[LIST:dd015a0f][B:dd015a0f][URL="http://www.thecsa.co.uk/index.php/2-uncategorised/37-scottish-independence-qsay-nothingq-prime-minister-cameron"]OPINION: Scottish independence: "say nothing" Prime Minister Cameron [/URL:dd015a0f][/B:dd015a0f]
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- Friday, 27 January 2012 16:40
But by 2016 it may be the EBC, the English Broadcasting Corporation, replaying the 1966 film, for by that year Scotland will have had her independence referendum and may very well be an independent state.
How ironic that within those old film shots, of English supporters celebrating, lies a fundamental reason why the union of the kingdoms between Scotland and England is under strain. England were playing but the Union Jack, not the St Georges flag, was flying.
For so long England and Britain have been synonymous. At times the UK has been the equivalence of Dundee United and Dundee merging clubs; with the former putting forward the name United and the latter putting forward the name Dundee thus creating the new club of Dundee United!
It is only a few years ago live on BBC radio, prior to a more recent football World Cup in which England was the only UK representative, the then Tory leader, a Mr David Cameron, said that he was looking forward to supporting Britain!
And so, with the fear of sounding rude, here is some point blank advice to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: whatever you say, say nothing.
Want to know what this is about? Is it the Prime Ministers analysis? Is it Daves slick PR personality? Is it the fact Mr Cameron is an Eton-educated Conservative? Nah. Its the accent stupid!
Prime Minister Camerons accent, even though having a Scottish name, threatens to turn this coming plebiscite from being Scottish unionist versus Scottish nationalists into an England v Scotland clash. And if this happens then the independence cause is half way home.
You see, after three centuries of political and cultural domination resentment breeds. Even one roman number has a psychological effect, such as reference to Queen Elizabeth II. Please do tell, when since the 1707 union of both the Parliaments and the 1603 union of both Crowns, the first Queen Elizabeth lived?
And then London could easily make the mistake of impersonating a dominating spouse who will use every trick, manipulation and threat to prevent their long over-shadowed partner from leaving.After all, the UK state has been hinting that it is Westminster which will decide on the what and when regarding the referendum question.
Warnings of future impoverishment. Warnings of isolation outside of the EU. Warnings of social upheaval. My prediction, my warning; watch out for the pending independence from Scotland, stay within the union movement! Something like a Shetland Sovereignty Committee. If anyone is naive enough to believe the UK state is not prepared to get dirty, then simply look at their record throughout the latest Troubles in the North of Ireland. With British agents running loyalist death squads and controlling IRA internal security aka. Stake Knife is anyone really suggesting that a bit of political, media and social manipulation is beyond the state?
In fact, this is such a subtle competition of ideas and identities that even the terminology has a profound effect.
Look at the parameters of the debate, packaged as nationalism versus post-nationalism or unionism. In fact there is a more uncomfortable definition - this is a clash of nationalism; Scottish nationalism versus British nationalism. If anyone is uneasy with the latter term, with its right-wing connotations, then what other term could replace it? English nationalism? But then are we talking about Eretz England?
I dont have an answer to this, but I do know that for too long Englands norms - or rather I should say the Home County power-base have seen themselves and ways as the de facto British norm. Recently a pleasant Bath man summed it up when, on his visit to Scotland, was complimented for his accent and asked where it was from. His reply: I didnt know I had an accent!
Trivial? Well the politics of the state are hardly trivial. If the UK does what it says on the tin, and is an equal partnership, why not switch the Houses of Parliament from half the year in London and half the year in Edinburgh?
Why was the UK Parliament not built near the border such as Newcastle? After all this would have meant our UK capital was safer from invasion, such as during World War IIs Battle Of Britain when Hitlers Germany was threatening to invade.
And wouldnt it now be strange were the UK to transfer all its Parliamentary business to Berlin under the name of an equal European partnership? But this is exactly what Scotland did in 1707.
Is this a divorce we are talking about, or annulment? Thats for the historians. But if anyone considers these issues to be enough to dismiss with a sneer then there again lies another problem.
Paranoia? Well, only this week the Conservative UK Government Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond, used the word laughable when referring to a division in the UK army to create a Scottish army. Excellent phraseology if you are in SNP!
Little or no advice is needed for those of pro-independence persuasion. So far the Scottish National Partys ruling-First Minister, Alex Salmond, is winning hands down. For the SNP are residing over a country in 2012 that is far more at ease with itself. For example, the Reformation, which was pivotal to The Union, is now openly questioned and is now politically undermined by the independence movement. Scotland can now be more accepting of its Catholic history one which is far longer and profound than its Protestantism and one accepting of its Catholic present and future. Simply look at Mr Salmonds robust vocal protection and promotion of Catholic education and understand why the Catholic vote, so long distrustful of a Presbyterian Parliament, is now comfortably confident with national freedom.
And then there are the unionists, be they Scottish or English or British nationalists - who are missing trick after trick. For them theres some free advice.
Firstly, make sure the referendum is a Scottish unionist versus Scottish nationalist debate.
Secondly, push the idea of the UK as an early form, and some would say successful form, of European Union. It even has its own Single Currency.
Thirdly, forget the economic argument. Scotland has oil. Why should she be the only country not to flourish with the black gold. The present poverty problems are unacceptable.
Fourthly, tap into the reality that sovereignty for Scotland lies with the Scottish people. Acknowledge Scotland as being sovereign as any other country in the EU but chooses to be in a union with its southern neighbour.
Fifthly, keep the 1916 Irish Easter Uprising - which lit the flames for the battle against London control, leading to the Irish Free State and the eventual establishment of the Republic of Ireland - in mind. The rebels had periphery support. They were spat at and laughed at by Dubliners on the day of their arrest. What changed history was Londons response.
2016 will see The Easter Up Rising centenary commemorations and celebrations throughout the Irish world, which of course coincides with the half-century memories of Englands historic World Cup football victory.
Prime Minister Cameron would be well advised to re-watch and re-listen to that most famous of commentaries, near the end of the match, with England leading West Germany by three goals to two. The pictures and commentary confirm that some English supporters run on to the Wembley pitch thinking the final whistle had been blown - and then England score a fourth, in which the commentators replies: they think its all over. It is now.
For the UK this could very well be the case.