Latest news with #pro-indy
Scottish Sun
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Hardcore Nats want to ‘dissolve the union' if Westminster blocks IndyRef2
They rejected a strategy by the First Minister INDY REBELS Hardcore Nats want to 'dissolve the union' if Westminster blocks IndyRef2 Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) NATS rebels want MSPs to 'dissolve' the Union if Westminster blocks their path to independence. The hardliners insist talks on a UK split must start if pro-indy parties win a majority of List votes at next May's Holyrood election. Sign up for the Politics newsletter Sign up 4 Hardcore Nats reckon the Union should be "dissolved" if pro-Indy parties get a majority of List MSPs Credit: Alamy 4 They rejected John Swinney's strategy Credit: PA 4 Longtime party activist Graeme McCormick is one of the people behind the strategy Credit: Graeme McCormick They have rejected John Swinney's strategy and instead want the party to back their hardline tactic. Mr Swinney said last month that a majority of SNP seats at May's Scottish Parliament election would be a mandate for a second referendum. But the rebel group of 43 branches want Holyrood to begin negotiations on leaving the UK if half of voters back any pro-independence party - meaning the SNP, Scottish Greens, Alba or any other nationalist candidate. If Westminster refuses to acknowledge this approach then Holyrood should immediately 'dissolve the union', they say. It comes despite a landmark Supreme Court judgement in 2022 which effectively ruled out any legal path to independence other than a referendum agreed to by Westminster. Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: 'This spat just demonstrates how out of touch John Swinney and the SNP are with ordinary Scots. 'Under the nationalists, our public services are in meltdown and taxes are sky high. "But instead of fixing the mess they've created, they're fighting about how best to push their independence obsession. 'John Swinney should stop fixating on tearing up the UK and focus on his day job.' Alastair Cameron, chair of Scotland in Union, said: 'Imagine if the SNP spent as much time exploring how to save the NHS rather than fighting over different wheezes for an unwanted second referendum.' Five moments you missed from a weekend with Donald Trump in Scotland The SNP 'Group of 43' has submitted a motion for approval by the SNP's conference committee which states: 'Conference instructs the Party to prioritise obtaining a mandate from the sovereign Scottish people to deliver independence. 'This will be possible by achieving a majority of the popular vote on the sum of the Independence Supporting Parties' List Votes in the 2026 Scottish parliamentary election.' Longtime party activist Graeme McCormick, one of the people behind the strategy, told The Herald: 'As you can imagine in the SNP, there are lots of views on how to achieve independence. A few of us who have been involved in the movement for a long time came together to propose this plan. 'If we get a majority of pro-independence votes on the list, we'll open negotiations with the UK Government around independence. If the negotiations aren't successful, then we'll move to dissolve the union. It's perfectly legal to do so.' The group will meet at St Matthew's Church in Perth to 'plan strategic amendments' and 'decide together how we take this initiative forward.' An invitation to the meeting stated: 'We are done asking for referenda. Never again will we accept a Scottish SNP leader or First Minister going cap in hand to Westminster for permission to leave the Union. That time is past.' Kenny MacAskill, leader of the Alba Party and a former member of the radical '79 Group' that dragged the SNP to the left under Alex Salmond, said he 'recognised and welcomed the old radical fire that still exsits within the SNP membership'. He said: 'They are now way ahead of the SNP leadership on the question of delivering independence.'
The National
15-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
Yes supporters need to avoid the rhetoric of nihilism and despair
I want to state quite categorically that placing Scotland within that anti-colonial radical tradition is a nonsense. Why? From 1707 around 50-plus MPs have been sent down to London to warm the green benches of Westminster as the lawful political representatives of an acquiescent 'nation'. READ MORE: Legal arguments grounded in international covenants remain symbolic So calling Scotland a colony of the UK or England is intellectually absurd. (Martinique sends deputies to the French Parliament so it is a 'departement of France', not a colony.) Scotland has participated in the colonial 'British' historical process managing and 'book-keeping' the Empire. However, the British parliament under devolution exercises sovereignty over Scotland with the authority of parliamentary power within British law (see the Supreme Court decision). This Westminster power leaves Scotland dormant with a wholly subaltern status within the UK, even with Holyrood and its neo-colonial devolutionary settlement. This neo-colonial occupation of Scotland by the British imperial Westminster Parliament is a damaging reality. So the focus of political action is not Scotland's colonial status but rather its subaltern position vis a vis the UK. There are three subaltern characteristics that help shape Scotland's current dilemma. One is the cultural resistance movement led by numerous public intellectuals, writers, artists and progressive academics. But this is a resistance that participates in a challenging oppressive cultural ambience, characterised by London-centric power and lack of serious liberating funding. This bleak outlook can only be resolved when cultural resistance takes on a political role rather than obscuring the political challenges with idealism. READ MORE: Would a Scottish sovereign wealth fund be possible after independence? The second task within the current climate is the urgent need to avoid the rhetoric of nihilism and despair. Avoidance of surrender is critical. Too many independence 'supporters' have succumbed to the nihilism of helplessness or sought solace in the weedy pastures of tiny protest organisations. This leads on to the third role for the broad independence movement under the current oppressive British state represented by the failed British Labour Party. How, and in what political manner, can pro-indy people understand and cope with the psychological stresses provided by the failure to gain sovereignty? Subjection is the dominant mode within nation semi-states like Scotland and can only be resolved by winning sovereignty. Hope, redemption, resolution, 'positive futurism' are all urgent priorities in this subordinate time. Yet we cannot frame the current struggle within a wholly negative