Three wheels on their wagon. Are the fundie unionists retreating into a Laager?

 My Scotsman column today examines the rise of unionist fundamentalism - a trend first identified by Professor James Mitchell. 

If you doubted its existence before, Michael Moore's bizarre belief that Scotland needs a (historically unprecedented) two referendums to become independent proves unionists are retreating into a Laager of union jack covered wagons.  So even if people vote for independence in a referendum organised by the Scottish parliament, it doesn't count unless they vote again in a second referendum okayed by London.  And if that doesn't sound fundie enough, he claims London will oppose all the improvements the Scottish Government has promoted for the Scotland Bill. Moore's position suggests that he has been poisoned by his time in the Scotland Office. This has-been department considers the Scottish parliament a threat to its own position and will oppose anything that gives Holyrood enhanced power or status. It's a mentality dating back to the early days of the Labour administrations in Edinburgh, who found their Scotland Office colleagues resentful and territorial. Remember when the then First Minister Henry McLeish called his Labour colleague John Reid, the former Scottish Secretary, a "patronising bastard"? No love lost.

But it ceases to be a joke when it damages the country's future, in particular our ability to grow our economy. Moore's total lack of respect, not just for the Scottish parliament but the Scottish electorate, might please the control freaks at Dover House. However it will do nothing for his party north of Berwick.  Newsnight Scotland tonight had an extremely interesting piece by Ian Hamilton on the death Highland Liberalism. James Hunter and Michael Foxley were both pessimistic about its chances of recovery. But I was most struck by the comments of defeated candidate Alan MacRae. He noted that the Liberal Democrats lost because they ceased to be the party of Home Rule - just when real self-determination is within Scotland's grasp. Think of Tavish Scott's point blank refusal to even ask the people about the constitution, in case they gave the wrong answer, or his successor Willie Rennie's railing against "the nationalist bulldozer". It's not what Joe Grimond would have done.

All this can only boost the case for full Scottish sovereignty.  What other option is left if the British state is so determinedly intransigent? All nations have a right to chose independence if they wish - that's international law as well as moral law - whatever the Daily Telegraph, Vernon Bogdanor or Michael Moore claim about the vague workings of a UK constitution that doesn't actually exist.

Meanwhile Alan Trench suggests a tactical way forward -  the Scottish parliament vote for the amendments we wish to see to the Scotland Bill. Then there would be no room for doubt as to what the desire of the Scottish people was...and it would mean the media could stop talking about "Alex Salmond's wish list".  This is no wish list. It is something we took to the electorate, making it quite clear during the campaign that our priority was to get "economic teeth" into the Scotland Bill. All the improvements Alex Salmond promotes are policies supported by one or more opposition party.

If there is a vote in parliament, I hope principled politicians across the chamber will support it. Or will they succumb to the anti-Scottish rhetoric of the unionist fundamentalists and, consequently, political oblivion?

Comments

[James Morton]

And now anyone who supports the idea of independence is being regarded as a "separatist". The idiots are exulting in the tactics of Cameron and Moore. They're lapping it up and are blissfully unaware of how it will seem to Scots. You couldn't defend the Union in a more mind boggling incompetent way if you were getting your ideas from the big book of wrong ideas. The unionist's - especially the Tories - are the dumbest people in the room right now.

[Stevie]

The Tories have said (Nick Clegg) that there will be no second referendum.

So now the Brit nats have to argue 'a positive case for the union' (M Moore).

I can't see a strong case FOR but here are some things I would argue:

There isn't a positive cas for the union that interests the Scots.

- All this UN voice at the table stuff is worthless to someone who's only interested a decent family life.

- Scotland would get a better deal in Europe if independent.

- Scotland is the second largest oil exporter in Europe (after Norway).

- We are dragged into Westminster wars.

- We are and have been subsidising England since the union began.

- We don't require 'Great Britain' to reach world markets in the modern world, especially with Europe.

- We DON'T want Trident, we DON'T want nuke subs nor do we want old leaky radioactive subs parked in Scottish lochs left to rust and contaminate our country.

- I could go on but I'll finish with the banking crisis fallacy, Westminster gave guarantees for almost all of it but printed up some cash (increasing inflation that people are feeling now). The actual amount of money given is about £10 Billion.

- The huge £1 Trillion debt was Westminster (with its thieving expenses pigs) spent without reindustrialising England or Scotland. Both the Tories and Labour parties are right-wing parties but Labour is just simply incompetent.

The case FOR the union is HARDLY positive from a Scottish perspective.

From an English perspective, with Scottish independence they'll establish an England once more and choose a government for the people rather than this continuation of right-wing Labour/Tory administrations.

[douglas clark]

Joan,

Excellent.

This caught my eye:

....Michael Moore claim about the vague workings of a UK constitution that doesn't actually exist.

If it doesn't exist then we are all experts now!

[Let Scotland Flourish]

Joan,

The SNP should vote down the current Scotland Bill as something that they don't support and go to the electorate with a referendum this autumn for a democratic mandate on calman v full fiscal autonomy.

Then one on sovereign independence after 2015.

[Stevie]

Tories refuse SNP Scotland bill changes

http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Alex-Salmond-snubbed-over-new.6782038.jp

'Patronising bastards'.

[James Morton]

Sow the storm, reap the whirlwind as one old saying goes. They haven't learned a thing, and are using the tactics that nearly every political commentator has stated will backfire.
Have they really nothing to offer but tired old arguments?

My gran used to have a saying about people she didn't care for "They have a face you'd never get tired of slapping". It used to be a good way to describe the tories, now it could be used to describe the unionist camp. Every time they try something dodgy, they'll get the scots so angry they'll be lining up to slap the unionist face...hard.

[David MacGille-Mhuire]

Apropos Moore's comments, "rabid" - with all that this term implies - seems to unconsciously spring to mind along with images of Pontius Pilate.

He is treading on very thin ice in terms of international law, I gather.

Anyway, toom tabard pronouncements grist to the mill and apart, onwards.

[Dark lochnagar]

The Scottish Spring", perhaps. I'm just back from a month in Spain, leaving just before the election and the Spanish Government are really worried after the result in Scotland that the Catalans an the Basques will demand independence. Hee, hee!

[Manny]

What I find odd about Moore's comments is that by making a big song and dance about the need for a second referendum, it's like he's presuming a 'yes' vote from the people on the (1st?) referendum, he's talking like it's a done deal.