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
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
I expect we are all familiar with online trolls. For those who may not be, a troll in the context of social media, below-the-line comments etc. is a person who intentionally antagonizes others online by posting inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive comments or other disruptive content. Most of us have developed strategies for dealing with the … Continue reading Beware of the trolls!
Kevin McKenna's hopes for the SNP's 'emergency' conference are worthy, but unrealistic. Given the behaviour of the party leadership over the last few years the idea of them running an open and inclusive event seems more than a bit ridiculous. This is not an organisation that welcomes constructive criticism or fresh perspectives. It is an … Continue reading Sturgeon’s citadel
The term 'Scottish National Party Member of Parliament' is, like 'caring British Conservativism' and 'British Labour socialism', an oxymoron. Each pairing involves concepts which are incongruous or contradictory. It may be possible to be a Conservative and to care about people. It may be possible to be associated with British Labour and yet have a … Continue reading Oxymorons
Given that participants are being vetted by Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp, and that a 'code of conduct' is being prepared for those who are approved, there doesn't seem to be much possibility of any fresh thinking coming out of this Scottish Independence Congress. If there is one thing Scotland's cause desperately needs it is fresh thinking. Gordon … Continue reading Unity for failure?
Treat with great caution claims that majority support for independence has “crystallised”. Certainly, we are seeing a sequence of polls indicating majority support. But we've seen this before. From June 2020 to January 2021, Yes led in 20 successive polls. Thus far, the latest sequence of polls showing a Yes lead numbers only 4. So … Continue reading Keeping it real
There shall, I'm certain, be more than a few nods of agreement when I say that I find the behaviour of Sturgeon/SNP loyalists and apologists at all times maddening and on occasion quite sickening. The behaviour of some of these sad creatures over the last few days has fallen into the latter category. Quite unintentionally, … Continue reading And lo! Arses were covered!
Where nothing moves. Average Yes in 12 polls* following Sturgeon becoming leader = 45.25% Average Yes in 12 most recent polls to 5 December 2022 = 46.00% SNP/Scottish Government under Sturgeon has failed to advance Scotland's cause at all in eight years! #DissolveTheUnion #ScottishUDI *Polls using 2014 Referendum Question
I like to tell the story of the vague epiphany I underwent some years ago when, during the open discussion section of a meeting at which I was guest speaker, someone used the phrase "dissolve the Union". One of the things I most enjoyed about those speaking engagements was that I almost always came away … Continue reading Old thinking. New thinking.
Peter A Bell 