In decades to come, if Donald Trump hasn’t set off WW3 or condemned us all to the collapse of civilisation due to rampant global warming or appalling hairstyles, historians will look back on 2014 as the great lost opportunity of the United Kingdom. 2014 was the year when the UK narrowly avoided losing one of the two constituent kingdoms which had created the Union and ceasing to be a united kingdom. 2014 was the year when the British establishment could have chosen to ensure that it kept Scotland firmly within the embrace of the British state. But that’s not what happened.
What happened was that the morning after Scotland voted to remain a part of the UK, the UK’s main political parties decided to play party political games. They were going to use their victory as an opportunity to attack the SNP, not treat it as a shot across their bows from a constituent part of the UK that was prepared to give the Westminster parliament one last opportunity to introduce the Scottish home rule that it had promised. But the Unionist parties thought that none of the promises or commitments that the Unionist parties made in order to win the vote needed to be honoured, because they believed that Scotland had no leverage with which to make them comply. They arrogantly ran roughshod over an entire country, and chose instead to slap Scotland in the face. It’s bad enough being slapped in the face, but Scotland got slapped in the face by David Mundell, which is even greater national humiliation than getting your arse kicked by Paddington Bear.
This week Ruth Davidson is in her spiritual home in London, where she’s gone to worship at the feet of her masters and mistresses in the Tory party. Ruth is so influential in the Tory party in Westminster that they think she’s called Ruth Harrison. Possibly because they believe she’s related to Keith Harrison, the Orville the Duck guy. Easy mistake to make, one puppet is much like another and after all Scotland is represented in the UK cabinet by an actual stuffed toy. We all know who is pulling the strings.
Ruth wants to tell anyone who is listening, which is mainly the right wing British press, all how awful that SNP is, for daring to complain about Brexit and how wrong it is of them to point out that being taken out of the EU and into a dystopian future where we’re besties with Donald Trump is not what Scotland signed up for. They’re weaponising Brexit! She cried. How dare they! How dare those vile Scottish nationalists complain that the fact that Scotland is being dragged out of the EU against its will is the exact opposite of what we told them would happen if Scotland voted to remain a part of the UK.
The threat to the Union is real, she said, which when put through a translator for English Tories who have a deaf ear to Scotland really means, “You lot have seriously screwed things up for Scottish Tories and my chances of more photo opportunities with buffalo and dead fish.” And then she added that the SNP is weaponising Brexit.
The only people who have weaponised Brexit are the Tories themselves. They’re hell bent on using the Brexit vote as a weapon which they can use to blow up the tattered remnants of the post-WW2 settlement that gave us the NHS, state pensions, and the social security safety net. The Tories call calling them out for their destruction of social care, the NHS, employment and civil rights, and their mendacious disregard for their own promises to Scotland “cranking up the grievance machine”. Because it’s wrong for us to complain when Tories lie, cheat, and dissemble. It’s even more wrong for us to seek redress. It’s most wrong of all for us to strive for a situation where we can protect ourselves from them.
The new free trading Britain that’s striding the globe doing deals with everyone and anyone, but mainly with dictators and orange skinned xenophobes with incredibly tiny hands, won’t do any deals with Scotland. It’s a sign of just how divorced from reality that the Tory party has become, as Ruth insists that Scotland will face trade barriers with the rest of the UK, her boss insists that the rest of the UK will be able to trade freely with the EU. Britain is leaving the EU so that it can make trade deal without hinderance, except it won’t want a trade deal with Scotland, its largest export market.
Ruth’s threat is far more damaging to the rest of the UK than it is to Scotland. Since Scotland is thinking about leaving the UK precisely because the UK is leaving the EU and Scotland wants to stay, that means that any trade barriers between the rest of the UK and Scotland will also be trade barriers between the rest of the UK and the EU. The Tories can’t have it both ways. But that doesn’t stop them pumping out one message for people south of the border and a different one for those of us to the north of it. Tory propaganda rests upon the belief that the population of Scotland have heads that button up the back.
The Scottish Tory leader promises that the UK is a Union that’s changing, that’s dynamic. She’s got that bit right. It’s changing into a unitary state in which the views and opinions of its contituent nations are trampled over and count for nothng. It’s dynamically pushing Scotland off a cliff and onto the rocks of Brexit. We heard during the 2014 referendum that the UK was changing, that a No vote was a vote for safer faster better change. Instead we got English votes for English laws, second class Scottish MPs, tax powers for Holyrood that the Secretary of State openly boasted were a trap for the SNP, and a Sewell Convention that isn’t worth the legal paper that it’s printed on.
