Border Incidentals: The SNP Is A Spent Force As The Home Counties Get Ready To Pay
THE coming political furore of the Scottish question is not yet fully realised by Britain’s Home Counties.
It may not be sufficient to wave goodbye and tell the ginger ones not to write but not forget to collect the drunken Jock beggars before shutting the backyard doors.
Our postal votes are already in.
This Scottish household has no truck with a U.K. Government which was unelected, unwanted by millions, unrepresentative and worse unrepentant. A grubby coalition which has set back the Liberal ambitions of more millions by several decades and sullied the already filthy reputation of politics.
The same is not quite true of the current Scottish Government which is Scottish National Party controlled.
First Minister Alex Salmond and his wife, Moira arrive for the opening of The Gathering 2009, at Holyrood Park, Edinburgh.
The SNP have NOT done a bad job in government and have brought many improvements to everyday life.
It is not too obvious but…the same unhealthy incestuous political relationships apply.
Many of the Scottish Parliament Members (MSPs) sitting in Holyrood are ex-Labour or far left camp-followers and if there is a Yes vote will soon have to slither back to the left and join their old conservative (small C) pals in Scottish Labour. This because of the widely-held belief (even conviction) in Scotland’s grey-suit circles the SNP will not survive more than one term…they would have nothing left to do and the party will fracture under the weight of Alex Salmond’s overpowering smug smile.
Actually whichever way the vote goes the SNP is a done/spent force.
Labour north of the Border is pinning its revival hopes on presenting itself as the Scot’s savior when the chain link fences go up along Hadrian’s old King Dick walkway from Carlisle to Wallsend after a Yes. It is equally confident of applying the salve following a No and the inevitable Westminister revenge kick in the goolies is followed by the dismissal of the UK Tory lead coalition and subsequent installation of the equally dismal Labour and its running dogs (possible UKIP and Liberal alliance)
Salmond has run rings round the Westminster newbies demonstrating he has shuffled his ample seat on the Commons green leather longer than anyone of them…he learned his craft well.
A just scraped in No would suit many Scots who are by nature and tradition outward looking.
Not because of any political preference to stay in the UK but because a No will trigger an initial “Yah, Boo, Sucks!” Whitehall response. This should be followed by the traditional necessary war repairs budget and additional resources and decision powers to the Scottish Government (Westminster still terms it an executive).
Broader thinking is the resulting bonhomie could whip up a backlash in the English regions. North( East & West) East Anglia, South Coast and Far South West which will demand (and have to be given) more executive powers to regional councils.
These regions (and Scotland) look at London with something akin to finding a dog turd in the cabbage patch. Too much power resides in the relatively few square miles which cram in the huge population and vast money drain of Greater London
In the far-flung parts of the country there was horror at the spending on the Dome and the East End of London for a two-week Olympic tv experience etc. There was never a country-wide support for either.
Regrettably, Lord Seb Coe was not a pin up in the shinty club changing huts around the Highlands..
Moreover…the central control by, not governments but the Whitehall Establishment elite, is still a huge pain in the backside of regional politicians and bureaucrats alike. Successive central political administrations over the past 40 years had promised loyal supporters to swing the axe in the upper echelons of the Civil Service. All have failed to do so. “Yes Minister” was no parody. That situation exists.
It may be a matter of some shame to the otherwise shameless Westminster shakers and movers whatever the outcome Britain will have a different complexion on Friday morning.
Heads will roll and the damage is already done.
The most frightening thing is: A Yes vote is going to trigger Northern Ireland into what may be a real shotgun/AK47 ballot box re-run of the whole thing.
Posted: 16th, September 2014 | In: Reviews Comments (7) | TrackBack | Permalink
