Why “the Climb” Matters

INDEPENDENCE – Eyes on the prize… Let’s remember we all have the same goal… Unite for Indy…it doesn’t matter how we get there, or who delivers it….

Really?

Sorry – no. It actually does matter.

It matters an enormous amount, because in order for Independence to be delivered, we don’t just need people to vote for it through the back door, we need people to believe in it and be prepared to stand by our Parliament to deliver it and see it through.

Trying to manipulate an electoral system for one end, and one end alone, is exactly the sort of sleazy, underhand skulduggery that the public hate. Electoral game playing might be fun for analysts, single issue campaigners and political hacks but the public will not be impressed with this approach in the slightest.

Yet these “calls for unity” have been bandied about endlessly by those splitting off to Scotland’s newest pro-independence party – Alba – and those supporting them, over the past few days.

We are to unite in the quest for a “Supermajority” for Independence in the Scottish Parliament, embrace tactical list voting and strategise to get as many Pro-Indy MSPs in as possible, no matter if the public may ultimately rile against that.

But, hang on…. I seem to recall that we already had a majority for Independence in the Scottish Parliament in the last term. That we already actually held a vote, during that same parliament, in favour of a referendum….and funnily enough, won that vote.

Balance of Pro-Independence Parties after 2016 Holyrood Election

Whatever superlative you want to stick next to the word “majority”, combining SNP & Green support in that parliament, meant we already had one.

What we didn’t have, as a party or as a movement, was the pressure that came to bear from one party having an outright majority. A “system breaking” majority, that conferred the ultimate, unequivocal decision, of the Scottish people to unite behind that one party & one vision. The power & momentum that, when the SNP broke the system in 2011, helped to deliver the referendum of 2014.

Parliament voting for IndyRef2 in March 2017

We cannot forget that the reason we were able to return so many SNP MSPs in 2011, was through an unprecedented amount of the electorate giving their “Both Votes” to the SNP. That enabled the election of a large group of additional members on the list vote, to achieve a majority.

Over and above the tactical & the political however, there is an even more important reason for me, in the question of how we get there.

To be clear – I want Independence.

I don’t want it at any cost though. I don’t want it by “playing the system”, hoodwinking the public, or by stirring up division to get our own way. That is not going to deliver a stable democracy. I certainly don’t want it just to change the flag, the building we make decisions in or what currency we use in the shops.

I believe in Independence, so that we can have a much better society for my children to grow-up in. I believe the only way to achieve the priorities of the people of Scotland, is to have their own Independent Parliament, which reflects their needs, wants and ambitions.

Like thousands of others, I too believe we have everything we need in Scotland to make our country a successful, Independent nation, we can all be proud of.

But I also believe that creating this new, modern, successful country is going to be the most important and challenging task any of our politicians may ever face, this present year, perhaps not withstanding.

The people we elect to take us there are important. The people we trust in that institution, to give an oath to serve their constituents, equally and without prejudice and favour – to give care, thought, analysis and in-depth research and consideration of legislation – that is a vital part of the democratic process.

Nicola Sturgeon has drawn widespread praise for her leadership through Covid

The vetting arrangements for most political parties are long, arduous and very meticulous. These processes have their issues and sometimes wrong decisions are made that we come to regret, especially when they are rushed through.

Transparency from applicants is key in that process. Examining mistakes, reviewing social media, previous history and evaluating the skills, talents, commitment of the person applying, are all essential for the panel making the judgement. A candidate must be a fit and proper person, not only to represent your party but also each and every constituent who comes to them with their often heart-breaking, ultra-sensitive, and life changing issues.

In short, you have to be able to trust them. You have to know they have some basis of integrity, that they understand the requirements of public life, be prepared to live up to ethical standards and in general terms – be beyond reproach.

Nicola Sturgeon continues to be one of the most trusted politicians in recent history

This does not mean that they must be perfect or mistake / gaffe free, even if such a thing were possible, or that they can’t come from a variety of backgrounds, employment, life experience and educational attainment levels. The more representative of the society they will be elected to serve, the better for democracy.

But that’s not what you are getting with Alba – a party led by a man who should never be trusted in public life again, through his utter lack of contrition of the standards he displayed behind closed doors over his term in office. The parroting of judgements about “unfair processes” or being “cleared of criminality” is not a carte blanche to absolve the behaviour admitted to with employees of the government while in the highest office in the land. Criminality has nothing to do with this.

Just one tweet example from Alex Arthur – Alba Candidate

Why would you want people who have ever thought it appropriate to publicly disparage individuals on the basis of their race, ethnicity, body shape, disability or health conditions to be taking on the task of representing our communities in parliament, let alone forging the basis for our new country. Why would you trust a party who can’t even check the recent tweet history of their candidates because they are only interested in what’s in front of their face.

Why, would you want someone of the talent, integrity and potential of Fatima Joji to be overlooked in favour of an ego driven manipulator who has had his day? Why would you want a man who has publicly spread anti-vax msgs, riled against homeless people and fat shamed and teased HIV suffers, in place of the outstanding talent and passionate campaigner that is Graham Campbell? Why on earth would you even look twice at Chris McEleny, whose name is surely out of place on the same ballot as Michelle Campbell after some of his comments on hostile blog sites that have done real harm to vulnerable women, in ways he seems incapable of understanding. That’s without looking at the fantastic Roza Salih in Glasgow or Danish Ashraf in Central, to name only a few of the SNPs fantastic and diverse list of candidates.

Just some of the talented candidates topping the SNP Regional Lists – Danish Ashraf, (Central), Michelle Campbell (West of Scotland) Graham Campbell (Lothians), Fatima Joji (North East), Rosa Salih (Glasgow)

This isn’t building a radical new party with social justice, radical land reform and internal democracy at its heart. This isn’t even, “Independence, Nothing Less”. This is, “we want our own way, no matter what we have to do to get it”.

