The party hierarchy decided members should not be allowed to vote on routes to Independence that do not depend on the permission of Boris Johnson. To give party members a chance to register their concern, I have decided to go forward as a candidate for President. I do so not in the hope of winning (I won’t beat longstanding party servant Mike Russell), but because the ordinary members need to be able to show that they are not happy with the lack of focus on Independence and the closed nature of the party establishment – which two things are related.
Every vote for me is a vote for early Independence and no veto for Boris Johnson. Independence must be obtained within two years. It will not be given, we must take it.
The party appears to have no plan that could deliver Independence before 2026 at the earliest. Instead of conference being allowed to debate Plan B, there will be a “discussion” on “Independence in the Future”. It is plain that for many of the party’s very well paid elected officials and functionaries, that future is some far off optional destination, not an immediate arrival.
Obviously I shall be writing more on this in the next month. My opening shot is here, as an advert in the National newspaper.
My announcement has brought a great deal of twitter vituperation from the pillars of the political class – mainstream media journalists and SNP paid staff and leadership acolytes. Plainly democratic choice is not high on their agenda. Some are absolutely astonished that a candidate not approved by the leadership should have the temerity to stand, and not only that, but actually have the nerve to ask people to vote for them.
Mostly though it is just intellect free vituperation, on quite a wide scale:
That was just the first little period. There are huge amounts more of this stuff, much of it from paid SNP staffers. For those of a morbid mind with plenty of free time, the linkages between SNP staffers and unionist journos on twitter are really quite interesting to trace.
I should point out that I have said nothing in the least critical of Mike Russell or Corri Wilson. This is all entirely unprovoked.
A party where the Chief Executive is married to the leader and has a secret salary kept from members is not a healthy party. Particularly when he is then seeking to pressurise police into taking action against the last leader. This is not good.
I leave you with a last thought. Only rebels from the Establishment have ever won Independence, anywhere. We will never be given Independence, we will have to take it. Who is the most likely to play a useful role in that?
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Has anyone ever known a time where there’s been so few ‘likeable’ politicians in the UK? Labour, Tory, Lib Dem – none of current relevance, and very few in the SNP.
They all seem to be cut from the same ultra PC cloth. Every day cowering away, trying not to say the wrong thing, or put a toe out of line by upsetting anyone or any group.
“Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself into the abyss and discovering its a feather bed.” — Terence Mckenna
Craig, do you think you could get James Kelly, Paul Kavanagh and Rev Campbell to kiss and make up – well maybe just make up – and get the first two to abandon wheest for Indy. This may help independence be achieved earlier and may get you a Nobel peace prize. You were (are?) a diplomat after all.
😉 always worth asking Cubby.
A bit too much ego flying around in that list though; it might be a lost cause, and maybe too much for a diplomat. Thing is, the big egos are needed for the resolute jobs they do – if we stifle that, do we stifle the mostly good work they do too?
I mean it’s not perfect, but we know each is dedicated in their own way, and none are easily scared off – the disagreements always seem to be about methodology, sort of (well, actually, they snipe at each other for no reason then go in the huff, then it goes into an ego spiral of doom, but I was being kind) – and I think I prefer having a variety of disagreeable people that can be trusted, than agreeable snakes in the grass that all say the same thing.
Definitely having the first two realise what a con the Wheesht for Indy strategy is, is a worthwhile cause.
I do try, Cubby, believe me.
Craig, glad to hear that. Diplomacy is not my strong point but you are obviously well skilled and experienced in the role.
I am surprised I have survived your moderators for so long. I am afraid I have annoyed quite a lot of independence bloggers and their moderators in my time. But still onside with Barrhead boy, Iain Lawson, Gordon Dangerfield, Jeggit and Grousebeater. Grousebeater is not a surprise as I never comment on his blog but I do enjoy his articles.
Contrary good points well made.
If anyone wants an indepth analysis of what is happening re the Scot Parliamentary inquiry or Sturgeon scandal as Craig would like us to to say, I can recommend Gordon Dangerfield.
Well said Cubby.
There is some bad blood and I suspect you were being a wee bit ironic in mentioning Craig’s posting as an ambassador. But that may just be what the doctor ordered. A bit of diplomatic oil on troubled waters.
Even if it is just to keep the peace and focus on getting a particularly ingenious way of focussing the SNP general membership on the fact they have been stitched up like an Arbroath Smokie by Nicola Sturgeon who has had more IndyRef mandates than have been given to anyone ever.
Ambassador Murray For SNP President.