paradigm of oppression. Arguing that Scottish history is all misery and degradation simply ads to the negative paradigm that needs overthrowing. WE CAN WIN even if we accept the condition of subjection; it can be defeated. Scotland needs to overcome negative tropes and become something new and positive with much greater focus on the future rather than the past. That is a task of a devolved Scottish Government led by the SNP. READ MORE: Explosive new poll puts Corbyn-Sultana party level with Labour Time is not on our side. Global capitalism will not sit back and admire Scotland's vulnerability of size; rather it consumes fragile states. Asserting sovereignty is the urgent requirement that will need young people to move on from their virtual-game-based world and work to build their real future. Our current 'phoney-sovereignty' will only make our country poorer and our future darker . London only funds Scotland sufficiently to let it fail. Only by harnessing the social and political energy of our young people (and others) will we be able to overcome the present political malaise. Unfortunately the flawed engine of renewal, hope and redemption is the SNP. It is the only political engine that can drive the independence movement to sovereignty. There are some who might need the 'peg on the nose', but 2026 is the last-chance saloon. Objectively, only the SNP and the Scottish voters can deliver independence with the support of progressive patriots. Thom Cross Carluke
Spectator
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Spectator
JK Rowling blasts the National as ‘anti-women'
Scotland's self-identifying 'newspaper' is at it again – and this time it has provoked the wrath of renowned writer JK Rowling. The National has chosen to dunk, yet again, on women's rights organisation Sex Matters, dubbing it an 'anti-trans campaign group' which is 'threatening' legal action after it raised concerns about how the Scottish government is – or, more to the point, is not – implementing the recent Supreme Court judgment that backed the biological definition of a woman. But feminist-in-chief Rowling has had enough – and was quick to slam the Nat-obsessed tabloid as 'anti-woman'. Ouch. Taking to Twitter, Rowling defended Sex Matters – which intervened in the For Women Scotland gender case – after remarking scathingly: 'For Women Scotland is a feminist campaigning group. You appear to be an anti-woman newspaper.' And she's not the only one left unimpressed by the pro-indy paper's choice of language. For Women Scotland have waded into the conversation, pondering under Rowling's post: I do wonder if the head of Newsquest is aware that this smear – which lawyers suggested, only last night, amounts to defamation – is routine in the National. Oo er. The separatist bulletin is certainly no stranger to controversy. It fell foul of the Scottish press pack after one of its reporters first wrongly reported that Alba party members had verbally abused First Minister John Swinney inside the cathedral where Alex Salmond's funeral was taking place – before secondly shirking responsibility by claiming that of the journalists there, 'we had all mistaken inside for outside'. Cue a rather miffed response from the Beeb's Scotland editor, who indignantly wrote back that: 'It is not true to say 'we had ALL mistaken inside for outside'. At no point did I hear any jeering inside nor did I hear anyone suggest there was any.' It just goes from bad to worse, eh? And Mr S would remind readers that the secessionist journal managed to rather successfully annoy even its own columnists after it printed an Anglo-bashing splash last year before of the Euros final between England and Spain. Ahead of the match, the newspaper decided to depict a rather large red-faced, bare-chested, tattooed England fan as a football being launched into the air by Spanish midfielder Rodri. 'Time for revenge!' the cover screamed, 'Our message to Spain: Save us from an England win (or we'll never hear the end of it!)'. It prompted one of its own columnists, ex-SNP MP Joanna Cherry, to tweet: 'No. I really don't like this at all' – while SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn slammed the design for its 'xenophobia'. The National's editor eventually rowed back – but it was too little too late… At the time of writing, the piece remains online with its language unchanged. Will the National be forced to U-turn once again, with the help of FWS's little legal reminder? Stay tuned…
Scottish Sun
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Scottish independence activists march through Glasgow as key figures snub event
Read on to discover who wasn't at today's Indy rally FIGHTING ON Scottish independence activists march through Glasgow as key figures snub event Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THOUSANDS of activists flocked to Glasgow today for an annual pro-independence rally. One supporter donned a huge top hat adorned with saltires as a sea of blue and white flags flooded the city centre. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Three women are all smiles as they wrap themselves in the Scottish flag Credit: Alamy 3 One happy activist dons a novelty hat adorned with saltires Credit: Alamy The event was snubbed by most elected pro-indy supporters, including John Swinney, Patrick Harvie and Stephen Flynn. Meanwhile others waved Palestine flags and unfurled huge banners calling for a separation from the United Kingdom. Organisers All Under One Banner encouraged members to bring banners, megaphones, flags and pipes to the event. They wrote online: "We are proud to announce that around 5,000 people took to the streets of Glasgow today, marching for Scottish independence, all under one banner. "Well done everyone. A great effort all round and a cracking day for it. "The fight for independence is on. Scotland shall." However the 5,000 attendees number has been disputed with some sources claiming it to closer to 2,000. The event took off from Kelvin Way to Glasgow green and brought a number of roads in the city to a standstill. Scots remain split down the middle on independence but now reckon a UK split will not happen for decades, polling reveals. Some 40 per cent back going it alone while 44 per cent favour staying in the UK. The Yes/No divide was 48/52, excluding undecideds and non-voters, compared to 45/55 in 2014's historic referendum. And More in Common's research for The Scottish Sun on Sunday also revealed voters are now less likely to think independence will happen while they are alive. Around two-thirds of Scots previously predicted the break-up of the UK within 30 years, at the height of Nats' popularity in 2015. But asked last week if Scotland will become independent in their lifetime, 48 per cent said no, while 30 per cent said yes and 22 per cent were unsure.
