Saturday, October 11, 2025
The STUC back the principle of Scottish self-determination on an ordinary majority - but will the SNP repudiate it?
Good afternoon from Aberdeen, where as you may have seen, Roz Foyer of the STUC made a well-judged and well-received speech just before lunch, in which she expressed her strong support for the principle of self-determination, which she described immaculately as meaning that if a pro-independence majority is elected to the Scottish Parliament, the parliament should decide for itself on holding an independence referendum. She received a huge round of applause. Are we as delegates really going to follow up that applause in the afternoon session by surrendering to Westminster and imposing an impossible supermajority requirement upon the Scottish people? I hope not, and it would be a truly bizarre thing to do, but that is exactly what we are being pressurised to do. Fingers crossed for a sensible outcome.
I could be wrong, but I believe the STUC have always, at least since about 2012, supported the right of Scotland to decide. Just not (yet) Independence.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile I think the absolute necessary first step for self-determination, is for the Scottish Government when elected on a platform of self-determination, to introduce an emergency Bill to repeal the Scotland Act, and in its place have a Bill to put the stuff about elections, office-bearers, orders, and all that stuff. But it could be done quickly by the following:
Scotland Act repeal Bill 2026
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"References in the existing Scotland Act 1998 as amended 2016 allowing outside interference in Scottish legislation are repealed effective immediately.
The Scotland Act 1998 amended 2016 is repealed with effect 1st August 2026, and will be replaced with a Parliament Act detailing elections, office holders, funding etc etc blah blah".
I recommend this to the SNP as its mechanism in the manifesto of self-determination. From which Independence may or may not, follow according the result of the soon after Referendum on Independence.
It's going to need an SNP MSP to be Presiding Officer, and be brave.
"... and be brave.".
DeleteYour argument was extremely tenuous up to this point.
But your last 3 words killed it ... stone dead.
From this point of view, the Swinney resolution being passed was OK. It could have done with being pepped up, but the amendments wouldn't have contributed. First it needs to be an overall SNP majority, not beholden to fringe parties with their minority non-independence interests; and secondly the idea of a list vote being the signal for Independence was nonsense.
DeleteIn the same way the general electorate wouldn't have the slightest interest in tactically voting for say, Alba on the list, nor would they appreciate their list vote being for - or against - Independence. Self-determination is a different matter - as well as the STUC it's supported by I forget, 66.67% of the Scottish electorate.
Vote SNP on constituency and list for self-determination - and Scotland's right to decide. Hold your nose - yet again - if you have to, it's the only game in town. Does the new shooter feel lucky? Yes. Yes he does.
And that's all I have to say about THAT.
I guess James is taking time to reflect on today's events at conference before giving his analysis here.
ReplyDeleteI was hopeful that amendments A and B would be accepted, but not confident. But, to see them outvoted so comprehensively was a shock.
It's hard to see this as anything other than a setback for independence.
Swinney has killed off Independence. His salary and pension are safe. Shower of cowardly self serving bastards. Not even my constituency vote is going to them now.
ReplyDeleteFrom the Herald: "New College Lanarkshire partnered with the college and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) to introduce a 20p reward - redeemable at the college’s canteens - for every can and plastic bottle recycled through RVMs on campuses during September."
ReplyDeleteIn other news residents throughout Lanarkshire have reported their glass metal and plastic bins being raided on a regular basis. Hmm.
Ah! Apparently, from the Herald and the mouth of Rachel Hamilton who they quote for some odd reason:
ReplyDelete“Daftest of all, John Swinney proudly declared that ‘nobody knows the tactics I’ll deploy’ if he wins his majority."
Good. Excellent. My job is done.