I have spent the morning poring over Professor Sionaidh Douglas-Scott's article titled Scottish Independence And The UK Government’s Unreasonable Refusal To Negotiate published by The Centre on Constitutional Change ─ a body which, I confess, I was previously unaware of. Or had forgotten about, as happens rather a lot these days. My attention was drawn … Continue reading The ghost question
Kenny MacAskill is obviously correct when he says that "it has always been the case that it was for the Scottish Government to set out both the timetable and the means by which it would deliver a referendum by the end of 2023 with or without a Section 30 Order being granted". It is just … Continue reading Also relying on magic
Despite the fact that it is dated three months ago, I had not previously seen the Tweet from Mhairi Hunter pictured above. As you would probably expect, Ms Hunter has blocked me ─ doubtless along with all other voices that dissent from the Sturgeon doctrine. I am grateful to Stu Campbell (Wings Over Scotland) for … Continue reading Where is the anger?
With just over two weeks to go until the UK Supreme Court (UKSC) hearing on the matter of whether the Scottish Parliament has the competence to hold a strictly consultative and non-self-executing referendum with the question 'Should Scotland be an independent country', or whether this proposed referendum relates to a reserved matter and is therefore … Continue reading Putting off the moment
There are three points that your resident realist must make about The National's predictably breathless report of the latest polling before the Sturgeon claque arrives littering the place with streamers and drowning out all pragmatism with their shrill fantasies and hymns to the anointed one. Firstly, noting Professor John Curtice's comments regarding the fall in … Continue reading The barren, unchanging landscape
If indeed Liz Truss "knows indyref2 will happen", as Lesley Riddoch insists, then she knows more than we do. Assuming that by "indyref2" is meant a referendum that serves as a formal exercise of Scotland's right of self-determination, there are neither plans nor proposals for such an event. But it is likely that Lesley was … Continue reading Inadequate!
Today marks the fifteenth anniversary of what I regard as a highly significant day in Scotland's history. 15 years ago today, Scotland got its first government of the democratic era. On Monday 3 September 2007 the Scottish Executive became the Scottish Government ─ officially even if not legally. Some dismiss this as a mere cosmetic … Continue reading On my calendar
I started to write an article today, only to find that I'd already written it ─ more than two years ago. (Our nation! Our rules!) The piece I had in mind was prompted by something Richard Walker wrote in his National column today. I was thinking in terms of starting my article with something about … Continue reading I’ve said it before…
Two stories in The National today got me thinking about attitudes to Nicola Sturgeon ─ how she is perceived and presented and how people feel about her. One is the report that Unionists are fuming. How come that gets to be news, I hear you ask. Well, more specifically the more or less constant state … Continue reading The good the bad and the numpty
For a process to exist there must always be an answer to the question, what happens next? So, Yes wins by a comfortable margin in the proposed referendum ─ what happens next? More specifically, what happens next in the series of linked actions which form the process leading to the restoration of Scotland's independence? If … Continue reading What happens next?
Peter A Bell 