I don't see what all the fuss is about. The SNP, Alba Party and the Scottish Green Party are all in a lather because ITV has excluded them from its televised election debate. Although "excluded" is probably the wrong word. Disregarded might be more apt. Or discounted. Or dismissed. Ignored, neglected and snubbed are other possibilities. Although all of those terms have a sense of purposeful action that really isn't appropriate. Ignored suggests having been noticed in the first place, for example. Discounted implies the possibility of being counted. And so on.
All these words imply that ITV intended what the parties present as a slight. In fact, all they did was passively acknowledge that the Scottish (not British) parties are irrelevant in an election to the parliament of England-as-Britain. The Scottish political parties are bound to be irrelevant because the votes of Scotland's electors are irrelevant. They have no effect. They are totally beside the point.
Scottish votes are irrelevant because Scotland's interests are irrelevant. The British parliament does not exist to serve Scotland's interests. It does not serve Scotland's interests. It never has served Scotland's interests. Indeed, it is incapable of doing so. Unsurprisingly, the British parliament serves only the structures of power, privilege and patronage which constitute the British state. Westminster's clients are the few who prosper at whatever cost to the many. Scotland is there to be exploited, not respected. Scotland is irrelevant other than as a resource. The system is rigged so that Scotland's representatives have no meaningful or effective role in policy-making or decision-taking - other than where those representatives have pledged themselves to the service of the British state rather than the people of Scotland.
Obviously, it serves politicians and their parties well to have voters in Scotland convinced that MPs do important work for Scotland. It wouldn't be good for them if everybody realised just how ineffectual they really are. The bombast and bloviation in the chamber is meant to conceal the absence of any effect. Only the powerless have to shout to be heard above the mocking taunts of those who regard them with casual contempt.
In inviting only the leaders of the two main British parties ITV is merely acknowledging the reality of the British two-party system. Only these two parties matter. Both are parties of the British establishment. The only reason there are two is so that people can be duped into thinking they have a choice. Other parties are little more than democratic decoration. The way it is in this debate is the way it is in real life.
John Swinney, Alex Salmond and Patrick Harvey are The Inconsequentials!
And so are you!
An excellent description of the intended inequalities that was created in 1707 just to satisfy those bought and paid for parcel of rogues.