Just as the SNP sweeps to utter domination of the Scottish presence at Westminster, the future of Scottish nationalism must move to a rejection of Westminster rule as illegitimate. That is the victory paradox.
There is no doubt that this is the best possible election result for achieving Scottish independence in the near term. The one thing that I believe might have postponed independence for decades, was a Labour Party government of the UK with SNP support, governing as Tory Lite but making the dreadful repressive UK state that little bit less openly vicious, the abuse a little bit more disguised, the wealthy corporate elite less openly triumphalist.
I know that Tory rule is going to be dreadful for many decent people who are struggling to make ends meet, that the heartlessness of benefits sanctions will cause despair and suicide, that asylum seekers will be detained and abused. But Scotland has absolutely rejected the entire Tory system, and the scene is now set for the kind of extra-parliamentary resistance that we saw to Thatcher’s poll tax. We have to refuse to let Westminster do this to people. In this circumstance, those SNP MPs are relevant insofar as they use their platform to help build the popular resistance, not in terms of anything they do in that appalling haw-haw club.
Labour would have lost and we would have a Tory government even if Labour had won every seat in Scotland. Labour’s abject failure was in no sense caused by the SNP, whatever the appalling journalists of BBC Scotland may say or imply. And Labour is now going to underline, still more than the Tories, the urgent need for Scotland to be independent. The airwaves are already buzzing with London comment that Labour’s problem was that it was not right wing enough for English opinion. The next Labour leader must be more Blairite, they say. Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper or Chuka Umunna are touted to fit the bill, they suggest. This is completely a false analysis. If England were given a chance to vote for an SNP style, more left wing, offering then very many of the English would vote for it. But it will not happen. Labour will lurch ever further to the right and it will become undeniable that the Scottish people can only express their political aspirations through independence.
Even the best people are still human, and I have to confess that I am absolutely delighted that the SNP leadership have been neatly removed by this election result from any temptation. Exercising power within the United Kingdom state can be heady and addictive. An insidious agenda was quite blatantly propagated by Alex Bell in Bella Caledonia, a man who has been very close to the party leadership, and who actually celebrated the idea that:
The fascinating story of this election is how the SNP is ‘Britishing’ itself, gently playing down the big constitutional stuff in favour of real power over the austerity agenda.
Mr Bell goes on to make the ludicrous proposition that to support the creation of a small state is in itself a conservative agenda. He is profoundly wrong. To dismantle an aggressive imperialist state is not a remotely conservative agenda. I have frequently expressed the fear that there is a careerist core in the SNP who are more concerned with troughing in the political class and being big-wigs in the UK than with achieving independence. Bell’s insidious unionism – very lightly disguised as support for “utilitarian nationalism” – had the potential to be much more corrosive to the cause of independence than anything which the Tories can do. Fortunately Bell’s thesis is totally stuffed by the election result, and his pseudo-intellectual rationalisations of the status quo can now be safely confined to the dustbin of irrelevance. The SNP has no “real power over the austerity agenda” and has zero chance of gaining any within the United Kingdom.
There is now no course to take but root and branch opposition to the consequences of a Tory rule which Scotland has just declared anathema. The only way forward is now independence and the only route is through a mounting extra-parliamentary opposition over the next few years. I am absolutely delighted for all those SNP MPs, of whom a large number are personal friends. But if you want to remain relevant, you have to forget about Angus Robertson telling you what suits to wear or how to put an approved knot in your tie (yes, that really happened), and you have to inspire the street in the way so many of you did during the referendum campaign.
One might have thought that independent Ireland would have been just a one-party state, with the party being the utterly dominant (at the time of independence) Sinn Fein. But Sinn Fein quickly split in two, and Ireland became a two-party state.
I see no reason why the same would not happen in an independent Scotland. Scottish Labour might renew itself, but, if it does not, I imagine the SNP would split in two. In a genuine party democracy (as opposed to the kind of direct democracy that I favor,) it is natural for there to be opposing parties.
By the way, I have started reading a fascinating book about the path to Irish independence in the period 1910-22, Ronan Fanning’s Fatal Path. I was horrified to read that Secretary of State Birrell informed his political superiors in the Asquith government in 1911 that, if each county in Ireland had been given a chance to vote on home rule, only Antrim and Down would have rejected it. So Northern Ireland, when it came to exist, would include four counties — Derry, Armagh, Fermanagh, and Tyrone — where the cabinet knew nationalist sentiment prevailed.
Apparently the reason it was an article of faith from the start of Sinn Fein that any legislators that it elected should not go to Westminster but should participate in a separate Irish parliament was that Sinn Fein founder Arthur Griffith urged that course in the book that he wrote urging that Ireland should follow the example of Hungary in the dual Austro-Hungarian state.
