Spanish media are enthusiastically bigging up the 'historic' decline in support for independence parties in Catalunya, which is still at 44%/45% after yesterday's elections.
They're acting as if (1) it's done and dusted for Catalán independence; and (2) the sizeable pro-independence minority will be "pragmatic" and get back in its box.
The assault on devolution started with Cameron announcing EVEL in the early hours of 19/9/2014 and it's been ramping up ever since. It will keep ramping up after the next UK GE because the great patriotic British Englishman Starmer has wrapped himself in the union flag and is busy welcoming far right ideologues into the "Labour" Party. (Elphicke is virulently opposed to devolution, Starmer has stated he'll block #indyref2 "forever".)
How could we not be better off by getting out of what's the economic basket case of Europe?
Define "better off" - consider the democratic deficit from 85% of the population being in England and FPTP; the systematic sustained attack on devolution; the complete suppression of mandates for #indyref2 while claiming the "union" is voluntary; the impact on Scotland of #Brexit - which we rejected but got anyway.
Right on Keir. Your primary thoughts seem to be ending divisions by centralising power in Westminster and denying process and control to the other three countries in this ‘so precious Union’ - one that is long past its use by date.
You don't care about or even care to represent Scottish interests - what is nonsense really about?
Only you're ending "division" by blocking the mandates of a majority of Scots for #indyref2 "forever" while offering no real alternative to rancid Thatcherism and refusing to say under which circumstances Scots might democratically disengage from your "voluntary union".
There is some irony at listening to Starmer urging an election to "Let the people decide", the same Starmer who does not recognise Scotland's right to have a referendum to "Let the people decide". Yes, indeed, we had one in 2014 but materially, the UK has changed. We have elections every five years yet Scotland is continually denied democracy by, in effect, a foreign country, England. Is the union voluntary, yes it is, how then does Scotland leave ?
It's also humiliating because Starmer's on record as supporting the right to #indyref2 prior to the last Holyrood election and then subsequently stating he would never support it.
The presumption, contempt and bare faced mendacity are off the scale.
Why anybody in their right mind would still trust #Captain_UTurn beggars belief.
"this is why any government in Holyrood is destined not to deliver. It can't, because London created a system that was bound to fail as a way of securing continuous control whilst ensuring that blame would be directed inward in Scotland itself, as might well happen now" -- @RichardJMurphy
Not quite the same thing either because Spain is another planet constitutionally. Territorial integrity is wired into its constitution whereas the UK is still (I believe) defined as a voluntary union. In Spain, you can't secede; here you can but Westminster refuses to say how while systematically blocking every route to #indyref2.
For those of you worried that politics is becoming increasingly Orwellian, a statement by a Labour Party spokesperson that 'Stability is Change' will do nothing to allay your fears.
And when Ken Clarke tells us that 'Jeremy Hunt and Rachel Reeves are very similar' we have to wonder whether he is merely confirming a widely held sentiment on Mastodon, or slyly hoping to help fragmenting dissent on the left?
Not terribly surprising given Scots are realising that #GeneralElection24 is going to bring zero change with Starmer being a Continuity Tory in the mould of Tory Blair.
Despite stating that an #SNP pro-independence win in the 2021 Holyrood election would give Scots a democratic mandate to hold #indyref2 Starmer subsequently swivelled, stating that in effect he would block another #ScottishIndependence referendum "forever".
I wouldn't trust #Captain_UTurn or his fellow flag-shagging wannabe Thatcherites with a bag of marbles.
Fuck me. If New Labour is too left wing for you, you’re basically a Tory. Makes sense mind, Labour has a closet Tory Leader so why not a out and proud Tory Chancellor too?
Rachel Reeves criticises New Labour's economic legacy as she pitches herself as a ‘modern-day Margaret Thatcher’
If Labour are your answer in #GE2024 you’ve either really not been paying attention or you’re a closet Tory.
Unionists are losing their minds while frenetically clutching at their pearls again as a First Minister elected by the Scottish people to represent them in their own Scottish Parliament doesn’t bow to the will of a Parliament in Westminster he has no duty to report to.
Their favourite rag even seems confused about who has or hasn’t responded to the demand to appear 🤷
No idea why this wasn't covered on the so-called #bbc but i can guess.
Available in many languages, except fluent British nationalist as spoken by the English state broadcaster.
Today’s The National front page. Triple whammy for unionist gammon everywhere.
Which is nice.
(England based lovers take note: Scotland binned Labour and Tories yonks ago by coalescing around a progressive alternative. You can do the same: #VoteGreen in #GE2024. You’ll love yourself for it, so will your family, community and planet 😘)
Why not enjoy dirt cheap energy at home while exporting excess power to whoever will pay for it?
Scotland could emulate Costa Rica where hotels ask guests to turn off the AC in rooms not to reduce CO2 (their electricity is 99.9% renewable) but so Costa Rica can export power to neighbouring countries and earn $$$s.
To do that Scotland needs to cut itself free of the deadweight of London.
Relocating to the Scotland was the best decision we ever made — just wish we’d done it decades ago.
‘Community capital’: ownerless Scottish properties to be offered to local schemes.
Meanwhile, England in a nutshell: “England’s bona vacantia policies which, unlike in Scotland, include the assets of people who died intestate, remain rooted in their feudal past.”
Pandemonium in the Commons as the feckless fucker of a Speaker (Labour) appears to screw over the SNP’s Opposition Day to prevent a rebellion against Starmer...
“Keir Starmer’s hopes of avoiding a major rebellion over Gaza have been given a major boost by a decision by the [Labour] speaker of the House of Commons to allow the Labour leader to hold a vote on his preferred solution to the Middle East crisis.”
Stitch up. Pure and simple.
Scotland must cut itself free from the anti-democratic cesspit that is Westminster.