The people who are pushing Scotland off the Brexit cliff are complaining that independence would be a leap in the dark. When Ruth Davidson complains that the prospect of a second independence referendum is a “grim possiblity” she means that it’s a grim possibility that her party might be held to account. Because she’s more than happy with the current situation in which the views and votes of Scotland mean nothing. The only way Scotland will get safer faster better change is to rejoin the family of independent states. That terrifies Ruth more than anything, because a Scotland that decides its own path in the world is a Scotland that won’t go down the path Ruth wants. No wonder she’s terrified. Her Brexit weapon has turned itself on the Tory party and the Union. The Tories weaponised Brexit and it has blown up in their faces.
Audio version of this blog post, courtesy of Sarah Mackie @lumi_1984 https://soundcloud.com/occamshaver/wee-ginger-dug-14th-feb-2017
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Wee Ginger Dug 
I like it. Short and to the point.
If our people wobble at the precipice again, we will go over the cliff first… to cushion England’s fall.
[…] Wee Ginger Dug Weaponised Brexit […]
Sorry – meant to say the “Brexit cliff first..”
My fear is that the orange one,
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/apr/17/nude-donald-trump-painting-illma-gore-lawsuits#img-2
will complete the handing over of democracy, to the banks and corporations, and any hope we have, of a fair and free society through Independence will be quashed.
They seem intent to return us to feudalism.
We need land reform, and land value tax NOW, please snp.
Do not click on that link, did me heid in, yes to land reform, yes to land value tax.
Why dae I never listen?
Land reform and Land value tax NOW, please SNP.
Hear, Hear.
Why did stRuth Harrison have to venture darn sarth to give her SNPBad lecture? Is there a concern that the SNPBad media would not faithfully misreport the content? Do we not have any venues large enough to house her ego? And what’s all this nonsense about ‘weaponising’? We don’t need to know. We mustn’t be told. I don’t really care. Because…
This is futile posturing. When the big blue button is pushed, Ms Harrison may suddenly become scarce, feart of the many video clips of her proclaiming the benefits of maintaining membership of the EU. Unless, being tory is synonymous with hypocrisy. Hmmm. It is. And because…
Next month Article 50 could be triggered and the EU will make its position clear. The myriad scenarios presently swirling about should coalesce into coherent EU strategy centred on what is good for the EU which, as a trading body, means the more members, including Scotland, the better. Maybe the UK government realise this hence the screeching.
We are going to need a new Spinal Tap movie, one where the volume goes way beyond eleven, such is the screeching and hollering from the yoonistas. Clearly they are rattled. Good. The louder the screeching the more obvious it becomes that they are rattled. Rattled because, this time, whenever that is – but quite possibly next year – the residents of Scotland will decide that Scotland should become an independent nation.
“Heids that button up the back”. Surely not, not again. My parents, along with two million others, voted for an independent Scotland in the covenant of the late 1940s. I voted for a Scottish Assembly in 1979. And then I joined the S.N.P, and campaigned for a Yes vote in 2014.
Exactly what is it going to take to clear the mist that seems be blinding a lot of Scots to the blooming obvious, and that is that the Westminster Establishment have been bleeding us dry for centuries.
O.K, we’re making good progress, but it remains a mystery to me that so many people amongst us don’t, or perhaps don’t want to, admit to what I consider to be the quite deliberate subjugation of a nation.
I was criticised before for calling the Westminster propoganda a form of brainwashing, but that is what I believe it amounts to, and after hundreds of years of exposure, it seems to have taken hold with a good number of our electorate.
Of course the mouthpiece of the establishment, the M.S.M, led by their cheerleader the B.B.C, will, once again, be at the forefront of an increasingly vicious propoganda campaign designed to keep us in the U.K, and subservient to their every whim.
Surely, come Indyref2, enough of us will take the opportunity to control our own destiny, and regain our status as an independent nation, once again.
Let us hope so, Alex
David Ruthison, one scarily mixed up lady.
Her version of ‘democracy’ seems to be that if your side is out voted, you abandon all your principles and ‘convert’ to the other side.
Well, Ruth, or Dave, the SNP ‘won’ the Scottish Election.
Why are you still a vicious little Tory starving our children, destroying our public services, and robbing Scotland blind?
This evil little creature and her pointless LisTory Boys are the Antichrist.
They only wish to destroy Scottish Society, and reduce our nation to a slave economy colony of their Mortherland.
Because of a Brexit which we resoundingly rejected, Scottish families would see their yearly income reduce by £2000, our GDP would drop by £9 billion, and 80,000 jobs would go if we were mug enough to let Mundell and Ruthison with no fucking mandate from the citizens of Scotland force us out of Europe.
Why do institutions like the LSE and University College London invite pointless little losers like Dugdale and Davidson to deliver, a Mike Settle of the Herald Newsquest describes it, ‘keynote speeches’, which is Newspeak for ‘SNP BAD, Scotland is Shite’.
They are beneath contempt.
They are soon to be irrelevant.
In fact they never had, nor do they now, have any relevance at all.
