I’m frustrated!!

I don’t know about anyone else, but the last few weeks have really scunnered me for various, mainly political reasons, so I thought that if I get them off my chest, I’ll feel better. Will it work? We’ll see.

Pete Wishart, the SNP’s longest serving Westminster MP is a great believer that independence will come if we do nothing. He has repeatedly said that all we have to do is sit on our bums (ok, I’m paraphrasing) and allow Scottish voters to see how incompetent the Westminster Government really is. When that happens, people will become desperate for independence. It will just happen. A majority for independence is assured. What he hasn’t told us is the mechanism for converting this anticipated huge level of support for independence into actual independence if the Scottish Government persists with the S30 approach and the English Government continues to say “no”. I recently asked him if he believed the Westminster government’s internal market bill (see below) would improve the chances of gaining independence. I don’t understand how any right-thinking person could believe it can do anything other than damage (perhaps even kill?) our chances, but Pete Wizard (oops) said yes, this bill would help independence. I suspect that had I asked if a UK government policy of killing all Scots first borns to feed starving Londoners post Brexit would help independence, he would have said yes to that as well.

It seems that the SNP have a virus other than Covid-19 to worry about. However, unlike Covid-19, this is a virus that elected and executive members of the party seem keen to catch. The virus instils in sufferers a belief that human biology is an optional extra; that gender should replace sex as a categorisation of individuals; that there are (by some counts) over a hundred genders; that men can become women by the simple expedient of saying I am a woman and putting on a dress; and various other notions too silly to include here. Names such as Mhairi Black, John Nicolson, Fiona Robertson, Alyn Smith and Rhiannon Spear come to mind, though there are many others, including several who believe adult sex with children (or child rape, as it is more correctly called) should be legalised.

The announcement of the UK internal market bill took no one by surprise, except possibly for the scale of change it imposes on the devolved governments. Everyone of an independence inclination should have been pretty worried even before we got the details, but when we found out what the Tories were planning, it’s hard to imagine how it could have been worse. When the bill becomes law, it allows an unelected committee of Tory appointees to recommend striking down any Scottish legislation if they believe (and they will believe) it affects the so-called UK internal market. It also allows the UK government to take as much of the Scottish government’s budget as it likes to directly fund organisations and projects it approves of. How much might that be? 20% in the first year? 40% in the second? How long would it take before Holyrood was left almost nothing, unable to do anything useful, providing Westminster with the perfect excuse to shut it down completely? Boris Johnson has already been quoted as saying that Scottish Government policies are too left wing, such as their overspending on Welfare (or Social Security benefits, as they should more correctly be known) and we know the Tories have been desperate to get rid of devolution ever since it began, so they’ll take any chance they get. Several senior Scottish Government and SNP figures have spoken out against the bill, but, up till now, no action has been taken, or even proposed, to limit the impact of the legislation. So, like Brexit, despite all the criticism, despite all the ‘we’ll make sure this will never happen’ statements, here we are, out of the EU and days away from Westminster passing a law to render Holyrood powerless. But all that apparently deserves no more than a few strong words? My flabber has never been so gasted.

Pretty much the last straw was the leak of texts seemingly written by Peter Murrell, the SNP’s Chief Executive Officer (the boss), to Sue Ruddick, the SNP’s Chief Operating Officer (a junior boss) suggesting they need to come up with other ways to increase the pressure on Alex Salmond, who was already under investigation for the dubious sexual harassment charges being brought by the alphabet women, charges which were later found to be groundless. These messages were written on the same WhatsApp group set up to allow the alphabet women to refine their allegations. There had been suspicions of conspiracy for some time, involving senior SNP figures and Scottish civil servants, with more than a little help from the COPFS and the police, but despite the COPFS’s efforts to bury them, the leak of the messages appeared to confirm the existence of a plot and the involvement of at least Peter Murrell and Sue Ruddick, as well as the alphabet women. Very disappointing for those of us, including myself, who believed the SNP to be a more open and honest party than the English based parties who form the bulk of the opposition in Holyrood. As I write this, more than ten days after the leak of Peter Murrell’s messages, there has been no explanation offered by the SNP. Do the SNP intend to use the Tory method of simply ignoring any criticism until the media moves on to the next scandal and everybody just forgets? It works for the Tories, but I’m not sure if it will work just as well for the SNP, though that £3m bribe the party gave the Scottish(?) press might help to smooth things over.

