism precludes clear thinking.”
Good article Peter.
On the above, there is no one who has the courage and conviction that is indy minded in Scottish politics that can lead us to independence, even Alba led by Salmond a party that can’t even vote for abstentionism from attending Westminster an absolute given if we’re to ditch this rancid union, only the ISP voted for abstentionism.
In truth we’ll need to take our independence for it will never be given, in what form that takes, I’m not sure, the Irish took there’s and if anyone actually believes that we’ll ditch this union without any infighting or strife (in what form is yet unknown) then they’re kidding themselves on.
We in the indy movement need a ruthless bstard at the helm, someone who isn’t afraid to do *whatever it takes regardless of how ugly it appears to be to get us out of this union.
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Aye. If there’s a wildfire approaching, ye cannae get a’ sentimental aboot choppin’ doon a few trees to keep it from consuming yer hoose.
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Jaysus Peter, wi’ a comment like that, tis sure tae be the Greens on yer case ra morra. Whaur’s mah axe?
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We have that person. He’s currently in the wrong party.
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Pray tell who is this person?
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Take a shrewd guess
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Nope I’m stumped, go on who is this person that has what it takes?
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See response to Robert to assist your thinking 🙂
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FFS just spit it out man, apologies for my directness I don’t suffer fools gladly.
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Geoff is teasing. He probably can’t say the name. So his comment is a bit of a wind-up. Just tell him to fuck off. I’ve been doing that for years.
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and how did that go Peter 🙂
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You’re still here. So…
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Nor do I my friend, so cut out the ad hominem stuff if you please
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Who is ‘WE’ by the way? Follow up question, what is your proof regarding party?
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“WE” is supporters of Scottish Independence, what did you suppose ? The person referred to is not in either of the current parties of government in Holyrood, so you can safely exclude John Swinney, Patrick Harvie & Ross Greer from your deliberations !
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I’d already done that. My exclusion list is pretty comprehensive.
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‘What did you suppose?’ I ‘supposed’ you must be referring to someone from the other ‘nominally’ pro Independence party currently trading as ALBA who have yet to have any members ELECTED to Holyrood or Westminster.
If perchance you are referring Salmond for approval then you are seriously at odds with reality. In office he undoubtedly progressed the cause however his judgement when it came to selecting and promoting personnel was seriously flawed reversing any previous gain by installing STURGEON and she was and continues to be RUTHLESS in pursuit of her own aims!
Thair’s naebody else left, is therr? Wait a meenit, no they twa doon by?
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Is ISP not a pro-independence party ?
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Ye hud better answer that yin yersel’, ye seem tae think yer in the know!!
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I’d be very interested to that is. I can think of nobody.
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Here’s the job spec
We in the indy movement need a ruthless bstard at the helm, someone who isn’t afraid to do *whatever it takes regardless of how ugly it appears to be to get us out of this union.
Go figure
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how can you vote british labour – will be NO CHANGE – possible less powers Scotland
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