@Hieroglyph
8 May, 2015 – 11:16 pm
There seems to be more ex-pats in this comment thread than patsys! (I left the UK 12 years ago and am utterly appalled at what the UK has become)
Civil unrest in England (ie, riots) now sadly seems very likely.
Was this election fixed..?
Watch the riots…
The very thing Sturgeon said she “didn’t want” is what we now have, 5 years ( at least) under the Tory Jackboot………oh the irony!!
Clark : “If 200,000 critically placed votes could influence the outcome by a swing of over 100 seats, think how few fake, critically placed votes it would take to achieve the Con +24 Lab -26 seat change of this election”
The number of postal votes issued and cast in each constituency is publicly available information. It would be interesting to know how the number of postal votes cast in these 100 seats compares with the country at large.
@ Spoorfugger: it wouldn’t surprise me if Clegg tried various political associations as a student, but his settled political affiliations were with the LibDems. The European job appears to have been on EU issues rather than UK ones. That explains why LibDem politicians talent-spotted him, even after working for Leon Brittan.
I suspect that he did much for social democracy in the coalition that will be unsung because it was of the nature of restraint. Now that restraint is off, and so we might appreciate the influence of the LibDems better in the future, as the Tories proceed to do everything that they couldn’t in the past, beginning with redrawing the boundaries of constituencies.
No party has a monopoly on social democratic values. The SNP’s promises may well turn out to be no better and no worse than those of Labour. You can’t get something for nothing.
I wish Nick Clegg well. Once he has gotten over the disappointment of last night’s disaster there will be plenty for a person with his talents to do!
Node, it isn’t 100 specific seats. The article points out that it’s hard to predict which will be the most critical seats in advance, though thirty seats have been critical for three elections running. Here’s the link again:
https://fullfact.org/uk_election_swing_voters_marginal_seats-45052
John Spencer-Davis pointed out that the envelopes for postal votes have to be checked against their voters’ registration. The registration must bear a signature, but the signature doesn’t appear to be checked for authenticity.
There are other methods that could be used to influence the result. One commenter, and Craig himself, could not vote because their registrations had been invalidated; something to do with DWP records.
But the main point is that which party, if any, gets a majority is sensitive to a remarkably small number of votes making the system highly vulnerable to both abuse and random fluctuation – potentially, a few traffic jams, sudden showers or other random events could result in government by a different party. Proportional systems would be far less vulnerable.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x26e2cz_god-save-the-queen-of-spades_news
Node, but yes, I see your point.
Mary
8 May, 2015 – 10:46 pm
Thanks for that post/link Mary – subversion needs money. It is clear to me the SNP needs an good intelligence officer and who better than Craig Murray.
Here is another Victory Paradox, which when I saw the title of this post thought it must be about. Russia defeated the Nazis in Berlin. The celebrations will take place today in Moscow without the presence, I understand, of western leaders. That is tragic (comic even) when we owe so big a debt to Russia (the USSR as was).
Here a Canadian lawyer explains how Russia won the war, and how western countries lost. It is a great tragedy that the west is now trying to do what it could not do 70 years ago. I am heartily sickened by the traitorous governments that have let their people, of which I am one, down.
http://nsnbc.me/2015/05/07/may-9th-russian-victory-nato-defeat/
Instead they are supporting the Fascists again.
John Spencer-Davis
8 May, 2015 – 9:40 pm
This beautiful prayer, much of which can speak to nontheists as well as those of faith, was commonly attributed to St Francis of Assisi in the past, but is currently thought to have originated in France in 1912. The first known English translation appeared in 1936.
John, a few questions:
1. Where did the ” first known English translation appear(ed) in 1936?
2. Who are the ‘non-theists’ you believe it ‘speaks to’ and why?
3. What makes the prayer ‘beautiful ‘to you? Does it work? Have you personal experience of it working; has it made you a better person, in all or any of the aspects continued in the appeal? For example, are you in that state of Peace, love and joy, or do you have to strive? Bearing in mind that the word is not the thing. The word understand, doesn’t mean that you actually understand, or even understand your self, which is probably the most difficult person to understand !?
So the question is do you find it ‘beautiful’ because of its words, like a beautiful poem, or is it beautiful because of its utility? If the latter, are you talking about some theory or an actuality?
4. You say Thatcher hijacked it for her own purposes and you are appalled. What about the clergy’s assertions that these prayers will lead you to your salvation. How does that work (in practice)?
