INDEPENDENCE IS NORMAL

Is an statement that is meeting increasing agreement in Scotland. Rightly so, indeed it is long overdue.

A well educated, resource rich, nation like Scotland needs to fully recognise just how ABNORMAL our current position is. Nation after nation has successfully unloaded outside control from London over the decades, none have ever applied to return.

With good reason, life is better when you make your own decisions, when you fully control your own assets and resources and can control your economy in your own Parliament where your priorities, not others, are top of the agenda.

I try to look at it from a business point of view. Was there a point anywhere in my working life where letting another company take control my own, take charge of my clients, my money, my staff would ever result in any great benefit? The answer was no, nobody cared like I did, few would have risked their home to finance our expansion abroad to Cyprus and Estonia, it was an intimate business. I knew our capabilities, I rated and trusted my people, I believed in them and myself. I had confidence!

I think the same about Scotland. I love my country and would never knowingly do anything to hurt it. I trust the skills and ambition of our people. Scotland is full of talent. We would have a lot more of it still living here when we free up our economy from Westminster’s grip and start building the opportunities to keep our best and most talented at home, rather than see them move elsewhere because we remain in the straightjacket that is London.

Why the change? Why are things moving in our direction?

There are a lot of factors at play. Undoubtably Covid has played a part and Nicola’s performance in comparison to Boris and Hancock is certainly a big factor but there are a great many others as well. The Tory Government in Westminster for starters. Where to start? They are dishonest, incompetent, busy lining the pockets of their supporters with huge amounts of public money having completely abandoned the norms of competitive tendering and due diligence.

Then there is the abject failure to secure “the easiest deal in the World” and securing a trade deal with the EU. Only a few months to go and still no deal in sight, never mind a good deal. They talk about an “Australian Deal” to disguise that means No deal, huge tariffs and the destruction of tens of thousands of jobs in Scotland and the murder, through total Government incompetence, of huge numbers of jobs and businesses in our most important business sectors. We need to remember Brexit has still to arrive, it will be in 2021 and 2022 that the true effects will start to be revealed.

So as faith in Westminster vanishes and the Brexit disaster looms large there is widespread recognition than when this is combined with the huge economic damage being inflicted by the Covid crisis there is going to be a need for a top to bottom re organisation of our economy. This is going to be required whether we are still tied to Westminster or if we are Independent.

Our argument needs to be “who would you trust to do that rebuilding in Scotland’s best interests?”. I believe the vast majority of Scots know in their head and heart that it would be better being in Scotland’s hands rather than being taken outside our nation where the priorities are then being determined on others priorities, not ours. There must be few who think the answers lie with Boris, Gove, Hancock, Raab and Sunak. How likely is it any of them see Scotland as a priority?

We need to keep it simple and easily understood. People understand the language of Scotland’s decisions are best made by those who live, work and have a stake in our future, for the benefit of ourselves, sure, but also for our kids, our grandchildren and all that come after us.

I aspire to be part of that Independence generation. I want a clear honest campaign that hammers home the message, rather ironically, that it is time for Scotland to take back control. It is a winning message. We just need the Park arranged to play the game on. That is what’s lacking at the moment and we need to look wider than just waiting around for the S30 Stadium to become available.

I am.as always

Yours for Scotland.

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