That isn’t democracy. That isn’t winning over the people. That’s the worst sort of “for the sake of it” nationalism, that has always stopped us winning over the trust of the people, who must not only vote for, but believe in Independence for it to be successfully delivered.

It isn’t that there is no place for Real-politick or considering the greater strategy of how to achieve your aims. There are quite a number of radical environmentalists in the SNP who would probably fit fairly comfortably into the Green party, but who believe that the best way of achieving environmental change in Scotland is through an Independent Scotland – which tactically, they can only see being delivered by a majority SNP Government. No matter how much respect they have for the Green Party, or those within it therefore, it’s Both Votes SNP – all the way – because that’s how to achieve a majority and win Independence.

How to achieve the ultimate aim – a fairer, more progressive, socially just, environmentally world leading, and peaceful Independent nation.

During the 2014 referendum campaign, the Yes movement worked hard to make it clear that the future of our country is not about liking or disliking one man or woman or relying on them to take us to a fixed destination. The same is true now. There is no Political Messiah. There is no place for ego fuelled conspiracy nonsense that lacks even basic scrutiny of motive.

There is policy, there is progress and most importantly, there are people whose votes deserve to be treated with respect and not like a game or a grand national.

We need to take a clear message to the Scottish Electorate and give them the positive long term vision of the country we want to continue to mould, for all our citizens.

For me, that means, progressive, socially just and experienced leadership. The clear choice is #BothVotesSNP

Protected: What’s in a game…

While butterflies sleep, there are moths to be woken…

This blog was originally published on 12th October 2014 in the wake of both hopeful and painful reflections on the referendum. Six years on, we may be nearing the time our movement takes flight but these points ring truer than ever to me in how we must proceed. It’s time to win our independence but we have to remember the lessons we uncovered in the autumn of 2014 to do so. By spreading our wings wide enough to lift all our citizens, our country will climb to new heights, with an independent Scotland the gateway on a journey to realise the successful country we can become.

The butterfly rebellion is not dead. Through the hope and activity that has sprung in the early days of the ’45, only the most foolish of foppish unionists could believe it to be so.

Hope over Fear Rally, George Square , 12.10.2014

Yet, although it is not dead, in its current incarnation, it did not work either. The beauty of our inspiring and empowering movement may have won the hearts, minds and admiration of the many, but it did not win their votes. – At least not in sufficient quantity to effect the change in our country we all wished to see.

On the day of reckoning we turned out not to be a thousand butterflies, but 1.6million, strong beating, determined hearts, raising our voices high in defiance – but it was not a gun they sent against us – it was a cold arctic wind of fear and doom. We knew well how it would blow, but in truth we did not understand the grip of its cruel cold fingers on the hopes and dreams of those who were not yet ready to spread their wings, and join our journey.

So we must look, and look again. Not only at those who wished to extinguish our candle of hope but at ourselves – at the very nature even of what we understood ourselves to be.

Perhaps, we are not butterflies at all – not yet at least. Perhaps that cold, cruel arctic wind has a lesson for us. Perhaps, the winter approaching is a chance for us to look north once more.

For as we feed furiously on the fallen fruits of our autumn harvest, as nights darken upon us – in the cold dark deserts of the arctic winter, it is not a butterfly, but a caterpillar that slows down its struggle and comes to rest. Despite its best efforts, its frantic foraging, its hopeful intentions, the unforgiving northern summer was not long enough for it to achieve its goal.

The ‘Woolly Bear Caterpillar’ remains un-cocooned, not yet ready to fulfil its purpose. The winter that now approaches will stop its heart and freeze its blood, but in the dying days of a gathering autumn, there is still time yet to find shelter from the harshest winds. Under a rock it will stay, more dead than alive through the darkness, ‘til in the spring it awakens once more – one more miracle in a world that gives up on its dreams too fast.

In its young state it will go again to the fight, feeding on whatever it finds, fuelling itself to face fire or thunder – but still when autumn approaches, its offensive will not be enough. Once more it will seek out its sleep. Once more it will silence death through slumber and once more it will surface in spring to strive again.

How many times this brave little caterpillar launches itself against the war of the arctic seasons, is impossible to tell. Perhaps a decade, perhaps more, but its struggle is remarkable. Against all odds – against cold and dark and near death itself – one spring morning when the time is right it will pull all the strength it has gathered through many hopeful summers and spin its cocoon. For it is not a butterfly, but a moth. An Isabella Tiger Moth, that once it is ready to hatch must act quickly to secure the success of the next generation.

So too, must we be ready – but first we need to ask ourselves if we were truly ripe to hatch at all. Our preparedness to spin that cocoon had nothing to do with how hard we foraged and grew over our summers of exertion. Neither did the mighty strength of the unionist storm provide an impossible foe that we can never defeat. We can defeat it and we will – but our greatest test is yet to come.

We must not judge those whose hearts were touched by the icy grip of fear. For it is not our place to judge but to understand. Only then will we find a way to thaw that grasp, to send spores of hope into the wind that blows against us and bring the others we need to the fertile meadows of aspiration.

The winter which closes in now is not the end of our rebellion. It may freeze us, but not to death. The frenzied gathering underway in the galvanising of our movement will see us through to the spring we long for – but it may take many winters yet before we are strong enough to pupate.

Still – it is not time to sleep just yet. Before the sun fades, let us waste none of its warmth in the sorrowful truth that we must winter once more with our wings not grown. Let us sprout to our last breath before our slumber. For with each new member, we feed a new dream.

Let us be tigers, moths, butterflies and cocoons unspun.

Let us sleep nourished – that when we wake, we may rise ready to live what we dream at last.