We want Independence.
When do we want it?
Now.
Not in Sturgeon’s 2042 manifesto.
Craig Murray for President of the SNP – I truly don’t think we could secure a better candidate.
Yes Michael Russell is urbane, chunters well in front of the media, but he is but a shadow compared to Craig Murray. Unlike Michael Russell, Craig has deep understanding of not just national but international issues, and all backed by a rock solid belief in fairness.
Ireland has a series of state Presidents who have commanded respect and so should we. Murray should be our man, our ambassador, and what better an individual with his honed ambassadorial skills to help us into international statehood than Craig Murray.
All votes Murray. Michael has plenty other things to do.
Hi Craig,
Please forgive me if someone already mentioned this but there is a typo in your newspaper ad: Let us move quickly to secure an [not “and”] Independent Scotland.
Also, I don’t understand why on earth you would want Scotland to be part of the European Union. The EU offers only austerity, identity politics, and wars of aggression. I can guarantee that Scotland will be treated like Greece and sucked dry. Hasn’t Varoufakis told you the same thing? The only use for the EU is to help spring you from the joint once your “trial” is over.
I think that you would make a great leader because you are brave, smart, always ready to fight, and you think two steps ahead. And you have a sense of humor. I am going to treat you as if you already are the leader of Scotland–like a Charles de Gaulle who was the real leader of France while his country was occupied by the Nazis.
Poked a hornets nest there, or should that be vipers? they are obviously rattled anyway
Absolutely spot on Craig.
Well, good luck Craig. You’ve posted some rather scurrilous tweets about yourself which shows a remarkable degree of resilience in amongst everything that’s been happening to you recently. You seem to have got a particular reputation as a peddler of conspiracy theory – I suppose this is what you’ve written about the Skripals and Russian interference. It would be a pity if arguments about these more debatable and probably unknowable events (and I haven’t always agreed with you here) were to sideline your candidacy in other respects, rather like Corbyn was sunk by the exaggerated claims of anti-Semitism in the Labour party when he had so much important to offer the country. I just wonder though if you’ve got enough on your plate at the moment? Cheers.
I found myself slightly at odds with Craig on Titter recently, and I just want to remake my point in an environment where you’re not limited to 250 characters.
I think the S.30 route is folly. Asking somebody’s permission sends an explicit message that you need their permission, and that they have the right to grant or refuse that permission. And once they’ve refused their permission, you’ve cut your own legs out from under you. How are you going to object to them refusing their permission, when you yourself recognised that they had that right?
Craig pointed out that sometimes asking permission is a matter of courtesy, like a neighbour’s tree overhanging his garden. That is true as far as it goes, but we are not dealinig with a neighbours’ tiff over a garden fence here; we are dealing with matters of constitutional law with international implications. It’s not wise to offer any hostage to fortune.
Irrespective of what those arses leading the SNP and the government decide to do, the people of Scotland need to send a clear message to Bozo the Clown – that we do not need and will not be seeking his permission, that we and we alone will decide on our future, and that we and we alone will decide when, how and by whom that future is to be mapped out. I trust that will put me back on the same page as Craig.
Stonky thanks – I mistook your twitter guise for a unionist! But in any event, I don’t mind at all having even sharp exchanges of opinion with people. I don’t think less of people who disagree with me.
Do you have to be a memmber of the SNP to vote? I am not a member of any political party but to vote for Craig I would join!
Good luck, Craig! I’m Anglo-Welsh, but I’d vote for you if I had a vote.
I would too.
Isn’t the theory that there are no Conspiracy Theories that are possibly true a Conspiracy Theory in and of itself?
Let’s put it his way Mr Aaronovich if only 5% are true doesn’t that worry you?
The release of old government papers in the US and the UK say some are.
You don’t put 100 year old gags on something that you deem as trivial – do you?
Transparency means that the PTB know what we get up to but we don’t know what they get up to.
And if you don’t question that fact you cannot go dancing round the world armed to the teeth introducing that form of Democracy.
Unless you know you can get away with gagging the truth until after the perpetrators are long dead?
Even if it was ‘The right thing to do’
You either defend it or hide it.
Great idea, Craig! Best of luck to you!
One problem I can see with Scottish independence is The Queen. About 30% of people are hard-wired to follow The King no matter what. That is why President Trump, no matter what, still retains his base, because he acts like The King. So, separating from Britain will mean separating from The Queen, which a portion of people will, viscerally, not want to do.
