Tricks of the trade

Mr Russell is a very experienced politician. It is no surprise, therefore, that he manages to deploy two devious politicians' tricks in the first two paragraphs of his column in The National. First, the smear. He presents his critics as uncouth and abusive. Never mind the message, throw faeces at the messenger knowing some of … Continue reading Tricks of the trade

Information is not enough

Mike Russell does a fine job of setting out the choice facing the people of Scotland. He is rather stating the obvious when he observes that "the UK political and media establishment, dripping with privilege and disdainful of democracy, will try to stop us making that choice, using all their malign tricks and lies". Which … Continue reading Information is not enough

A choice explained

There is an important part of the Brexit saga (so far) which Mike Russell has omitted from his column in The National. It is easy to understand why. The SNP/Scottish government's abject failure to defend and protect Scotland against the insanity of Brexit is something those culpable would prefer to airbrush from history. That the … Continue reading A choice explained

Speak softly and carry a white flag

Protocol dictates that I congratulate Mike Russell on his appointment as political director of the SNP's independence unit. Honesty makes me wonder how long it will be until he resigns in doubtless well-concealed frustration and despair. The embittered facetiousness born of my own frustration and despair prompts the observation that if history is to be … Continue reading Speak softly and carry a white flag

The legal and the political

The Scots Government should in the court action challenge the very existence of the legal power of Westminster to say no to indyref2, by plainly asserting that the democratic legitimacy of Holyrood trumps that of the Westminster Parliament over Scots affairs, giving it Holyrood the legal authority to hold an independence referendum.Scott Crichton Styles This … Continue reading The legal and the political

Fireproof feet

Nobody in the SNP leadership appears to be asking that most obvious of questions: Why is this happening? Or, if they are, they're answering that question in the shallow, petty manner evidenced by Angus Robertson's initial response. Nobody, so far as can be determined from public statements and private rumours, is asking that question in a serious, thoughtful way. Not even Mike Russell.

Painted on

Of course, the SNP's manifesto hasn't been published. It may not even have been written yet. But there are abundant clues as to its probable content in various statements from Nicola Sturgeon, Mike Russell and others. We also now have the draft Referendum Bill, which provides conclusive evidence of the SNP leadership's thinking on the constitutional issue.