SNP have morphed into a shadow of the party they should be

The National

2 days ago

I say 'repeat' as in the immediate post-World War Two period the then Labour secretary of state for Scotland, the commendable Tom Johnston, had a vision to build hydro dams in both the Highlands and south-west Scotland to provide cheap local energy which could be harnessed to create industrial activities and well-paid jobs in both regions, addressing the scourge of depopulation.
The dams were built but the promise of cheap local electricity was never delivered.
Once his plan was known to London, he was told 'oh no dear boy, it must all go into the National Grid'. No competitive advantage could be delivered to these areas of Scotland – what a naive plan.
Scots – well nearly 50% of them, as yet – have still not woken up to the new post-Brexit regime in Westminster.
It matters not whether that regime is Labour, Tory, Liberal or very soon likely Reform UK.
There is no 'UK' in any of their thinking. This is the new 'Little England' post-Brexit nation.
Starmer, when he agreed – well I should say 'accepted' – the recent trade terms with 'The Donald', announced on camera 'this is an important agreement for both our countries, England and America'. This was no slip of the tongue, that is their collective thinking, post-Brexit.
They, meaning our southern neighbour, didn't just vote to leave Europe, their utopia is in the green and pleasant lands of England where, if Scotland exists at all, she is their colony to be exploited for all her resources and 'free gratis'.
At the end of her informative article 'Why have the SNP consistently missed an opportunity with zonal energy pricing' (Jul 10), Lesley Riddoch asks: 'Who is making this political argument? Not the SNP, why the heck not?'
The answer is surely 'ineptitude'.
The SNP leadership appear to be ignorant of the benefits that zonal pricing would bring, not just to domestic users, but in helping Scotland rebuild an industrial capability. This, with zonal pricing, could be implemented now under devolution.
Similarly, where was the outcry over Grangemouth? Why did the SNP not walk out of Westminster en masse after Brexit? Our friends in Europe expected us to, but no, and then the long list of unpopular English prime ministers, from the liar Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, 'now is not the time' Theresa May, Sunak, Sir Keir Starmer and waiting in the wings Nigel Farage. No opportunities were developed during these periods of great opportunity for the independence movement; the leadership of the SNP wasted every one of them.
It is perhaps summed up best by Edwin Morgan, our great poet laureate who wrote, on the opening of the Scottish Parliament with such great promise, on October 9 2004:
'What do the people want of this place? They want it to be filled with thinking persons as open and adventurous as its architecture.
'A nest of fearties is what they do not want.
'A symposium of procrastinators is what they do not want.
'A phalanx of forelock-tuggers is what they do not want. And perhaps above all the droopy mantra of 'it wizny me' is what they do not want.'
Well Lesley, there is your answer. It is exactly where we are with the current SNP leadership, exactly what Edwin cautioned us and our parliament to avoid, with John Swinney as the Chief Feartie in charge.
Congratulations, John. A leadership with no vision for independence, no ambition to get us there, and not even a whimper at the ongoing, and deliberate, deindustrialisation of Scotland. 'Grangemouth no more, Falkirk no more!'
The SNP have morphed into a shadow of the party they should be. People see through it. Shameful. We need radicalism, outrage, passion, and most of all new leadership.
Ian Stewart
Uig, Isle of Skye
I AGREE with a lot of what Nick Cole said in his letter on Thursday, July 10, but he had at least two major omissions.
Alex Salmond was in fact stitched up by SNP, so had a right to speak out against them. The SNP pushing gender recognition reform when they knew fine well it would split the indy vote was deliberate, as proven by them getting rid of those who would push for independence. Tim Rideout and Joanna Cherry spring to mind, but there were others.
So the current version of SNP did nothing for a decade, and still does nothing except get rid of indy folk. The fact the party doesn't support the case at UN or adopting the UN charter on self-determination says it all.
The real SNP that wanted independence has been hijacked by devolutionists. They likely supported indy at some point, but the salary and perks are too good to risk now.
So although I'm desperate for independence, I'm not going to vote for the SNP to do nowt for another decade.
If they don't get concrete plans on the board to go ahead without Westminster agreement if necessary, many Scots won't vote for them.
Nick would do better for cause and party if he focused on why the SNP are not keen to proceed, and helped get them out of the party. A new NEC, and out with those who never mention independence. That's the cure for all SNP's woes, so what's stopping them?
Grangemouth shows the long game is no longer a viable option so the best way to secure the party's future is to push ahead with indy. Voters who trusted them to act won't let them just be a devolution party.
The biggest dividers of the indy vote in my opinion are gender recognition reform and SNP inaction on the supposed main goal. Heartbreaking, so it is.
Bill Robertson
via email