Alba Party has launched it's latest billboard campaign with great fanfare. Well, as great as can be managed by a party which approaching two years since its launch, remains very much the minnow in the pond of Scottish politics. The billboard is bold (see above). As is the message ─ Enough is enough! It's time … Continue reading Bold on the outside
Scotland's cause is not about what currency we use, or how our pensions are paid or whether we will be a few pounds richer or poorer. It is about how we think of ourselves, our communities and our nation.It is about whether we see ourselves as being a nation at all. Or whether we see … Continue reading Dissent – Bute House, Wednesday 25 January 2023
Language matters! When discussing important topics, it is important to get the terminology right. For politicians, language matters because they may be speaking for their party or for the government or even for the country. Look at the way the common idiomatic expression 'once in a generation' came back to bite bums. Language matters because … Continue reading Power from the people
Invoking Section 35 isn't so much a new and shocking development as merely the latest phase in a process which was foreseen a decade ago and more. It has been evident since 2007 that the British state regards devolution as a failed experiment. What was supposed to kill the SNP 'stone dead' had instead empowered … Continue reading As it was, so shall it be
There is no route to independence which does not pass through a point at which there is direct and acrimonious confrontation with the British state. This confrontation is inevitable. It is unavoidable. If Scotland's independence is to be restored, this confrontation must be faced. Preparations must be made. Scotland must prevail. If any doubted the … Continue reading The wrong ground
In the party-political discourse around Scotland's constitutional issue, what passes for variety is the difference between the disappointments that are anticipated and those which come as something of a surprise to even the most cynical among us. As an example of the latter category, we might look to Murdo Fraser's reaction to the Pope's suggestion … Continue reading Glittering generalities an unasked questions
To give credit where is is due, The National does seem to have developed a knack for producing headlines which give me a wee adrenaline hit. Most commonly, it must be said, this momentary surge of agitation is occasioned by some grievous abuse of language. But every once in a while there is a headline … Continue reading The anticipated anti-climax
Wishart has changed his tune. Back in June 2020 he was totally disparaging of the idea of a de facto referendum. 'Just doing it anyway’ means we would be doing something broadly similar to what Catalonia did when they ‘won’ their uncontested referendum – without actually winning a referendum! This would in effect mean we … Continue reading Toeing the party line
The following was posted by me as a reply to a comment on Bad ideas and worse ideas. I thought it might usefully be offered to a wider audience. Your “reservations” are based on a false idea of what #ScottishUDI is. And don’t start your standard whining about it never having been explained unless you … Continue reading Explaining the obvious
It sometimes happens that people get so involved with disputing the relative merits of different ways of doing something that the omit to ask whether the thing should be done at all. A case in point is the argument about whether a Westminster or Holyrood election should be used as a de facto referendum. Actually, … Continue reading Bad ideas and worse ideas
Peter A Bell 