Contrary
I nearly missed this! Martin James Keatings has started a petition to go along with the people’s court action (to rule on competence of Scottish govt to hold an independence referendum) which will be ready in just over a week :
The purpose of this is to show everyone that this is not about one party, nor one campaign, nor one individual, but a matter which is of huge concern to the entirety of the population of Scotland and we expect elected representatives to back our right to ask such questions.
He says it is to be presented to the court of session, and both parliaments to show it is the popular choice etc.
I’ve seen a rumour that the SNP want to prevent SNP MPs standing in the Holyrood elections, if this is true we can’t rely on the likes of Joanna Cherry to be here pushing for a referendum next year. We were promised a referendum this year anyway – can we push the Scottish government into doing it?
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Of course, just about everything is being cancelled this year because of the pandemic that the uk government is doing very little to try and stop – the fact is, the coronavirus is going to act like a cold, so having it once might make your immune system more alert to it but it won’t necessarily confer absolute immunity. So Boris’ plan to let us all get it and hope for herd immunity will allow the virus to spread and increase the likelihood of mutations (like the ‘common cold’ – it mutates too fast so that it’s impossible to get the time to manufacture vaccines). We should be keeping it at bay until a vaccine is made, so that the vaccine has maximum effectiveness! I’m sure it will be useful anyway, but the effectiveness might be reduced. The virus might not behave this way, of course, it’s just one possibility.
But, with Boris allowing the virus to spread, and not putting together proper financial plans to support businesses and public services, well, the economy is likely to tank. Prof. Murphy expects another budget announcement in a few weeks to try and patch over the cracks. If there is a chance large numbers of people are unable to work, and with reduced number of events and travel restrictions, many businesses are at risk of failing, and the government is meant to be there to give support – otherwise I’m not sure why we bother with government at all.
And the Scottish Government is at the mercy of the U.K. Government on this, without fiscal autonomy, the ScotGov’s hands are tied – they can’t issue gov’t bonds, or extend gov’t backed lending etc. It’s very frustrating. Also the secret plans – I know it’s secret to prevent panic, but still – for a pandemic that is only fed to us in dribs and drabs, so last week’s advice is not this week’s advice ,,, very frustrating.
Anyway, the Faculty of Advocates conference (Scotland in Europe after brexit) is now cancelled:
https://mobile.twitter.com/FacultyScot/status/1238470982450511878
It’s unfortunate, but they hope to reschedule for later in the year. The longer we can delay the virus spread the better – however much the UK gov’t doesn’t care.
Of course, that would mean any campaigning for any vote would be impossible right now – possibly later on in the year but not before July I’d think (have to see how things go). But the court case will give us firm footing, and the SNP can put a firm date on an independence referendum. Not everything needs to, or can be, put on hold because of the pandemic. We’ll get through it.
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