George Peretz QC and I do not always agree with each other, most especially on Scottish issues, but as a confirmed Unionist he accurately summarises what Scottish reaction should be to today's lawlessness from the UK government:
There is a word of warning implicit in. this: Scotland should not expect a UK government to play fair if it votes for independence.
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Sadly, I must candidly confess; I never expected anything else.
I agree with Mr Warren. Most Scots that have any knowledge of Scottish history over the last 300 years and more know what to expect from our difficult neighbours.
300 years ? A thousand years would be a more accurate figure. The histories of Scotland, Ireland and Wales over that period have been defined by English aggression and imperialism. The geopolitics have always been about domination and ownership of the two islands and the aim now should be to create a more mature relationship, though it seems that a large section of the English population is still incapable of seeing that. If the attitude to Ireland during Brexit is any measure after a century of Irish independence then newly independent Scotland faces an uphill battle.
Most in England have no idea of the sense of identity that being Irish, Scottish or Welsh provides
What English identity might be is a question I have never resolved
To me, English identity and British identity are one and the same thing which is why I have never felt British in any way shape or form. It is because of this relationship that I believe English people find it difficult to differentiate between the two ideals.
I have felt British
Like many, I have never felt English
English and British are definitely not interchangeable
We have to wait until Wednesday 9th to see the precise wording and understand the underlying detail, but the shock of senior civil servants holding positions relating to the law resigning because they cannot have anything to do with law-breaking, potential or actual, will already have influenced public opinion in both Scotland and N Ireland.
In both countries the political landscape is deeply divided – in Scotland on the question of independence and in NI along sectarian lines. In Scotland, successive polls have seen a gradual increase in support for independence as a result of the serial incompetence of the Westminster Gov (latest figure is reportedly 56% in a private poll). This movement results from people in the centreground and don’t knows deciding that we could run our own affairs more competently as an independent country. N Ireland is likely to be even more affected by the potential of damage to the GFA, so I suspect a similar swing away from UK rule and an increased support for joining the republic.
I’ve thought all along that N Ireland, with its less stable internal politics, was always likely to be the place where the implosion of the UK would start and now suspect that this might come sooner than anyone had imagined.
However, the SNP and Sturgeon think the UK will play fair and just roll over. Talk to their supporters and you will see what I mean. Also, there is great fear in Scotland over the new hate crime bill and no the SNP does not speak for all scots. Ask scots and they will tell you that.
I am well aware of that
You will note that I do not by any means agree with the SNP on all issues, including its leaderships economic policy, which is deeply misguided
Surely, the whole point of Independance is the you choose you own Government whether SNP or not and then hold them to account. It’s 65 years since the Scots voted for a Conservative Government. Scots might not want an SNP Government, who knows. I also think that its Nicola Sturgeon or First Minister. No one seems to call Boris; Johnson.
Darren Sharrocks – I know how the media plays this, but don’t assume the SNP is so naieve they think the Westminster government will play fair. What the SNP government are doing at the moment (as support for independence grows daily) is giving Westminster the CHANCE to play fair. Which will be seen as a reasonable on the world stage–which is where we need to act out our intentions.
Make no mistake, things will move along if/when Westminster refuses. Which is why the Tory government is in such a panic about it, just now.
I think you hit the nail on the head there.
Fortunately I am not a member of the SNP, and am not disinclined to become anxious, or even much interested in its internal problems. All political parties are ghastly; they inexorably lead to endemic and corrosive factionalism, and to put it bluntly always – always – attract all the wrong, and often quite the worst people imaginable; that is just the nature of the beast.
More fundamentally the UK is imploding, in front of our vey eyes, and in essence without any help from the SNP at all. I have always believed the mechanisms for this are independent of the SNP. My recommendation to observers (for what it is worth), is to allow the SNP to continue to ‘hold the UK’s coat’ (which, whether inrended or unconscious is a policy that is nonetheless working), while the UK with rare determined concentration vigorously beats itself to death.
I’d have thought that hiding the McCrone Report from 1975 – 2005 would have made clear just what any UK Government will do to protect its very specific and unlimited ‘UK’ interests. I’ve never heard of any explanation or apology from the UK side regarding the hiding of the report. Darling had the brass neck to claim in a 2014 debate that it was in the past. Duh, maybe that’s because it had been hidden for thirty years? Anyway, any partner in a Union Treaty that resorts to such actions clearly cannot be trusted at all. Perfidious Albion indeed.
Sail due east from Arbroath (North of Dundee) and you will enter English territorial waters. Another dirty trick on the eve of devolution to grab Scottish waters containing some important oil/gas fields I think. Craig Murray did a youtube story about it for anyone that is interested.
The stolen seas by Craig Murray.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2014/09/the-stolen-seas/&ved=2ahUKEwjj4sSWw9zrAhWnTxUIHR2eBFUQo7QBMAF6BAgAEAE&usg=AOvVaw0E7o_pTi_QbI0MMkz75_8m
What a supreme irony. The party of ‘law and order’, of the Union, is now the party that seeks to overrule the rule of law, and give those seeking Scottish Independence all the ammunition they need in any confrontation over a future vote for Independence.
This government declares a future vote for independence illegal? Why should the Scots take any notice of that coming from a government that itself breaks a law it signed up to less than a year ago?
A government whose credibility globally will be zero, and one that only the crazed Brexit zealots and the most stupid of the English electorate believe for a second?
Richard
Does the redrafting of the Scottish territorial waters noted above have any significant influence in any of your previous calculations? For example the potential revenue loss to Scotland when outstanding assets & liabilities etc are negotiated after Scottish Independence. Presumably it might also have some influence of fish catch stats, Crown Estate income etc.
The rules laid down by London on this will have to be rewritten
It cannot be the case that water to the east of Dundee is English