Finally, and more personally, there is the Covid-19 pandemic. Just when it seemed that things were getting a bit more normal, that there was a chance that I would be able to speak to my grandchildren from a distance of less than 2 metres without wearing a mask, perhaps even give them a hug, even the older ones who are not really into hugging, not grandparents anyway, the numbers started to go in the wrong direction. We had always been threatened with a resurgence of the virus in the winter, but I can’t help thinking that the media have made a contribution to the increase by publicising the English rules alongside the Scottish ones, leading to confusion in people’s minds; that opposition politicians have made a contribution to the increase by constantly undermining the Scottish Government’s message and demanding that they do exactly the same as English government policy; and that some of the public have made a contribution by either wilfully or carelessly or because of the confusion mentioned above ignored the rules. Surely the most ludicrous example of blatantly ignoring the rules is that a number of unionists living in Scotland who have chosen to download the English track and trace app, which won’t work in Scotland (or anywhere else, it seems) because they can’t bring themselves to accept anything produced by the Scottish Government, even if it might save their lives.

So, has it worked I hear you say? Do I feel better for getting all this off my chest and down on paper? Unfortunately, I have to report that it hasn’t worked. Perhaps I’ll have better luck with the next one.

FACING THE TRUTH

What follows is a blog by Iain Lawson, a long time senior member of the SNP, though no longer, for reasons not within his control. A passionate independence supporter, he still has considerable knowledge of all things SNP. If you want to see more blogs from Iain, you can find him at https://yoursforscotlandcom.wordpress.com

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DON’T BURY YOUR HEAD OR HIDE AWAY.

Here are some facts

1. Alex Salmond was falsely accused with multiple charges being made against him.
2. Long before any trial the “charges” were maliciously leaked to a newspaper.
3. This led to a media frenzy that championed the multi charges from so many different women as evidence there was no hope of acquittal.
4. Throughout the trial media reports were extremely hostile largely reporting the prosecution evidence while ignoring the defence evidence that effectively destroyed the prosecution case.
5. During the trial Mr Salmond’s defence team tried to lodge a number of WhatsApp messages that they argued proved a clearly planned conspiracy against him. The judge did not permit them to be lodged.
6. The trial ended with every single charge being thrown out by a jury comprised of more women than men. Not a single charge was upheld.
7. Much of the prosecution case was shown up as patently false or contrived.
8. Shortly after the trial those responsible for the rejected allegations signed a press release that continued their smear campaign against the man who had just been cleared of every single charge
9. The BBC in the form of an hour long documentary then produced a programme called “the Trial of Alex Salmond” that repeated all the allegations, had interviews with the “victims” using actor’s voices and pictures of nervous twitching all for effect, YET MANAGED TO OMIT THE ENTIRE DEFENCE CASE, EVERY SINGLE DEFENCE WITNESS WAS IGNORED. It was aired multiple times.
10. Last week one of those WhatsApp messages were leaked and it was revealed that the SNP Chief Executive was actively encouraging pressure to be applied on the police and to open up more allegations through the Met in London. I am led to believe there are more WhatsApp messages from this closed group which provide much more evidence of the plot and those involved.
11. It is already known from numerous press reports that a number of the allegations were made by senior members of the SNP and Scottish Government.
12. Craig Murray, who reported the trial honestly and accurately, unlike the MSM who continued to try and paint Alex Salmond guilty, is facing contempt of court charges despite doing considerably less to reveal the identities of the alphabet women than was possible from the reports in many of the mainstream publications

This section that follows is not all facts but includes opinion based on the information I have.

WHY? IS A QUESTION ASKED BY MANY.

Political patronage can be lucrative. Any leader of any Government has the opportunity to move into their administration many positions in both Government and Party to  their closest allies and friends. These positions, both paid and unpaid are largely reliant on the leader staying in place. 

Now, if the people concerned have true talent they probably could survive a change of leader, but, it is much safer to them if any potential contenders can be kept well away from the centre of power. I fear that is what we are dealing with here with the malicious attempts to kill off Alex Salmond and keeping Joanna Cherry out of Holyrood. I do think they are both connected to the same fear. Likewise control of the NEC is part of the same problem.

