PARTY BEFORE INDEPENDENCE

An article written by regular contributor Bill Clark who hails from Fort William

The SNP’s continuity First Minister Humza Yousaf has made a pledge that at next year’s General Election “vote SNP for independence.”  What does he think we have been doing for the past eight years despite any progress being made towards that goal?  The new SNP’s commitment to independence has been diluted to such an extent it simply does not exist anymore.  Independence is only mentioned for election purposes.   

The SNP have taken their eye off the ball, indeed, they intentionally burst the ball to go after other issues which they obviously deem more important.  More than one person is to blame for this betrayal but there is one person more than any other who opened up a world of power and reward to those who could only have attained the level of political power that they now hold without Nicola Sturgeon.  The cabal she surrounded herself with are still there and have been well rewarded for their unstinting support by being appointed to one cabinet post after another, first by Nicola Sturgeon herself and now by her continuity successor as FM.  

Notwithstanding, Nicola Sturgeon’s recent public demise, Humza Yousaf has followed the same line by retaining where possible the former FM’s tried and tested loyal associates.  The former FM is a law unto herself, she has people fawning over her like disciples in a member-only cult.    While, she has been arrested as a suspect in a fraud investigation which has been going on for two years the SNP leadership have refused to believe a word of it.  They see her as above reproach.  Her supporters are manning the barricades.  There will be no continuity suspension for Nicola Sturgeon as long as she remains in charge.   The new rule change was brought in by the new FM himself to help one of his best friends from being suspended.  The fact that Nicola more than any other person was responsible for ensuring that the baton of FM would be passed to Humza is not a good look.    It is inconsistent treatment towards members.   It reminded me of the last Scottish Election when the NEC decided on a last-minute rule change to make it more difficult for Joanna Cherry to contest a seat for the Holyrood Parliament.   

Now, let us have some consistency when it comes to suspensions.    Humza and hypocrisy go together.  If they were really reaching out to the grassroots, they would not have knowingly chosen a date for their party convention to clash with the annual Bannockburn rally.    Nicola still has so much power over everyone within and out with the SNP which includes our present FM.    Humza’s choice as the SNP’s new £100K independence officer was Jamie Hepburn who fired his first broadside against the “YES” movement by bringing up devolution as an alternative to independence.    

If the goal of achieving independence was really on the SNP radar, I would have thought Ash Regan, who certainly has shown her commitment, would have been a more appropriate appointment.   Alas, with the exception of one lady there were no appointments by Humza for anyone with a mind or an opinion of their own.  Supporters of independence know full well that the only reason the SNP put a whip on their MSPs to vote to save the Green’s Lorna Slater was because they knew that to keep the SNP majority in parliament, they had to make out that she was doing a fine job.  Party interests had to come before independence.  You have to question the votes cast by Kate Forbes and Ash Regan in support of Lorna Slater retaining her job.  During the SNP leadership election debates both had criticised the proposals Lorna Slater was putting forward.   Unfortunately, they too, put party before their constituents’ needs, unlike, Fergus Ewing who stuck to his guns and voted in support of the no confidence motion.   Fergus is hewn from parents of unquestionable independence stock in Winnie and his father Stewart.   It should not be a case of who submitted the no confidence proposal whether you can bring yourself to support it or not.  It should be a case of, is it the right thing to do.   

It is depressing to hear political pigmies like SNP apologist Paul Kavanagh “Wee Ginger Dug” who are not on the same political planet call for the whip to be removed from Fergus Ewing, a titan of the independence movement.  They are also likely to be the same people who would have you believe that Nicola Sturgeon being arrested as a suspect in a major police investigation does not warrant a suspension while an MSP who is showing consistency in supporting his constituents is.   

The present and former FMs remind me of Vladimir Lenin as he believed that “liberty was precious – so precious that it had to be rationed.”    If you have the right credentials on devolution and express them well you can go far in the new SNP – it could be a job for life, unless, of course the present incumbents are taught a lesson at the polls.   We have to return elected representatives who have shown by their previous actions that they have been resolute in supporting independence as per their commitment to voters.     Stephen Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader, said that the SNP wanted votes to keep the Tories out while I want votes to keep out all unionists and devolutionists.  I want votes for Scottish Independence.   No more mandates, no more flannel, no more manipulation of voters, no more playing footsy with the devolutionists.  For me, that means if there is no agreement to fight the General Election under the banner ‘Scotland United for Independence’ candidates then I will be voting Alba.

In the years leading up to the 2014 referendum there was a united independence movement under the leadership of Alex Salmond.  However, his return to politics was interrupted by his prodigy’s political assassination attempt in her effort to remove him permanently from any thoughts he had of making a further attempt at leading the independence movement.   Even a not guilty verdict could not stop her tirades against her mentor.   He had, after all, thwarted her previous effort to go it alone as leader.  I believe, even at that stage, she was of the view that without Alex Salmond around, as sole leader, she could at that time have cemented her place in UK political history.  She has certainly got that alright, history will see to it.  I am also sure there will be other Toom Tabards to keep her company.  

MY COMMENTS

I think many will share Bill’s view that some consistency in decision making about suspensions and other disciplinary decisions is needed. I must admit I found the spending at the florist sent all the wrong signals, not about guilt or otherwise, but how many times has anyone been sent flowers by the Party before in those circumstances? Certainly not Michelle Thompson who was forced out without being arrested, but merely because her solicitor was arrested. Not a flower in sight then. Or for Joanna Cherry after she was threatened with physical attack, who from the staff or NEC went to the florist on behalf of the Party that day?

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