BY EFFIE DEANS Scottish nationalism depends on the idea that nothing much would change if Scotland left the UK. It would merely involve Scottish MPs ceasing to sit on green benches in Westminster, instead of which they would go to Holyrood. Instead of being First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon would be Prime Minster, perhaps President or even Tsarina of all the Scotlands. We would no longer … Continue reading Leaving Шотландия (Scotland) Defenceless
BY EFFIE DEANS Nicola Sturgeon thinks time is on her side. Every year the SNP’s control of education pumps out mini nationalists who have grown up since primary school with tartan theme days and the impression that the First World War was fought only by Scottish regiments. Meanwhile the Nat reaper sweeps through the care homes cleansing Scotland of its No voters. Every day Nicola … Continue reading Time is Running Out for Sturgeon
BY EFFIE DEANS I used to write something on the anniversary of the independence referendum as a sort of parody of Scott’s “Waverley; or, ‘tis sixty years since”. Indyref; or, ‘tis seven years since. The idea was to compare grieving Jacobites toasting their lost cause and their king oer the water with the Scottish nationalists celebrating the fact that they got 45 (actually 44.7) and … Continue reading Tis Seven Years Since
BY EFFIE DEANS A Conservative MSP got into trouble this week for suggesting that Nicola Sturgeon might be anti-English. Sturgeon was pointing out that everyone who lived in Scotland was at home here, to which Tess White replied “except the English”. For this White was forced to apologise or else be suspended from Holyrood. Woe betide anyone who suggests Popes are Catholic or that bears … Continue reading Doth Protest Too Much
BY EFFIE DEANS In theory Alex Salmond’s new Alba Party is good news for independence supporters. Let’s assume that support for independence is 45%. Well if the SNP wins 45% of the vote in the constituency seats, it will win nearly all of them. But this means that it will win few if any list seats, because the number of constituencies you win is part … Continue reading Alba
BY EFFIE DEANS The fundamental misunderstanding that forms the basis of Scottish nationalism has been undermined by a statement from the European Commission. When the UK finally left the EU, the Government decided not to continue to take part in the Erasmus Program, but instead to replace it with the Turing Scheme. The SNP objected and asked the European Commission whether Scotland could join the … Continue reading Deciding Erasmus
BY EFFIE DEANS The British Government has been attempting to maintain friendly relations with the SNP and the Scottish Government just as we have attempted to maintain friendly relations with the EU. There is clearly no point falling out with anyone unnecessarily. But cooperation and friendly relations ultimately depend on a foundation of there being the alternative of unfriendly relations. At times the UK has … Continue reading How to Defeat the SNP Forever
BY EFFIE DEANS There is a view I like on the west coast of Scotland which takes in the islands of Raasay and Rona, behind them Skye with its Cuillins and in the far distance the Outer Hebrides. It is perhaps the best view in Europe if you can find an evening in June with the sun about to set and fine weather. Scotland is the … Continue reading An English Appreciation Society
BY EFFIE DEANS The Conservative manifesto promised that there would not be a second Scottish independence referendum. The Conservatives won a large majority. That should be the end of the matter. This being Scotland it isn’t. Independence is the bone, Nicola Sturgeon is the dog. Scottish nationalists will teach their toddlers that “No means No” or else raise spoilt brats. Young independence supporting women will go … Continue reading Nae
BY JAMIE FOSTER As ever huffing and puffing to no avail, Ian Blackford, the SNP leader in Westminster, opened the SNP conference with a claim that Brexit is a democratic outrage that crystallises the case for independence in Scotland. His claim is based on the fact that Scotland backed Remain in the referendum by a margin of 62 to 38%. He said that the SNP … Continue reading The Broken Record of the SNP
BY DAVID HARTHILL What vested interest have the English in the preservation of the United Kingdom? Historically, England has won many battles against the French—Crecy, La Roche-Derrien, Poitiers, Agincourt, to name but some. Those battles were won despite English kings having to leave forces behind in the north to guard against opportunistic incursions by Scots. E.g. 1346, when a Scottish army marched south to eventual defeat … Continue reading The English Case for Union
BY DOMINIC WIGHTMAN David Sole’s Scotland’s 1990 Calcutta Cup defeat of the Auld Enemy before a partisan crowd at Murrayfield Park in Edinburgh was agonising for all Englishmen to watch. Since then, there have been skirmishes won (and a few lost) but none hurt the English so much as that gut-buster of a defeat. I was studying A-Level History at the time and struggled to keep up with … Continue reading What is Scottish?