Please explain, else I may believe that you are quoting and spreading spiritual gibberish. I am open tp your demonstration, of course.
Respectfully,
V
Thinking like Iain M Banks for a minute, a Culture GCU could easily swing a UK election just by interfering with traffic lights and/or manipulating the lists of ‘phone numbers on direct marketing call centre computers to delay specific potential voters at critical moments; that sort of thing. It’d only have to influence the right 0.7% of the voters to shift the result by 100 to 200 seats…
So if a GCU could do it, couldn’t hackers do it?
We need a less twitchy system. I’m not surprised the opinion pollsters’ results were out. They’ve just been lucky in the past.
fascinating must read > How Big Money and Big Brother won the British Elections https://medium.com/@NafeezAhmed/how-big-money-and-big-brother-won-the-british-elections-2e8da57faac4
John Spencer-Davis
8 May, 2015 – 10:22 pm
“One of the most dishonest persons ever to go into politics, which is saying something. As Hunter S. Thompson said of Nixon: “so crooked she needed servants to help her screw her pants on every morning.”
I am completely confused by the gender references here. Do you want to self-review? Have you got a link here for context? I know it’s late so i may be missing something.
Thanks.
Well done, SNP. Pity Plaid Cymru didn’t take Wales.
Now ‘New Labour’ is in the doghouse, PERHAPS the Left will be more willing to open their eyes to what is really going on in the world, the fake ‘Terrorism’, endless military interventions, ‘War on Terror’, Banksters control of the money supply (bring back the ‘Bradbuury Pound’!).
Few Labourites are aware that Edward VIII had a great deal to do with the corruption of the real Labour Party MP’s, with his proposal to encourage acceptance of Labour MP’s into Freemasonry, and to create a Parliamentary Lodge, ‘New Welcome'(5139) which he suggested should be run with a perpetual Labour bias; the Left was forging ahead, and Edward didn’t want to end up like his Royal cousins in Russia.
Masonry is going to be a problem with the SNP, as well. It almost certainly is already, but will grow.
Lance Vance
If Labour had won every single seat in Scotland, we would still have a Tory majority government. The attempt to create a mythology that it is the SNP’s fault is pathetic. Though the Guardian and Record have five years to plug it.
@Abe Rene
I’m not talking about the LibDems, I’m referring to Nick Clegg being a Tory.
“Suspecting” that he did something decent isn’t really enough!
What walks, smells, looks, and sounds like a duck?
Here’s just one interesting article from the New Statesman 2011 :
http://www.newstatesman.com/uk-politics/2011/09/clegg-tory-liberal-party
btw – I’m not a Nick Clegg expert, nor do I have any particular grudge against him.
It just struck me as odd while considering him the other day (after his comments about “talking to the largest party first” etc) that his actions and leanings are so Tory that I was surprised at how obvious it is.
Coincidentally, the article I linked to also mentions this “talking to the largest party” as a red herring on Clegg’s behalf……..the article is from 2011 and could be mistaken for one written last week.
wtf is wrong with people? We have known them both for a couple of years or so..and They Have Been Best Friends For Over 15 Years…
They are both Lovely people..We have been to his 50th..My wife and I just felt so Priviledged to Be Invited..
But they have Fallen Out
One is Extreme Left Militant Tendency – I said well so what..He’s Your Best Mate??
Why Have You Guys Fallen Out?
One is a Teacher.
One is a Freelance Photographer…
Tonight One of Them Turned Up..I said how the Fuck Can You Two Fall Out over Politics…??
Never Discus Politics or Religion with Your Friends..cos if you do..you won’t have any friends.
He Gave Me a Massive Cuddle on The Way Out..and My Wife..
So who was the one who turned up – Left or Right?
I said let me explain Politics to You in as Few Words as I can..(The Band Were Really Good and Very Loud)
It doesn’t matter if you are left or right..its whether you are a cunt or not.
Tony
Paul @ 1.18 above.
Yes, I have had a little experience as the but end of at least some freemasons. Certainly it is not an organization that believes in rule of law and fair play and I have grave doubts as to whether secret societies like freemasonry are compatible with democracy.
My wife asked me how to do it..cos..she just loves some of the old stuff in our garden..and sure it has been a mess (nearly finished) so she brought them in…all her beautiful hand made garden ornamanents that we have bought at festivals over the last 30+ Years….