May I suggest that you find whoever is the correct descendant of James II & VII, and offer them the Crown of Scotland, when independence occurs? Bringing back (the descendent of) Bonnie Prince Charlie would be an enormous boost for independence, if only in exciting publicity. Then, write that monarch into a box with what they can actually do in your new constitution, with a specific, answerable job description.
Bringing back Bonnie Prince Charlie(s heir) would be a huge boost to the movement. There are probably a lot of English who would then add their support. Because the alternative, eventually, is Prince Charles.
I’m not joking. It would be the best publicity stunt ever, and turn a huge number of people into supporters, just because The Lost Heir is a story we all know.
Hi Craig, go for it. Can I join the SNP as an overseas member and vote for you and the NEC members? Anyone know? When’s the deadline for votes?
Your first action as President should be to instigate an independent party Inquiry into the Party finances – independent of SNP Head Office and the Sturgeon & Murrell clique. As a qualified accountant it is my professional opinion that the 2019 accounts show the Head Office to be hopelessly insolvent and they are using creative accounting to cover it up. Beattie’s claim that the SNP is in a healthy financial situation is an out and out lie. HO only stays afloat because it is paying the local branches their 25% of members’ subscriptions a year late – using the money received in 2020 to pay the 2019 debt to the branches. The situation in 2018 was even worse. Do the branches know they are being paid late, this practice seems to be ongoing?
Turning to the asset side of the Balance Sheet of 1.097 million in Current Assets the bulk is “Prepayments and accrued income” of 879,000. The wording of this is misleading, leading naive readers to think that the bulk of it is prepayments. Unless Murrell et al are being paid their extortionate salaries 12 months in advance, prepayments should be minor stuff like insurance, mobile phone and internet service etc things you pay in advance, and at most would amount to 20,000. So 860,000 is Accrued Income, over 80% of Current Assets. This is so significant that it should be shown as a separate line item on the Balance Sheet not hidden in a Note. Instead it’s reported as part of “Debtors and Prepayments” of 1,000,000 again giving a misleading impression that Debtors is the bulk of the total whereas Trade and Other Debtors totals only 121,000. The only explanation of this is an attempt to avoid scrutiny of what’s in that Accrued Income. Note that the 860,000 is nearly 29% of the non-subscription Income of 3million for the entire year. If they’re fiddling the books that’s where they’re doing it.
I can’t conceive of what that accrued Income could actually be, it’s certainly not members’ subscriptions. Some of it might be legacies from deceased supporters since the SNP is recording them as income before actually received, however as total legacies reported to the Electoral Commission for 2019 is 327,000 (Note 3b) you would have to think it unlikely that a large part of that was outstanding. (In any case counting once-off windfalls like legacies as ordinary income and using it to finance annual expenditure is reckless since you can’t rely on well-heeled supporters popping off on schedule. IMO legacies should be “ring-fenced” in a separate Campaign Fighting Fund and only used for election campaigns.) If it’s Policy Development Grants, aren’t those supposed to be for policy development in FUTURE months, not work you’ve already done? No, I think that entire Accrued Income figure is right dodgy.
As an aside don’t take any comfort in that 97,000 in the bank. At the same time there’s 358,000 in Trade Creditors payable in January, most of which would be unpaid bills from the 2019 election. Unless the party somehow received a large amount in cash in January 2019 they would have had to gone into overdraft or strung out the creditors for months. The party may even have delayed payment of bills in November/ December in order to show a positive bank balance rather than an overdraft in the Balance Sheet. Or am I overly cynical? And that’s even before you consider the missing hundreds of thousands in IndyRef funds. “It’s interwoven in the accounts” is code for “we counted it as ordinary income and spent it all”. It’s gone.
IMO the 2019 accounts demonstrate financial mismanagement by Murrell, Beattie and Co as well as a clear attempt to cover it up from the membership. What’s happened in the 10 months since then? They current (mis)management have to go and a cleanup of the Head Office commence ASAP. And this is only 1 of the 229 “registered accounting units” of the SNP!!!! Most of these are probably local branches and Constituency Associations but who knows what skeletons are hiding in some of these Accounting Units.
Craig, I’ll be sending you a private email with more detail on the aspects of the accounts that I regard as dodgy. I realise you have a lot on your plate with the upcoming court case but I hope you can pass my concerns on to people who can kickstart an Inquiry into the Party’s finances. As I’ve lived my entire adult life outside the UK I don’t know who’s who in the SNP zoo and just don’t have the contacts to make it happen. I think that you do.
There was a vote on independence, you lost, please accept the democratic will of the Scottish people.