We are still waiting
on the reasoned argument for the retention of the Union.
Believe you me. If there was an overwhelming argument that outlined the
benefits to Scotland
remaining in the Union we would have heard it by now.
Instead what we have had are the tactics of fear and intimidation.
The
scaremongering can easily be shown as just that. Whether it comes from
politicians or their friends such as Citigroup, who’s clumsy and remarkably
stupid outburst about investing in an independent Scotland
might have made for fleeting headlines in the Unionist media, they are along
with the rest of the invective, easily shot down.
When it comes to
Scotland, Westminster’s
track record of playing fast and loose with democracy should not be forgotten.
The manipulation of the first devolution referendum and the consistent use of
the civil service to produce spurious statistics to give a less than truthful
picture of an independent Scotland
are well documented. And I would be surprised if they are finished with the use
of the latter.
But its not so
easy now. People no longer have to rely on a biased media. Those who wouldn’t
be seen dead in the corridors of the Daily Record, the Scotsman or the BBC
can, and do, make legitimate challenges to the propagandists through the internet.
So, having lost
the argument so far, it would appear that the hijacking of the referendum is
becoming the favoured policy of many at Westminster
and their subordinates north of the border.
The idea is not
new. But as the main London parties
seem to be accepting that they are losing ground, this last-ditch tactic is
surfacing surprisingly early.
They were
against a referendum. They’re still against a referendum. However, some now
seem to think that, as its going to happen, they should be in charge of it. Of
course the raison d’etre for this is no more convincing than the argument for
the status quo.
Are we to have a
referendum, that is the sole result of the Scottish Parliamentary Elections,
run from another country by those who don’t want it in the first place?
The referendum
was in the SNP’s election manifesto. But the Unionists chose to ignore this in
the sure and certain knowledge that the voting system devised by Westminster
would never return a majority SNP Government. Now they are scratching around
the rubbish for some way of denying the implementation of that manifesto.
Calling on the UK
Parliament and the courts to declare the referendum illegal at such an early
stage in the debate shows that the Unionist argument is pretty much lost before
it starts.
I doubt this will
worry the Scottish Government. It will not be the SNP who will be portrayed as
interfering, arrogant draconian bullies.
As much as David
Cameron is detached fro the realities of Scotland,
I doubt he is a stupid as some in his party.
But, I might be
wrong.
