The SNP does not really want end game of Scottish independence
by our secret columnist in Brussels
According to the Scottish National Party, if the Scots are given a referendum on independence they will vote for it. It will be a resounding victory for the party, but a Pyrrhic one. For the party will lose its raison d'ętre. Scottish politics would revert to the conventional left-right division, in this case a strong left and a weak right. The nationalists would require a new narrative, which could hardly be that of the right that had opposed them - unless it was the extreme right: no multiculturalism, cut welfare support and lock up the miscreants. The left would probably not want or need them.
So how does a party prevent itself from committing hara-kiri? The SNP seems to have found the answer, bizarrely. It wants the voters to answer not one question (are you for independence?) but two. The second being - do you want more powers for the Scottish Parliament? A strong showing on the second question would give the SNP a new lease of political life.
Armed with the result, it could present its wish list to the political community in London. This would no doubt include full power of direct taxation, sequestration of the whole of the revenue (diminishing) from North Sea oil and gas, full autonomy for a Scottish health service as well as welfare policy, home-based regulatory control of financial services and so on. The list could be expanded almost indefinitely and would give the nationalists a perpetual programme for conflict with United Kingdom authority, which is their lifeblood. It would also be handy insofar as all the awkward questions that flow from a declaration of independence would not arise.
Why otherwise would the straightforward 'yes' or 'no' to independence be tempered by another question, which addresses a policy – devolution – which the SNP does not really want and one that might tempt voters away from the starkness of the first question? It is a truism that the primary purpose of an organism is to survive. You have to hand it to the SNP tacticians; it is a great game of bluff they are playing.
It is wise to be cautious about what supporters and opponents of Scottish independence claim about the impact the vote will have, but people are nevertheless hungry for information about the momentous decsion, writes Jim Gallagher
That "Brussels position of vantage" obviously doesn't afford a very clear view. Distorted, I suspect, by looking through the prism of the almost exclusively unionist UK media. Allow me to put you right on a couple of points.
Firstly, the SNP is now firmly established as the party of government in Scotland, pursuing a programme which has won the unequivocal backing of the Scottish electorate. The SNP will continue to exist post-independence much as it is now - a left-of-centre, social democratic party. The real question is what will happen to the anti-independence British parties' outposts in Scotland.
And the stuff about the SNP wanting a "second question" on the independence referendum ballot is, not to put too fine a point on it, inaccurate. To quote the SNP's MP Mike Weir: "The SNP position is that we favour one question. We want independence and that is the question we will put.". That should be clear enough. Even viewed from some lofty vantage point in Brussels.
Peter A Bell - Scotland
You really don't understand the position of the Scottish government. It is for a simple 'yes' or 'no' question, but the unionist parties who are apparently all for an increase in devolution have to explain their position. If they don't want their choice on the ballot paper, the choice that opinion polls say is the most popular among the electorate - then it is not up to the Scottish government to present that position. The question is, how will voters who want change vote when the choice is change or no change? The answer will probably be independence.
Cuphook - Edinburgh
This is a perceptive piece. Alex Salmond does not want an independent Scotland, he just wants to use the issue for political gain. He is a very typical UK politician, use the issue to get what you want - in his case, more devolution and permanent UK government opposition from Scotland; rather than do what is right for the people you are their to represent.
If he and the SNP really wanted independence why is he not proposing a Scottish currency, rather than the pound or euro? Why is he campaigning for devolution, rather than independence? He and the SNP actively seeks to pervert the course of the debate with distractions about Westminster politics and fail to reveal the truth about key matters such as EU membership post-independence.
The Cyber nats will not like it, but the truth Scotland is going nowhere. It will not vote for independence. So many people in Scotland have family ties and career ties to the rest of the UK. They will not put such important things at risk because of politics. Politicians are necessary but people will vote for their families and jobs long before politicians dreams.
Alex and Co know this are just trying to get more power for themselves. They know there is more power in governing Scotland as part of the world's 7th largest economy, than governing Scotland as an independent country. Cybernats stop whining and get a life you can vote for.