BUT WHAT BROUGHT THIS ON?

I am told it was brought on by the incident involving Mark MacDonald where he retweeted a message he should not have done and a bandwagon developed calling for him to resign his seat. There was a great fear that Alex Salmond would view such a by election as an opportunity to re enter Holyrood. Two things happened at this stage, the first allegations against Alex Salmond emerged. I believe it likely this was to only to stop him becoming a candidate but it was also accompanied with an easing back on the Mark McDonald situation where there were no more calls for him to resign his seat, merely to lose the whip. So no by election, he could stay to the next election with his seat being probably based on a future all women shortlist if necessary.. Problem solved.

THE CONSEQUENCES

For Alex Salmond if he had been found guilty he could easily, at his age, been facing a prison sentence that could have seen him spending the rest of his natural life in jail. Think about that. Then think of the enormous pain and suffering he suffered over almost two years knowing he was innocent but still knowing his freedom was entirely dependent on a jury believing him innocent. The more so that the jury for that very extended period were subject to the same hostile commentary coming from the MSM in advance of the trial. Commentary designed to influence opinion. Look how many supposedly loyal SNP people were influenced to accept his guilt. Often the same people today who complain and whine when efforts are being made to encourage the Party to take action against those involved in this plotting.

IN CONCLUSION

I have known Alex Salmond for thirty five years. We are not close. I sent him a message of support in advance of his trial and contributed to his defence fund. I am friendly with a good number of MP’s and MSP’s and some of what I have written above comes from these sources. None of the above is single source information.

I hope this matter can be dealt with speedily. I have been calling for a Party Enquiry from the end of the trial. Perhaps last week’s revelation of the Chief Executive’s enthusiasm for pushing the charges against Alex Salmond is the explanation of why it has never happened. I remember swift action in the past.

I suspect this started as a silly plot, but having succeeded in heading off the threat in Mark McDonald’s seat, some bright spark, thinking of the various selection battles arising in the lead up to the May 2021 decided they should administer the coup de grace with the creation of more malicious charges which spiraled out of control and resulted in such damage to Alex Salmond, despite his innocence, and which will ultimately result in a lot more humiliation and disaster for those responsible as the truth about these events becomes increasingly apparent. More and more people know the identities so this is inevitable.

You will note this article does not suggest any MI5 or Westminster involvement in this debacle. I do not rule it out but if there is I am unaware of it. What I do see and find utterly despicable is the cooperation between those who created the false allegations and the Unionist media who have been delighted to use these gifts to smear a man who was, and still is, the greatest threat to the Union. That has been betrayal with a capital B and they should be ashamed of themselves and certainly holding no office within the SNP or Scottish Government. It is just ridiculous that those seeking justice on this matter have to suffer accusations of being disloyal and disruptive from the same folk who are willing to overlook the actions of those who created these disgraceful and vindictive events. Has the World gone mad?

I desperately want Independence. I never created the false narrative, I never leaked the charges to the media, I never conspired with others to endanger the freedom of an innocent man, or who continued to run an organised smear campaign against him once the charges were all dismissed. All done from hiding.

Think about this, if people see you trying to bury such wrongdoing, prepared to let it go, they are going to ask what else is being hidden in our drive for Independence? It would be an effective attack that we can’t defend and would cost us dear. You simply can’t call for a fair and just Scotland and then turn a blind eye to this. It won’t work, but more important it is just so wrong.

So if you are angry at all this and you would be right to be so, restrict it to those responsible. Being seen to tolerate and condone this sort of evil plotting, cowardly and devious behavior is not the route to a free, just and prosperous Scotland. We are a better people than that and our leadership needs to reflect that honesty and decency to inspire our people, or else all will be lost….and will deserve to be. It’s a better, honest and just Scotland we are fighting for! Let’s not forget that and lead with the high standards Scotland deserves.

