by Graeme Mccormick
SINCE the close of the SNP National Conference, the independence movement has been awash with activity. Hardly a week passes without meetings of the great and the good, the greater and the better and the greatest and the best. Announcements of major events, learned papers and initiatives constantly drip from social media platforms, and everyone who is anyone pontificates on what our new nation state should be. I’ve counted four plans for separate national conventions.
There’s only one problem: we’re not there yet. All these folk don’t seem to be bothered. They’ve given up on 2026 and are now setting their sights on the next UK General Election, with Theresa May’s “Now is not the time” ringing in their ears.
From eminent academics, we have witnessed disdain for the “Scotland is a colony” initiatives. John Swinney’s “precedent” argument was being given the same treatment until November 17, when, according to the headline in The National, “Swinney’s indy strategy has merit”. I must be dim, but the meat of the article said no such thing. There is nothing re-assuring in Professor Aileen McHarg’s reported comments. How do you prevent a contested proposal between parliaments from reaching the UK Supreme Court? The answer is, you can’t!
Given the almost universal criticism of John Swinney’s proposal, and the demolition job on it at a recent lunch for business supporters of independence, the cynic would be forgiven for thinking that the FM phoned Professor McHarg in desperation to say something to soften the blow.
Professor Adam Tomkins came up with a novel statement-of-the-obvious when he suggested that we will know the settled will of the Scottish people when we know. That could be staying in the UK or not or something between the two. It’s a collective feeling when a significant majority, be they nationalists or unionists, share a similar view sustained over an indeterminate period. How very British, which is reminiscent of the way in which past Tory leaders would emerge without a vote.
I’m a little more than intrigued that in all these deliberations. not once had dissolution of the Union been mentioned, far less considered, despite around one third of the delegates at SNP conference warming to that proposal as a means of ending the Union with or without the consent of the Westminster Government and Parliament.
* Letter in the National newspaper from Graeme McCormick, of Arden, Loch Lomond.