In the Herald today:
You see that ‘influential pro-independence’ there? That’s the issue here.
Common Weal are largely ignored by the SNP and by the Scottish Government and they have been, for some time now, just been in one great big huff about it.
The previous director started to act like some messianic figure cast into a wilderness of impotence by those SNP devils in the Scottish Government. See this from two years ago:
Under his leadership the supposedly pro-independence group seemed to decide that only their kind of independence would do and if they couldn’t have it they’d fight against any other kind.
See these:
Today we have Common Weal’s latest director telling us the Yes movement is a mess and blaming the SNP for controlling it. Beyond CW’s inner circle, is there any evidence that these claims are true? How about an opinion poll? None that I’m aware of.
Talking-up Scotland 
John, you may soon be the only SNP apologist standing. CW and other non-party groups are undertaking the sort of work that the SNP should have been doing had they any intention of moving towards independence. By all means defend the SNP against media bias, but do try to keep a grip on reality.
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CWs new director Amanda Burgauer, taking over from the miserableist McAlpine who did bugger all but whine for all the years he was boss, was fine with the SNP even standing unsucessfully for them in Dumfries last GE.
Now SNP bad, must go with the CW job.
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the only SNP apologist standing?
I like it
THis weeks header!
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Just me and the other 45-55% of the electorate?
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BBC Scotland, the Herald and other branches of the ongoing, unrelenting unionist campaign against the Scottish Government do indeed select Health as a favourite target. If Jesus of Nazareth were to be appointed Health Secretary they would without doubt seek to crucify him again.
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The stupid thing about this “huff” is the conflation of what course an independent Scotland government decides to take once it takes power, the opinions of the SNP before attaining independence are ultimately neither here nor there when they are playing 3d political chess game with a devious cheat in Westminster etc..
I’ve a lot of time for the work Common Weal do and they have come up with well thought through ideas, and I’ve little doubt once the current battles are over, they will be not be ignored.
There are times some personalities should wind their necks in – Everybody and their mother knows a “better way” to attain independence and what the country should do after gaining it, but the strategy of not being perceived as unduly rocking the boat has been a pretty shrewd tactic thus far.
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With so many people knowing so much better than the SNP how to gain independence for Scotland, I’m surprised it hasn’t already happened. After all, that’s the main beef with the SG? Not moving quickly enough. So what, exactly, is their excuse?
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I’m seriously beginning to think half the indy groups have been infiltrated by malign forces, a little innuendo here, some seeds of discontent sown there and the wider cause gets picked away at and no-one knows what to believe. The trouble is when you then try to stand up for NS or the SNP generally you are then accused of being misguided, part of the “supreme leader cult” or just stupid – the more you argue the more sneering you will get. After all it doesn’t matter if 45% of us stay on board, as long as at least 6-10% are shaken enough to change their vote it will be enough to scupper the next referendum vote.
I wonder where all the Scottish Office money is spent, does anyone know?
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John, have to say I dont agree with you on this. Yes, McAlpine is a drama queen/ my way or the highway sort of guy. Yes, the current director is miffed that the Scottish Government dont seem to be listening to them. But then, she is running a think tank and it wont last long if no one is listening. And who do the Scottish Government listen to? I devoutly wish they would at least listen to others.
One of the mistakes that were made post 2014, I think was closing down Yes. Clearly, its mission had to change – it couldnt be a campaigning organization any more, but it could have been a policy forum for the many people with ideas about how to achieve independence, and in particular what this might mean for how an independent Scotland might look like.
For the “my way …” tendency this might not be enough, but the important thing would be to get the ideas out there, and work through what might be possible. If I had to nominate two organizations that have contributed most to this debate, one of them would be Business for Scotland, but Common Weal would be the other. I dont always agree with either of them, but at least the thinking is fresh and the direction of travel is clear. I dont get this sense with comes out from the Scottish Government.
In short, disagreeing with the Scottish Government is fine. Unlike the Pope it is not infallible, and would do well to admit to this. Or perhaps more often – or better still to engage with the wider community before even thinking about legislating.
