Beyond Indy

Those who are questioning the alleged career-minded and self serving rationale of SNP figures guiding the independence drive from a Scottish Government viewpoint are missing some very basic points. Your assumption dissolves instantly when you consider that many SNP members believe that the party would cease to exist in its current format. The role of the party within the framework of the UK is to govern Scotland while pushing for independence and secession from the Union. The latter part of that role would cease to exist following a YES vote, subsequent transitional period of dissolution negotiations and final ratification.

Although the SNP membership and support comes mainly from the former Labour spiritual heartland of social democratic left leaning electorate it also contains former conservative centrists, former Liberal Democrats and manifold independent visionaries who seek a common cause; Independence for Scotland and an end to the failed experiment of the unequal union.

When the first elections in an independent Scotland are announced we will have a better picture of the true political leanings of the Scots. I suspect we will see a rebirth of social democratic parties to the fore, though unlikely many would like to associate themselves with the Scottish Labour who sold Scotland for Ermine. Campaigning and results will be the divining rod. It’s probably safe to assume that conservative voters will seek the empowerment of a conservative party. Figures show that up to 50% of Labour voters believe in self-determination for Scotland so it is likely that, having acheived independence, they would revert to the party offering promise of a continued social equity. There is no pot of gold or lifetime reward promised for those who pushed for the inevitable victory. That process will gather dust with the rest of the anachronisms of cronyism and partisan reward we see in the current Westminster system. No, the reward will be the contribution to the global status of Scotland, a worthy nation among nations.