Fabulous wry piece, Paul.
Another keeper Paul. Yer on a roll. 🙂
Here’s the thing.
What do the UK government have to bargain with if Scotland decides to dissolve the political union during the Brexit period? Water, renewables, oil, fish, energy production,whisky, and some 190k+ of the EU national hostages they hoped to use as bargaining chips are taken off the table. Edinburgh may well become the home for some new brass plates in a wave of fiscal flight. Manufacturers based currently in England who were looking at a continental move may look in this instance for a far shorter and less expensive shift of the furniture.
Scotland is a net exporter with a world wide branding. You want to know what the ‘UK’ brings to any negotiating table? You want to know what leverage the Scottish electorate has? Look out the window.
Our natural resources are the envy of Europe. Our educational base, research bodies and life sciences world class. Our peoples (Yes plural), Scots new and old alike, are well educated and live in a geographically peaceful, stable corner of the globe with spookily handy access to all major and equally stable trading partners. We have a government that simply wants to return the powers of self determination into the hands of its own population and work as, just for once, a country that contributes peacefully and with friendship to the world.
So if UK gov. is allowed to go to a negotiating table with the all of this in their hands, how much of it will be bargained away to provide those and such as those with the outcome THEY desire?
Or you could vote to bring our powers home and decide for yourself how you wish to discuss our relationships with the world. The Scottish electorate have a window of opportunity in the official Brexit period. A window where that very rare second chance to right a wrong is not only possible, but probable.
People aren’t barter coin. Their human rights aren’t a serving suggestion and they aren’t hostages in some demented sociopath’s negotiation process. Don’t let the establishment parties and that awful construct on the Thames make you over in their own image. Don’t let this Tory Brexit be our legacy to future generations.
Whatever way you voted last time out is history. It’s yesterday. We need all hands out to welcome new Scots and new YES voters.
What KIND of country do you want to live in?
If the scenario here rolls out anywhere near the numbers predicted by the model in the next decade
https://arctic-news.blogspot.fr/p/extinction.html?m=1
It won’t just be a few brass plates shifting to the higher ground provided by Scottish geographical topography. As places like Doncaster, York, and Grantham become seaside towns there will certainly be insufficient room here on the Pennines to house all the refugees from Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Hull, Liverpool and other lower ground anything between ten and fifty miles of the existing coastline.
In such an eventuality population growth in Scotland is likely to at least equalise with that of England. I’d start building the refugee facilities now if I were you’se.
“Our natural resources … a country that contributes peacefully and with friendship to the world.”
That para sums the whole thing up beautifully 😉 May I, or anyone else, quote it in response to Little Englanders and suchlike?
Feel free. 🙂
I’ve been thinking for some time that an effective approach to undecided voters might be to point out that paradoxically, if you want to preserve the best bits of the union, such as the state pension and the NHS, which are already crumbling in pre-Brexit Britain, your only realistic option is to vote for independence.
Alex Beveridge they have brainwashed us very subtely through our “education” system,through their portrayal of us being drunken/criminals through denigrating our “mither tongue” it,s ok to listen to cockney slang and scouse wit,we are portayed as and in many cases accept that we are social outcasts.In reading the excellent book about”Sikunder Burnes” the British Empire/British East India co” was largely driven by Scots but only a passing reference it is all glorifying of England,we have throughout our bloody history been sold out through pseudo Scots,so little has changed.After “The Boyne” 1690 when both Catholics/Protestants were presenting a unified front for a united Ireland,the government of the time asked general Sir George Knox what could they do,his re-ply was “leave it with me I will play the Orange card” and as they say the rest is history.
You may recall, Emily, that the perfidious little scrote ‘joked’ at last year’s Tory Conference that the English True Blues were taking a chance inviting her Down There, because we scots either wrecked everything in our path or stole it, to uproarious laughter from Big T and the Chinless Wonders. She is seen as their kind of subservient little Jock.
She does noty give a flying feck about Scotland or civic society. She is an elitist fascist, as are most of her Listory Boys.
An all round nasty little piece of work.
In an ideal world, at least for May et al, the UK will remain intact whilst Brexit negotiations are going on and Scotland’s resources will be part of any final agreement. However it’s far too late for use to shut up in case the EU voices concerns about how long whatever deal is reached will last. Their question will be “Are we making a long term deal with the UK or the rUK”.
Being egotistical, I’d say that the a UK with at least some euro friendly regions that haven’t gone out of their way to noise up the EU is probably going to get a better deal than one without. The EU is certainly not going to tie itself to a preferential deal on the assumption that Scotland will remain with the rUK.
A desperate reliance on the idea that previous Yes voters voted Leave isn’t going to help the No campaign. Obviously you’ve some like Sillars who may have seen getting out of the EU as more important than being in the UK and were using independence as a means to that. However you also get those who might have been lured into voting Leave as some kind of tactical vote to ensure another referendum. Add to that that even in the rUK there’s a movement in both directions from those who voted Leave and regret it and form Remain and want it over with.