Lastly, I think the Yes movement is a bit of a mess. In 2014, it was the broadest of broad churches, linked by a single aim. Is there that same sense of togetherness now? Or am I just unaware?
And who profits from this schism in the movement? In one sense its unionism, but in another sense it makes who is going to lead all the more obvious?
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Robin McAlpine, Lesley Riddich and Gerry Hassan all put me in mind of frequent arguments I have had with my husband when we discuss what we would do with lottery winnings. We start out feeling positive but then start to niggle about the other’s choices, each feeling our own ideas are best and not willing to compromise over a hypothetical situation
It is great to think about what might happen until you reach the point where you become convinced yours is the best and only way and why the heck isn’t everyone else falling in to line. Its also easy to forget that the SNP have had to navigate the challenges of the aftermath of the 2014 referendum, change of leadership, Brexit, Tory austerity and Covid – as the government for all of Scotland they needed to manage all this and the day to day stuff while getting slated by friend and foe alike.
As for the wider Yes movement, the run up to 2014 was an exhilarating time with lots to campaign for and much more scope for changing minds. Now it’s a narrow 10% of votes that are maybe less convinced by marches and campaigning and its maybe the time for talking instead to persuade and convince? Togetherness doesn’t need to be all singing and dancing, it can also be quiet, private and individual approaches or sharing thoughts and ideas on sites like this to maintain a sense of shared purpose even when points are argued
I’ve just read a post on Women for Independence and have pasted an extract below – seems like quite a few of us are grappling with similar points
“But here is a dilemma. It’s true that political parties often grow out of movements. The political party structure is often seen as the way to harness and focus the energy of a social movement to bring about change over a long period. WFI and the Yes movement will get nowhere in a legislative capacity without the Indy-supporting SNP/Green coalition forming the current government of Scotland, for example.
But it seems to me it is always the need to control the vision that leads to political parties being born and this can point to their limitations. They may distil the essence of a movement, but in doing so inevitably change it. Political parties are as much a process of management and control as they are of vision. That is not always a bad thing, if it brings form and order to looser ideas, to provide a practical framework in a democratic country. But when the process meets the passion, there is often trouble and discontent.”
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John hopefully you will publish my comments this time.
The SNP are only the bus to get us where we want to be and until all the egos are put away and the greater Yes movement acts as one voice in unison with the SNP we wont be getting anywhere, I had hoped that after the SP court ruling confirming that we are a colony the SNP would have committed to offering to unite and consolidate all the huffy sheep, this needs to come from them, at the moment we are to fragmented sadly I dont see or hear of any movement in that direction I hoped to be corrected on this and would very much like to be involved.
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There are not enough people who claim to support self governance/Independence voting at every election. Too low turnout. 40%/50+ turnout. More people who claim to support self governance should be voting at every election to vote the unionists out. They need to vote the unionists out.
Instead of criticising the SNP a higher number of voters as a percentage of those who claim to support self governance and Indeprndence should be supporting the SNP.
Common Weld should be supporting the SNP and voting SNP. Or they are cutting their nose off to spite there face. Not supporting the self governance and Independence they coaimtoo support. More voters should be going out and voting to honour their supposed conviction. Too low turnout of Independence supporters. Blame them not the SNP Gov. They can only manage on the mandate and the turnout. They have to vote at every election and vote out the anti Independence opposition, To strengthen the position. Bynot voting for the SNP at every election. They are weakening the Indepemdence position, Damaging the movement, Not aiding it.
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Follow Tommy Sheridan’s example. Very the SNP for Self governance Independence. Every election. Then vote for whom and what they like in the future.
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Common Weal are playing right into the anti Independece oposition’s hands.
Not honouring their supposed principle of supporting self governance and Independence.
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Get more Independence supporters out voting for the SNP every election. Vote for Independence Party at every election. Get one other person to vote as well. To increase support at every election. Do not pick and chose or lose out. Support any convictions. Too low Independence supporting turnout.
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