Scottish independence
No parallels with Ireland as a pro-union strategy in Scotland begins to emerge at last
Tweet There were risks in sending a posh English boy like George Osborne to Scotland to warn that it might be no doddle for an independent Scotland to continue using sterling as its currency. The move might yet backfire among thrawn Scots if the English try to put the frighteners on them. Like pointing out [...] more »
Scotland – will the Orange Order save the Union?
Tweet From the Herald comes the news that the Orange Order are mobilising for a “No” vote in the September 2014 referendum on Scottish Independence: THE Orange Order has begun the mobilisation of its members across Scotland as part of its campaign against independence. It has applied to join community councils and is involved in [...] more »
What will become of the May 2015 UK Parliament if Scotland votes “Yes” on independence?
Tweet Every so often – but not very often – a major theme enters political debate which nobody noticed much at first but when attention is drawn to it, it becomes completely obvious. This topic is one such I’m posting here on how a referendum vote in favour of Scottish independence in September 2014 could greatly complicate [...] more »
Unionists be warned. Negative campaigning against Scottish independence is not enough
Tweet A warning shot against unionist complacency in Scotland… Backing for independence among voters aged 18 to 24 stood at 58 per cent, according to the latest Ipsos MORI survey on voting intentions for the 2014 referendum…There were 34 per cent who supported Scotland leaving the UK, the poll of more than 1,000 people interviewed [...] more »
Opening shots muffled in UK government’s fightback against Scottish independence campaign
Tweet Significantly as PM and not as Conservative leader David Cameron launched on Sunday a “heart and head” campaign against Scottish “separation” as unionists like to call it, with a upbeat image of four happy partners. Britain is admired around the world as a source of prosperity, power and security. Those glorious Olympics last summer [...] more »
An Irish Borgen?
Tweet Dyspeptic Scots columnist Kevin McKenna (now where did that name come from?) is so right when he says Scottish politics are too boring to mount a drama like Borgen. But then, Alex might reply that Scotland is not an independent country – yet. Staying glued to Borgen though fits perfectly into Scottish culture. Manfully, [...] more »
Referendum blues
Tweet Bad news for the Yes campaign for Scottish independence, analysed by the psephological guru of gurus John Curtice. It’s a debate worth following not only for its own sake but for how issues wider than the border itself might feed into any referendum debate in Ireland. First off, the headline: just 23% now say that “Scotland [...] more »
Are our versions of history sundering or reconciling us?
Tweet Martin Kettle in the Guardian pens a lament for the ignorance of the English about their own history. The outcome, he claims is a” loss of national self respect” and the threat of a disintegrating Union. For once, the term “English” is used deliberately. It’s a long time since AJP Taylor’s superb English History [...] more »
No chance of a Sinn Fein Scotland
Tweet Jim Gallagher in his days as a civil servant one of the architects of developing Scottish devolution and still a leading authority on the Scottish Question discusses rival scenarios for Scotland’s future in the Scotsman, concentrating on the bottom line issue of control over tax and spend. Either way, whether the outcome is “devo [...] more »
“For the first time, Alex Salmond has been made to look ridiculous”
Tweet Alex Salmond has had his worst week in years. The SNP annual conference revealed a split over continuing membership of Nato. Then he was exposed for, shall we say, stretching a point to its limits by claiming he had legal approval for insisting that an independent Scotland would smoothly inherit EU membership from the [...] more »
Will the Scottish independence debate ripple south of the border and across the Irish Sea?
Tweet At last, it’s game on for the Independence Debate. London based comment has decided that on balance David Cameron had the best of Round One, or the “Edinburgh Declaration, “ as Alex Salmond dubbed it with typical initiative-grabbing grandiosity. Salmond of course hasn’t conceded any such thing. Leaving the wording of The Question aside for later debate, [...] more »
Deal announced on Scottish referendum
Tweet The deal between the UK and Scottish governments on the referendum is done and will be sealed on Monday. The Scotland Office and the SNP government seem to have jumped the gun on Downing St by announcing agreement on a single “yes, no question,” but with votes for 16 year olds added, if the Scottish Parliament [...] more »
Independence only for the Scottish referendum – DailyTelegraph
Tweet The strongly pro Union Daily Telegraph boldly claims that Alex Salmond is about to concede that the referendum should be about the single question of independence when the details are finalised next month. This must be in part because of the difficulty in framing a clear second question about the extent to which devolution [...] more »
No breakthrough yet for either side over Scotttish independence
Tweet On opinion in favour of a separate Scottish State, the British Social Attitudes survey reports little change. The 32% who supported independence was nine points higher than in 2010 but two points lower than in 2005…. However, the research also suggested 43% of people in Scotland wanted Holyrood to make “all” decisions. The higher figure [...] more »
What was the Ulster Covenant about?
Tweet What was the Ulster Covenant whose centenary is being commemorated on “Ulster Day” 29 September really about? 400,000 signed the Solemn League and Covenant and the Women’s Declaration in a vast demonstration of public opinion that still impresses today. The production of the largest Union Jack is history, 48’x25’was an example of PR sureness [...] more »
Gordon Brown may not have helped the Union cause
Tweet The papers have caught up with Slugger on Gordon Brown’s emergence from political purdah to join the debate over Scottish independence. Brown it will be noted isn’t claiming an Olympic effect on a referendum that’s over two years away. His argument is in two parts; first, the Better Together case. One thing I [...] more »
Olympics fever shows that a soft sell is best for the Union cause
Tweet Now here’s a great campaigner for the Union, no? With his keen nose for an impending win as sharp as ever Gorgeous George brazens out an embarrassing prediction of Olympic failure and turns to his advantage. You can almost hear that stingingly precise articulation cutting through the print. I underestimated just how much we would all [...] more »
Unexpected backing for Scottish Independence?
Tweet Michael Portillo with a few truths that dare not speak their names on Andrew Neil’s This Week show last night: On the BBC politics show This Week, he was challenged by host Andrew Neil, who asked: “So for party advantage, you are prepared to break up our country?” Mr Portillo replied: “No, not just [...] more »
Pro Union campaign on the back foot without a decision on devo more
Tweet Appropriately enough, caution greeted Alistair Darling’s launch of Better Together, the pro Union multiparty campaign to counter the SNP and challenge the notion that extends well beyond the pro- independence ranks, that Alex Salmond is head and shoulders above all possible rivals. So far, not too bad. “Better Together” sounds more positive than ”No [...] more »
Ed Miliband spots the gaping hole in the case for the Union. Can he fill it?
Tweet With the fluttering of Union Jacks alive in the memory, Ed Miliband has chosen the gap between the diamond jubilee and the Olympics to widen the argument over Scottish independence. It’s an appropriate moment. “We’ve concentrated on shaping a new politics for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. But some people in England felt [...] more »