As the only organisation to be proposing a plan for becoming an independent nation once again rather than mere 'visions' of what being independent might be like, it would have been gratifying to see New Scotland Party's radical perspective introduced to discourse around the constitutional issue.
These 'visions' of a future Scotland are all very well. A movement must have its visionaries. But we must focus on the 2026 Scottish Parliament election. We must proceed on the assumption that this election is the last democratic event with the potential to be used as a means to break the paralysis which has beset the independence campaign for over a decade. Not that nobody is doing anything. Lots of people are doing lots of things - many of which are worthwhile in themselves. But none of what independence activists are doing has progressed Scotland's cause in any discernible way.
The 2026 election will not be an opportunity to vote for any of the multitude of 'visions' we've been presented with over the years. Neither will it be an opportunity to vote for anything that will benefit Scotland's cause. Not as things stand. None of the nominally pro-independence parties is proposing any measure or action that will put us on a path to the restoration of Scotland's independence. None of the nominally pro-independence parties is even discussing the practicalities of restoring Scotland's independence.
It is surely evident that the independence campaign desperately requires new perspectives and fresh thinking. Much more than we need bright 'visions' of where Scotland might be after independence is restored, we desperately need bold ideas as to how we get there.
If organisations such as IFS are not prepared to make space for the new thinking on the constitutional issue, what hope is there that the 2026 election will deliver anything more than 'business as usual' for the professional politicians?
The biggest problem Scots face (other than Englandshire taking everything we have and making out that we should be grateful for that) is apathy. There are far too many people who are prepared to wait for something to happen. "Let's hope that we get get independence soon", "Boo, hiss, SNP haven't done anything to further independence", "Well what difference can I alone make?", "I'm going to vote Labour or Alba this time to show the SNP I care about something, though I've no idea what that something is". Need I go on?
Politically, Scotland needs to change, before Englandshire does that for us, both politically and geographically. Nothing will ever be given to us in terms of our sovereignty, it has to be taken. Will that involve a fight? Of course it will. Englandshire does not give up her perceived possessions willingly, and is highly dependent on Scotland for energy, water, oil and much more. We are a potentially wealthy country. Englandshire knows this and will never let go without an almighty fight, and every dirty trick in the book employed.
If we are such a wealthy country, then the SNP and Alba etc, have been utterly negligent in ensuring that the voting populace of Scotland were made aware of that fact. In all of the rhetoric, publications, flyers, speeches etc, I have not been party to any source of information, that details and disseminates the apparent wealth of this nation, and how it will affect our lives if we achieve independence. The general public is really not that interested in gender reforms, education reforms, tax reforms, the possible continuation of the monarchy, foreign trade deals and tariffs, fishing quotas, assisted dying etc. These are important issues but only to a minority of people. The bulk of the population want to know "Will I be able to pay my mortgage or rent?", "Will I need to take on another loan to keep my kids warm this winter?", "Can I afford to feed my kids properly without needing to go to a foodbank?", "Will my pensionable age be raised any further and will my pension pot actually be there once I reach that age?", "Will the NHS still exist as my kids grow up?". "Will I ever be able to afford to have kids on my wage alone?".
These questions are the ones that really matter to us ordinary people, and these fundamentally important questions, still remain largely unanswered. That for me, is an utter dereliction of duty by all of the pro independence parties, and needs to be addressed long before any referendum takes place.
I still remember the feeling of abject misery after the first few returns in the 2014 referendum came in. It was obvious in these first few results, that "project fear" had achieved their goal. That giant step into the unknown was too much of a gamble for far too many voters and still to this day presents a potentially insurmountable obstacle to the kind of change in opinion we desperately need. As long as the voting public remain uneducated, they will likely make the same choice again, and continue to be led by those in power who continue to benefit from that lack of knowledge.
I agree with most of what you say Peter, but I disagree that 2026 may be the last chance saloon for independence. If Labour get control in Holyrood then it will be a setback of epic proportions, but not the end. Labour are taking turns daily in shooting themselves in the foot on a national level. That is not being missed north of the border and I hope that fact sees a resurgence in the pro independence vote. As I've said before, each potential MSP needs to know why they are being elected and the consequences of their failure to comply with whatever mandate they are given. That might take a further election to give them a wake up call, and some more time for the NSP or other suitably informed party to move up the ranks.
"For as long as but a hundred of us still remain alive" amigo. Good luck with the NSP.