Tn - Aberdeen, UK
I was annoyed by your errors in the above article. You really need to investigate your stories before you publish inaccurate information, or before you re-spout unionist propaganda. However, both Peter A Bell and Cuphook have already pointed out your errors. It's a shame you didn't try a bit harder: C- for effort.
The1TrueScott - Oban, Argyll
"Full autonomy for a Scottish health service." Ahem, I suggest you come down from your eyrie and check out some basic facts before indulging in such erroneous waffle.
Mark MacLachlan
As can be seen from my name, I'm not originally from Scotland. What I know of politics here has been acquired from long study, not from the "everybody knows" school.
I read a similar argument concerning the Labour Party. At first glance, you would say continued poverty would be in the interest of that party. But like the Jewish joiner said "the poor will always be with us". It's all a matter of perspective.
The Tories might burst into new life. Labour may seem completely irrelevant, as they did to me arriving from the wreck of the defunct Soviet Union. The SNP will still be around because it has a political character closer to the social democratic parties of mainland Europe.
As to not wanting independence, I find the writer's thoughts weak and ill thought out. All the options are open to debate after independence. Such as the much spoken of NATO membership. It seems unlikely that any party can come up with the support for leaving to get it through the Scottish Parliament.
It's a question for after independence, not before.
Devomax is the option with all the sticky questions, but not for Scotland. It would then be time for Westminister to justify it's powers. Clearly this cuts straight to the visera of English politics and over the last 100 odd years - with respects to Canada and then Australia - it's been an argument they have never peacefully won.
To end the very things that made SNP politicians unhappy with the UK and desirous of independence will be the same as encouraging them to stay active in politics under whatever name.
Tamas Marcuis - Scotland
"Firstly, the SNP is now firmly established as the party of government in Scotland, pursuing a programme which has won the unequivocal backing of the Scottish electorate. The SNP will continue to exist post-independence much as it is now - a left-of-centre, social democratic party." Peter - you clearly dont understand Scottish politics.
The SNP getting into power was not a vote "for" them. It was a vote "against" Scottish Labour, added to the SNP allegedly buying votes through free prescritions, free universities, free eye tests, and council tax freezes etc. None of which are sustainable long term.
Cupcake - Aaberdeen, Scotland
The SNP is to Scotland what UKIP is to Britain and generally seeks to exploit chauvinism. The current SNP leader is driven mainly by an overwhelming desire to be important and get a chapter or two about himself in history books. What is good for Scotland is secondary, in my opinion.
Hume - Scotland
So if Scotland leaves the UK and does not gain entry to the EU does that mean that the Scots are ineligible to live and work in EU countries - i.e. England - and would the old roman borders go back up, would Scotland let all nationalities in and allow or even encourage them to go to the rest of the UK.
How long will free prescriptions be affordable, free education and eye tests, who will pay for the health service? Will all UK companies pull out of Scotland as there will be an out cry if they remain in a non UK country? What will become of the Scots in the armed forces at present and in the past some of the cream in the British forces?
Some 85 per cent of the British investment in different projects through the British taxpayers should surely return to the UK or Scotland to be charged to keep over 15 per cent of the projects like renewable energy. The naval yards should rightly so go back to England.
Why over the past few centuries when the UK was a force was independance not wanted, seems to me that the strong friendship and family relations enjoyed between the UK and Scotland is going to be destroyed by a power crazy SNP.
Will it be the same as the EU vote, when a no vote means prolonging the event until a yes vote is gathered, but when a yes vote is gained your stuck for good. Most English and Scotish enjoy the sports banter, and from an English prospective we welcome the Scots with no prejudice as we are both part of a Britain, which is now being eroded by the decisions made by the last UK labour goverment - which is to give away powers to the EU.
If this type of vote and talk is to wrestle power back from Brussels and not break the UK up, then I would support the idea of shaking up parliment. But beware if Scotland is swallowed up by the EU, you could regret the worst decision ever made by any country - as the EU bigwigs will control a so called independant small country. And everyone in a short period of history will be Europeanised and the Scottish identity could end up being just history.
Gary Hall - Portsmouth, England
