From Building a New Scotland:
- Rejoining the European Union to benefit from, and contribute to, the European Single Market, helping to forge a different path to the UK system
- A redesigned energy market that aims to provide secure and reliable low-cost energy
- Retaining free movement of people, without a passport, across the UK and Ireland, with trade borders implemented smoothly
- Using the pound sterling, until the time is right to move to a Scottish pound
- Up to £20bn in major infrastructure investment, including investment in more energy-efficient homes, greener transport, better digital and mobile connectivity, and more affordable housing
- Using full powers over employment law to help improve pay and working conditions for people across Scotland, including introducing a minimum wage with a single rate for all age groups and stronger access to flexible working
- A plan for better industrial relations through a social partnership approach involving business and unions
- A migration policy tailored to Scotland’s needs and designed to boost the working population
Talking-up Scotland 
There we have it Scotland only England it seems can decide what future you want. That is true democracy UK style.
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One interesting aspect – and there are several – about the judgement is via their rejection of the SNP’s “self determination” argument is that Scotland, like Quebec (SNP cited a Canadian case), is not a colony. However, a definition of a “colony” in the Cambridge English Dictionary, is “a country or area controlled politically by a more powerful country that is often far away”.
I’m happy to leave others to decide whether Scotland’s situation is consistent with that.
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Have you tweeted that point?
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Yes, and also this
One of the difficulties for Catalonia is that the Spanish constitution says that “Spain is indivisible”. The Supreme Court decision today means the UK too is indivisible, unless its ok with the House of Commons.
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The Supreme Court is breaking International ZLaw. The right to self determination and self governance, if people vote for it.
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As I have expressed many times already today to our ‘joyous’ Unionist friends they must be very proud that they have denied Scots their basic human right . At the same time our ‘learned judges’ have in turn done a great disservice to English taxpayers who falsly believe that Scots are significant drain on their finances. On the other hand and in stark contrast to toxic England we will continue to enjoy the best NHS, free prescriptions and free higher Education, Lowest crime, Best care for the elderly/ young children and support those hardest hit from Tory fiscal incompetence.
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At the very least now is the time for concerted non-violent action and demonstrations against all the elements of the UK state that we can affect. We need to start identifying what we can hit although I have to confess one of the few things I’ve thought of is mass non-payment of BBC licence a bit like non-payment of the poll tax 30+ years ago.
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The ruling itself was no surprise and the gloating/sanctimonious tweets from unionists were also to be expected. I’m pretty scunnered though by the following
1) Reporters, MPs and MSPs saying this settles the matter and the SNP need to work with Westminster or get on with the day job. All that was settled is that we now know the Scottish Government can’t hold a referendum without Westminster agreement
2) Twisting this to imply Scotland has no mandate to pursue independence and making out that it is Nicola Sturgeon who us behind an agenda no one else wants. I have sent a few tweets saying that when they (tories) win a majority at Holyrood they then get to decide priorities based on the manifesto they were voted in on
3) Indy folk criticizing the way this has been handled, wrong question, wrong time, too timid etc. We can stamp our feet all we like but surely all need to accept the democratic route has to be pursued whether that be civic action as well as the ballot box. I saw someone mentioning all SNPs should resign which is a great theatrical gesture but what exactly would it achieve? Possibly a NI solution where Westminster assume control until a new government is formed?
We do need to remember too that the government has responsibilities as an employer – maybe the SNP action meeting can explore folk’s willingness to risk losing their jobs if a scottish election is called but it would need to be discussed I think
And finally it struck me that the UK government is not the partner in this unit. The Welsh FM and the Irish elected FM have both indicated they would respect Scotland;s mandate. We do have assorted quotes from past and present UK ministers from both main parties stating what a mandate looks like but they shelter under the UK umbrella rather than as English only reps. How do we get round this? Who represents English interests at the joint devolved nations group meetings? Does 3 against 1 count here?
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I’ve supported independence for years (I grew up in London in the 60s and had an SNP badge, this was 1969/70, which I wore on my Primary school blazer.) However, today I joined the SNP. The first time in my life I’ve ever joined a political party.
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Why? I left. They’ve had eight years to do something. This isn’t the feeble fifty it’s the feart forty-five.
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Eight years to do something? It takes patience, it takes diplomacy and, particularly, it takes time to exhaust all the possible legal, democratic avenues to have the British state engage with Scotland’s rights to self-determination. It also takes time to navigate ways through ‘events’ such as the Brexit vote and its outcomes, and the ‘minor’ matter of a global pandemic! It takes time to do ‘the day job’ in government!
It also takes time to create the situation that when the crunch comes, the international community is more likely to formally, willingly recognise Scotland as a legitimate independent nation-state. Ultimately, international recognition is the crucial, final step.
IMHO the last eight years have, step by careful step and stepping through Brexit and a pandemic, taken Scotland to the point that if a majority of folk here can be shown to want independence in a democratic event – actual or de facto referendum – all other things needed for international recognition are now in place.
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For some reason my like button won’t work.
I agree with this – as I do so many of your posts.
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