Certainly Davidson’s capitulation and refusal to even consider actually backing the SNP compromise of Scotland in whilst the rUK out even if that might benefit the UK as a whole is enlightening to say the least.
Struth Rabidson is a tractor that’s tanked. She will always put Westminster’s wants above Scotland’s needs.
I’m now having informative conversations with die hard no’s… because of the brexit vote.
It is so big and so far reaching, they are having to leave their comfort zone and start investigating… and given the complete lack of proper info coming from the Brexit camp, that means engaging with Yessers.
They are still no’s, at the moment… but they are now listening and engaging in the conversation, particularly to the info about the NHS, point them to Prof Alyson Pollock on you tube.
And also about the economy – the whisky export quantities and WM tax collecting of it are big ones. The truth about the Oil and Gas industry another.
The fact that there was no bloody plan for brexit, is another one that quietly hits them in the solar plexus.
I can’t quite get my head round how big and complex Brexit is, but I’m paying attention. And the good news is we don’t need the solutions, we just need to ask the relevant questions – but what about farming exports? what about Uni grants, what about? The farmers are raking it in at the moment because the value of the pound has dropped making exports easier, I just ask them what happens when the existing trade deal ends? Hmmm? No answer, and they are deeply, deeply worried.
And I’m sorry to say it, but I do know some Yessers who voted Leave, over concern about foreigners (not me, so don’t shoot the messenger). I passionately disagree with them, but it is not working pointing out how wrong I think they are, or how biased the media, etc. So again, I go back to the above, what about your working time directive? what about holidays with pay? what about health and safety at work? I’m trying to get them to see the big picture, and get away from the ‘migrant’ push that the media, and the tories are pushing.
Keep on keeping on folks, and thanks to WGD as always for the clarity and inspiration.
on the EU , i voted out , not in anyway as support of the right in tory ranks , but because of the paranoid secrecy involved in the TTIP negotiations , and the disgraceful treatment of Greece , having said that the majority of Scottish people voted to stay , and so i accept the majority view ,
The SNP balloted members who voted and know the views of those who against party advice voted out ,they will be by now well aware of the reasons for this , i imagine like myself other members accept the result and this in no way changes their or my support for an Independent Scotland .
Well said, Sir! your honesty is appreciated, as is your respect for the (Scottish) majority view. Hopefully there are quite a few more of your ilk.
We are still in the EU, the pound has fallen and could fall more. Inflation is up and banks like Lloyds are considering moving part of their ops to Berlin.
Trump’s onslaught against US companies who make cars abroad, like GM in England (Vauxhall) and in Germany (Opel), is forcing GM to discuss with Peugeot- Citroen a possible sale of Vauxhall and Opel!!
Jobs at risk! And we are still in the EU.
Troubles ahead dahn sath.
Weaponise Brexit? I think that’s a great idea. We can bring all weapons to bear and sink the HMUKS United Empire of England, that ship of fools (or should that be full of shits?) Hopefully, the powder monkey, Ruth Davidson, will go down with the foundering wreck. Mind you, maybe we won’t have to sink HMS UK – post-Brexit it’ll be scuppered anyway.
Och I wouldnae want tae see puir wee Ruthie droundit, the image of her an a few mair strandit on a wee desert island is way mair amusing. Having chosen to Leave the sinking ship like the rodents they resemble, there on their wee island they must now Remain?
Fair comment, Marconatrix. Mind you, if we don’t get oot o this Union gey quick, eftir Brexit we’lll a’ be livin on a desert island!
Excellent observations, and comments. By ranting on and on about independence, the unionists are no doubt hoping to put people off altogether, with their wall to wall propaganda.
If the time is right, they can’t stop it. rUK should be contemplating their post brexit future, and staying friendly with Scotland. They will need Scotland, post brexit and once Scottish independence is triggered.
You want to know how bad it’s going to be?
http://www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2017/02/15/everything-you-need-to-know-about-article-50-in-five-minutes
Oh…
…Jings!
Hi Paul, just a quick message to say thanks for a brilliant talk last night at the Leith Dockers’ Club – left with a spring in my step regarding the way forward. And you’re right – the Dug is bigger than I thought! Cheers mate x
Phantom Power: Journey to YES 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm1Ycdr4xeM
Spread THIS far and wide.
Hope the Dunoon talk went well. Tried to attend but it was standing room only (for that, I need legs which work…) Did get to pet the dug at the door – thought it was going to be a handbag dog.
I had an ‘oh right….’ moment when reading this. It might just be an explanation of May and Trump’s strange relationship…
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/02/corporate-dark-money-power-atlantic-lobbyists-brexit