I am, as always

Yours for Scotland

Competence is not enough: reach for the stars

As many of you will know,  I am a passionate independence supporter.  Having voted SNP for years, I joined the party in the aftermath of the 2011 election because I knew there was going to be an independence referendum and I wanted to do as much as I could to make it successful.  I was an extremely active campaigner in the referendum and I have continued to work to support the party in all subsequent elections because I believed that a winning SNP was the route to a winning second referendum.  I am still desperate for independence and I will still do anything I can as long as it brings independence closer.

The SNP have proved themselves to be extremely competent in government, but it’s still a government whose very existence depends on the good offices of another government in another country.  So competence isn’t enough, when any good that comes from that competence can be undone at a stroke by the government of another country.  And who will bet against a Tory government led by the most incompetent Prime Minister in modern times not taking action to undo the good works.  This is a Prime Minister who has already lied and cheated in his personal, professional and political life.  He wouldn’t think twice about taking any action, legal or illegal, moral or immoral, right or wrong, if such action kept him in power. He might not be prepared to do the work, but he still wants the title and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it.

Remember that the only real political power in the United Kingdom resides with Westminster. Scotland may have a devolved government, but remember, power devolved is power retained. Westminster can do what they like, but Holyrood can only do what they’re allowed.

That’s why I can’t understand those who say that a big SNP majority next year will make it impossible for Johnson to refuse a Section 30. We all know what he’s like and, knowing that, why would anyone think he will be embarrassed into agreeing a second referendum. Embarrassment is not in his DNA. Depending on the UK Prime Minister, even if a different PM, agreeing a Section 30 seems certain to fail.

In any case, will the election go ahead? For example, would the pandemic be a sufficient excuse to postpone it for a year, say? What about Brexit? Could post-Brexit civil unrest be serious enough to warrant postponement? Or even warrant sending in the army to keep the peace. Does anyone think that a government which passed legislation knowingly condemning thousands of its disadvantaged citizens to death would not stoop to the creation of a little ‘unrest’ to prevent the election going ahead? What about a government which sends its military to attack another country for no good reason and then describes those fleeing the carnage as economic migrants to justify preventing them reaching a place of safety. Does anyone think that government would not stoop to the creation of a little ‘unrest’ to prevent the election going ahead?

If not postponing the election, what other actions are possible? Well, we already have the proposed legislation to support the introduction of the so-called UK internal market. An ‘independent’ committee will be set up by Westminster to scrutinise all legislation passed by Holyrood to determine whether there is any impact on the internal market. This will provide the UK government with the excuse to describe any Holyrood bill as likely to impact the internal market and the power to prevent the bill being enacted. How could Holyrood function under these circumstances?

Would Westminster introduce other legislation to restrict the ability of the Scottish Government to operate properly? Of course they would, without a second thought, if it was necessary to maintain their hold over Scotland. It’s unlikely that Westminster would close Holyrood altogether, as that would probably be too obvious, but they don’t need to go that far when they can render Holyrood impotent by removing powers or introducing laws to strengthen Westminster’s control. Remember, Westminster can do what they like, but Holyrood can only do what they’re allowed.

I have said before that the only circumstances in which the Tory government would grant a Section 30 order would be if a majority of their own supporters in England demanded that they got rid of the economic basket case they have been told Scotland is, sucking England dry. The irony of that would be if the argument they’ve used for years, telling Scotland they’re too wee, too poor, too stupid to become independent, would become the reason why the English electorate insisted that they set Scotland free. Unfortunately, I have since realised that there’s a flaw in this argument. To placate those who believe Scotland is getting more than it deserves, Westminster only has to reduce Scottish funding by modifying the Barnett formula, or even scrapping it all together. This would provide the Tory government with the dual benefit making themselves look good to their support while retaining more of Scotland’s taxes to give to their mates.

So playing by Westminster’s rules is likely to get us nowhere. What we need is a Scottish Government, supported by a majority of the people of Scotland, who are willing to use the rules already existing in the UN charter to set Scotland on the road to freedom. Surely now is the right time. England’s reputation in the world has never been lower, with Brexit and their casual disregard for international treaties. It’s never been more obvious that Scotland is being held against her will in a Union in which she was supposed to be a voluntary partner. Scotland’s plight must have surely been explained to the governments of our European partners and to governments in other parts of the world, providing near certainty that Scotland would be accepted as an independent nation by the rest of the world.

Now is the time to start to regain our freedom.