Friday, September 8, 2017

Could the sort-of-rise of "BUSP" be a boon for the independence movement?

Much synthetic excitement in the unionist media today about the exploits of an "obscure unionist party" that narrowly beat the SNP into third place in the Fortissat by-election - a feat that looks considerably less impressive when you realise that the same party came within a whisker of taking a seat in the same ward at the local elections in May.  (It also looks like they've probably hoovered up the support lost by an independent candidate with past links to the Orange Order, who saw his vote share halved since May.)

Nevertheless, it would be a mistake to assume that the snappily-named "A Better Britain - Unionist Party" (aka "BUSP") is entirely confined to a Fortissat ghetto.  Largely unnoticed, they somehow took 1% of the list vote in Glasgow at the Holyrood election last year - more than the Women's Equality Party and the same as RISE.  If the Fortissat result emboldens them to put up more candidates in future, it's probably going to be beneficial from a pro-independence point of view - they would split the unionist vote in a Westminster first-past-the-post election, making it slightly easier for the SNP to hold off challenges from Labour and the Tories, and as long as they stay below roughly 5% of the vote in any of the Holyrood regions they choose to stand in, they'll harm the chances of Labour and the Tories taking list seats while not winning any of their own.

An endorsement of sorts for the new party has come from the predictable direction of Stephen Daisley, who described them as a "centrist", "Labourish" unionist party.  Well, let's see - they're standing former Tory candidates, they want to abolish the Scottish Parliament, and are in favour of the hardest of hard Brexits (and not just to "respect the will of the people" either).  I dare say that must look like the epitome of moderation to the Daily Mail's favourite "centre-right socialist".

*  *  *

Today has seen more of the so-called "metrosplaining" that Stormfront Lite is so renowned for -

"The Lib Dems are the one party fully united on what should come next on Brexit and who can be relied upon, more or less, to vote as a bloc. But there are only 12 of them."

And there are 35 SNP MPs, which is a rather bigger number.  On what planet is the SNP not fully united on what should come next on Brexit (ie. remaining in the single market and retaining freedom of movement)?  On what planet will they not be voting as a bloc?  No answer to either of those questions is forthcoming, although the SNP do get a cursory mention later on in the piece -

"Not everyone is all that bothered about Brexit. Some parties, notably the SNP, see it as just another tool for pursuing an entirely different agenda."

Just how ignorant would you have to be of the modern SNP to think that, because their number one objective is independence, they can't really be "that bothered" about Brexit?  It's like saying that the Tory obsession with Europe is all an affectation because their first love is the free market economy.  In reality, the European project has aroused extremely strong passions in the SNP since the 1970s - initial hostility gave way to strong support, albeit the constant along the way has been opposition to the Common Fisheries Policy in its present form.

12 comments:

  1. Meeksy is a smart guy, but sometimes his vanity encourages him to mistake his barely informed opinions with his well considered calculations.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The unionist parties of Ireland and Scotland,there are no English unionists,due to their support for England's present Tory government are under more scrutiny than perhaps ever before.
    What do they stand for,other than what they do not?
    Exclusion.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So the Conservative and Unionist Party isn't unionist?

      Delete
  3. BUSP - Brigton Unionist Scottish Proddies. We arra people. We even hate oorselves merr than ra papes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My support for them on your blog finally pays off. WATP FTP GSTQ

      Delete
    2. GWC the epitome of rhe self loathing Scot if he even is a Scot
      and a dumb Btitnazi fuck

      Delete
    3. GWC2 does not want to hand Scotland over to the EU beaurocracy ya piece of traitorous filth.

      Delete
    4. Ooh. Cruella's little helper didn't like that...

      Delete
  4. This is a little off topic, but I have just completed a survey sponsored by the Scottish Daily Mail on certain aspects of current Scottish politics. Anyone else seen/completed it?
    D. Macdonald

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wouldn't put the Scottish Daily Mail in my cats litter tray in case it caught something contagious.

      Delete
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