The difference between a Unionist and a British Nationalist is that the former has never questioned the Union while the latter insists that the Union must never be questioned. I was reminded of the above apophthegm when I saw the headline on a piece in The National today - Do Unionists still think we are … Continue reading The target
The somewhere was Dunfermline. Greynbow is my agonisingly contrived but even more painfully appropriate term for the assortment of speakers assembled to address a gathering of independence supporters and activists at the Duloch Leisure Centre yesterday afternoon (Sunday 10 April). All credit to the organisers, they did well to get these people to share a … Continue reading Somewhere under the greynbow
It occasionally happens that as you read a newspaper story a phrase will leap off the page and smack you so hard that you are unable to focus on the remainder of the article. As you attempt to read on your mind keeps dragging your attention back to that phrase. Very occasionally a piece of … Continue reading Worrying words
Whoever wrote the headline on George Kerevan's column in The National today (Cost of living horrors should be launchpad for fresh Yes push) did the man no favours. A headline suggesting a "fresh Yes push" as a reaction to the "cost of living horrors" sits uncomfortably with an article in which George is highly critical … Continue reading We and we alone!
Nicola Sturgeon insists that the process - which she has yet to identify - by which Scotland's independence is restored must be "legal and constitutional". Her view appears to be that the international community is eager to avoid recognising Scotland's status as an independent nation and that they will therefore seize on any excuse to … Continue reading The binding
I shall start with a couple of confessions. This article isn't really all about James Kelly. Filling an entire blog post with stuff about him would be a challenge even for someone as famously verbose as myself. I don't like the guy. That's my second confession. I'm not prone to instant dislikes. As far as … Continue reading James Kelly: Stupid or dishonest?
Ian Blackford says he wants a new constitutional referendum to take place "in a timely manner". I have to inform him that he's too late. The "timely" ship sailed in September 2018. It might just be possible to justify there being no new referendum earlier than this. But every day that has passed since September … Continue reading Big but
However normal it may be for "sub-state governments" elsewhere to engage in foreign policy, under the Union the concept of devolved foreign policy is oxymoronic. There are certain competences which, once they become vested in a devolved parliament, necessarily mark a transition to independence. Under the Union, there are competences which cannot be devolved without … Continue reading Devolution is dead
I suspect AUOB is about to fall foul of the idiotic tribalism which has infected the Yes movement. Getting the seal of approval (kiss of death?) from the SNP may not be the best thing that ever happened to the organisation. Being listed alongside 'friends' of the SNP such as the Scottish Green Party and … Continue reading Be careful what you wish for
History, as I am perhaps a little over-fond of pointing out, is not a series of events but a process. This presents a problem when discussing past events inasmuch as it is necessary to identify a start point. And to stop somewhere that can never be the end. 'Identify' is probably the wrong word to … Continue reading The gulf between us
Peter A Bell 