SCOTLAND NEEDS BETTER

A guest post from Eva Comrie of the Alba Party.

The International Brigade

I did a thing today which was long overdue – read the whole Declaration of Arbroath – the English translation; my Latin isn’t exactly word perfect. And I saw what you likely already know, in essence it’s an appeal for international recognition of Scotland’s right to remain an independent country notwithstanding repeated violent assaults and invasions from southern forces.

The other memorable moment today was I watched Mary Lou McDonald address her Sinn Fein conference; she spoke eloquently, with power, force and truth, about the overwhelming desire for change in Ireland. She described partition of Ireland, correctly, as a violent assault. Clearly we see daily a desire in Ireland for a unity poll; it is their right, in the Good Friday Agreement, where a generation in politics is described as seven years. Seven years. Take note, ye Scots.

I admire Mary Lou and her colleague Michelle O’Neill; I particularly praise John Finucane. But Ireland is not Scotland. Our history and politics have similarities but are not the same.

At times we’re a bit guilty in Scotland of reminiscing; we think that yesterday was better than today; we forget ancient hardships before we’d an NHS, Council houses, inside toilets, unions, a minimum wage, free prescriptions, free school dinners; we forget how Alex Salmond’s SNP transformed Scotland and how Nicola Sturgeon maintained that progress. We should remember what Scotland looked like before we had devolution, before we had a party in power determined to forge a country able, willing and ready to stand on its own two feet.

But Scotland governed by the SNP can and must do better; we need not be parked, hampered, hobbled by devolution; it’s a springboard and Scotland’s launch into orbit, powered by confidence, knowledge, courage and conviction is inevitable, as night follows day. It won’t happen by itself, needs every shoulder to the wheel, now – and so that includes those kenspeckle fellows residing temporarily outwith these borders. Imagine being an International Member of ALBA ? Like you were a real freedom fighter ? Not an amateur like me. An ex-pat who was deported, dumped or driven out of your own country to make your fortune but keeping a weather eye out on the home fires all the same? They’re stoked and ready to ignite – let’s light that flame – for Scotland, Saint Andrew and Freedom.

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