I joined the SNP to gain independence for Scotland. I didn’t join the SNP because of Alex Salmond or Nicola Sturgeon. And that also applied to Jim Sillars, Gordon Wilson, Winnie Ewing or anyone else. I did it because their arguments were best, and once I looked into it economically there was no doubt. Democratically there was no doubt. Culturally and with my heart there was more doubt. I could see culturally, arguments for and against staying within the Greater England project of 1603 and 1707. Culturally I needed to be convinced. Ironic because that became one of Better Together’s lines during in 2014, ‘Think with your head to stay in the Union, not with your heart for Scotland’s independence’. My feelings were weighted the opposite way round.
I left the SNP in the 2000s because of the lack lustre leadership of John Swinney and the unfortunate episode with Clause 28. Being a gay man this really stuck in my craw. They were standing in the way of equality (ironically they are doing it again in 2022 under different leadership this time backed up wholeheartedly by the Scottish Green Party). This won't be happening if many women and others in Scotland have anything to do with it, or if it does there will be long term problems with this legislation. #WomenWontWheesht #NoToSelfID
That soon passed once Alex Salmond came back to the helm. And equality and anti discrimination came to the fore. Plus he called Scotland’s government Scotland’s Government which it most definitely was. London still held most of the purse strings and still do to this day. And that control has increased with Brexit which was one of the reasons I voted against that (but could still see some arguments for it. although none of them have come to pass. The people you vote for to carry something out are almost as important as the thing you are voting for, and it was blindingly obvious that those elected by England to do this on our behalf were not in it to improve life of any particular part of the UK, let alone Scotland – they were in it for where they were, and to improve their own lives).
Who can I vote for? There are further links to incidents, happenings and processes within SNP Provan.
Salvo video introducing the Scottish Constitution.
Link to Martin J Keatings case information.
More about Ian Hamilton.
As an aside in 1975 Scotland voted to join the EU, or the EEC as it was then. At that time this was against SNP policy I believe.
In 2014 there were some irregularities about how the whole thing was conducted.
There was the blatant use of existing sources of media by the British state. See below for video re this. 'Writing Off Scotland: Press Bias during the 2014 referendum.
There was the breaking of purdah offering something which appeared substantial by the British state (the infamous Vow which has still not been delivered due mainly the Scottish Parliament not being made permanent).
There were very odd things about the day of actual voting. A number of times on the day raised a red flag being outside a polling station for most of it. And then there were odd things as regards some voting papers, at the counts themselves, and then reports of bags of discarded votes left in odd places. There was also no mechanism for a recount. The voting papers were discarded quickly and 'Better Together' people seemed to know the postal votes outcomes prior to the day of voting itself. Please see below John McTernan stating that No votes are dominant on 14th September 2014, with the actual vote taking place several days later.
Personally at the moment if I had been on that committee of Judges on the UK Supreme Court I would have passed a different judgement.
With the seemingly almost moribund nature of the SNP leadership and therefore Scotland’s current Government particularly on the matter of Scottish Independence, and the lacklustre involvement of the Yes Movement (with a few notable exceptions) as the SNP’s lack of leadership and vision has drained enthusiasm I would have put the proverbial cat amongst the SNP pigeons.
I would have said you do have the powers to hold a second Scottish Independence Referendum, but only before or on the day of 19th October 2023 the date Nicola Sturgeon said she would hold one, no ‘ifs’ no ‘buts’.
I have no belief whatsoever that the SNP is any way ready to have a second Scottish Independence Referendum. So if I had been fighting for the UK this is the option I would have picked. It would have completely hamstrung the SNP and left it in disarray.
Of course I have believed in Scottish Independence since our ‘democratic’ referendum to have an Assembly in 1979, so I am pleased at the outcome. If anything can raise Scotland from its slumber this will. Given the initial reaction of the SNP leadership it certainly hasn’t roused them. So it must come from other sources; Salvo, Alba, ISP, etc. Is it going to come from you? Or do you not care about Scotland or its people?
Alex Salmond Salmond response to UK Supreme Court ruling.
A response from SALVO.