So I says well I do have a set of fine paint brushes..all you need to do is find the paint…
And she has already started…repainting these old pot things and restoring them to their original beauty on our kitchen table…
My Girl is something else…
Sure she is the girl in Jimi’s Song
And She Still Flies Like an Angel..and sometimes she comes to me..when I am sad..and she looks at me…
Tony
Record numbers of female and minority-ethnic MPs in new House of Commons
Nearly a third of Commons now female and number of minority-ethnic MPs has doubled but Oxbridge still dominates choice of university and average age rises
The House of Commons is slowly becoming more representative of Britain in terms of gender and ethnicity – but not by education or age. Photograph: PA
9 May 2015
The new House of Commons will be more diverse than ever before, with more women and more minority-ethnic MPs than in any previous parliament.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/may/08/record-numbers-female-minority-ethnic-mps-commons
~~~
Will these female MPs when voting for the promised £12bn cuts remember that it is women who bear the brunt of the effects of such cuts?
Post-election Scotland prepares for an uncertain, exciting future
Read more
While the undisputed single biggest shift in the new intake is the dramatic increase in Scottish National party MPs at Westminster, equality campaigners are celebrating record numbers of women with almost one in three MPs now female.
The results have also returned a parliament with slightly fewer MPs who have been to fee-paying schools or Oxford or Cambridge universities
Is it true that Quentin Tarantino is in talks to discuss making a movie about a fierce group of SNP commandos who embark on a vengeful mission to destroy the English fascist regime and its fuhrer which bloodcurdlingly backfires? Apparently, it’s going to be called Vainglorious Basterds;)
…actually you should look into this, Craig: they could be casting for someone to fill the role of Marshal Petain:)
Dysch at the JC is pleased at the outcome.
Election 2015: Why British Jews will welcome Tory win
May 8, 2015
http://www.thejc.com/comment-and-debate/analysis/136047/election-2015-why-british-jews-will-welcome-tory-win
‘It sounds like a broken record, I know, but Ed Miliband’s stance on Israel did hurt Labour.’
‘But all the evidence points to the toxicity factor that I wrote about last month. Almost every Jewish voter I spoke to reeled at the thought of Miliband as Prime Minister. Most of the expletive-laden comments offered when his name was mentioned cannot even be repeated here.’
‘The situation in Scotland, where so many Labour Friends of Israel – Jim Murphy, Anne McGuire, Michael McCann – are now gone, replaced by the SNP, will be deeply worrying to many Jews north of the border.’
‘But that brings us to the final and arguably most important point. The strength of David Cameron’s relationship with Anglo-Jewry means the majority of the community will be celebrating around their Shabbat dinner tables this weekend.
A month ago, 69 per cent of British Jews said they would support the Tories. Two-thirds preferred Mr Cameron’s approach to that of Mr Miliband.
“More of the same” is rarely a political position that attracts people. But if our community enjoys another five years of the warmest possible relations with the Prime Minister, then few will complain.’
~~~
The British Jewish lobby’s money was of course on Cameron, literally.
How apt. The Tories celebrated last night at a Club Tropicana party.
“Club Tropicana”
Let me take you to the place
Where membership’s a smiling face,
Brush shoulders with the stars.
Where strangers take you by the hand,
And welcome you to wonderland –
From beneath their panamas…
[Chorus:]
Club Tropicana, drinks are free,
Fun and sunshine – there’s enough for everyone.
All that’s missing is the sea,
But don’t worry, you can suntan!
Castaways and Lovers meet,
Then kiss in Tropicana’s heat,
Watch the waves break on the bay.
Soft white sands, a blue lagoon,
Cocktail time, a summer’s tune,
A whole night’s holiday!
[Chorus]
Pack your bags,
And leave tonight.
Don’t take your time,
Gotta move your feet, don’t you miss the flight!
Cool, cool, cool, cools
What did SamCam wear to the partei’s party I wonder? The strange dress she wore to meet Her Maj was a snip at £890 and another outfit worn by her at the count came in at just under £300.
John Goss
9 May, 2015 – 12:54 am – Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning. We will remember them.
RobG 8 May 11.42p.m. No doubt in my mind. Question is how? Some method with no trackback.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your logic grow?
More women in parliament will result in less diversity, and less local representation.
For women are fashionable… like wet clay. they will think, do, and say, whatever the anonymous dictatorship that controls feminism, tells them to think, do, and say.
“we”…. You don’t need another referendum because the result would be unfavourable. Hell, why ask the residents? You just recently became a Scot with the sole purpose of getting into parliament. The SNP told you to fuck off. Rightly. There’s a good possibility that your membership will be terminated too. Your whole “We don’t need the people to decide” stuff confirms what you really are: a “liberal democrat” – but you switched parties recenly, didn’t you?
Your posts are copied and sent daily to the SNP. You might be allowed to remain, but don’t count on it.