The roots of recent events go far back. The SNP
changed when it first gained power in 2007 and even more when it gained a majority
in 2011. But it changed most during the long independence referendum campaign that
started when David Cameron agreed that there was going to be a referendum and
built momentum until it reached a sort of frenzy in September 2014.
Despite having a Scottish father and a Scottish
surname David Cameron understood nothing whatsoever about Scotland or Scottish
politics. He didn’t grasp that granting a referendum would itself fuel Scottish
nationalism. He didn’t grasp that each time his government told Alex Salmond he
couldn’t have something that he wanted, it would fuel resentment against the
wicked English not allowing us to use oor poonds. Worse still he did not grasp
what granting a referendum would do to the SNP, those in charge of it and Scottish
voters.
Alex Salmond was tried for alleged crimes committed in
the years leading up to the referendum and was acquitted. But those witnesses
who later complained decided in 2013 or 2014 that it was more important to win
the referendum than to tell the police about Alex Salmond’s behaviour. Perhaps
this is because Salmond did nothing. I wasn’t there. I don’t know.
But it may be that power went to Alex Salmond’s head
and that he considered that the normal rules applied to a married man dealing
with younger women didn’t apply to him. It may also be that everyone else in
the Scottish government and the SNP decided not to notice if an important
leader crucial to the cause sometimes got drunk and sometimes pushed the
boundaries of propriety.
A leader of a national movement may begin to feel
untouchable and that the normal rules of conduct do not apply to someone
charged with the destiny of a country. This is Raskolnikov’s argument in Crime
and Punishment. If I were Napoleon, it would be justified in committing a small
crime to reach power. This leads to him committing murder. If such a national
leader gets away with one crime, he begins to think he can get away with any
crime and at this point real wickedness can happen.
I have recently seen people writing that they don’t
care if an important SNP figure was a serial killer, they would still vote for
independence. But this is the same argument as I don’t care if the leader of German
nationalism kills Jews, I will still support German nationalism. But it is
precisely this mentality that was new in Scottish politics.
A single rogue poll I think created what came after
the referendum. Scottish nationalists genuinely believed that they were going
to win and losing by ten points was more than they could endure. It’s one thing
to lose when you never had a chance, it’s something quite different to lose when
you were certain that you would win.
This created the still staggering events of 2015 when
the SNP won all but three seats and destroyed the Labour Party that had ruled Scotland
for as long as anyone could remember.
It also created the cult of Nicola Sturgeon. No
Scottish political leader even Alex Salmond has ever been treated to adoring
crowds weeping with joy while listening to her words. She reminded me of a figure
at the sort of revival meeting depicted in Elmer Gantry. The lame walk and the
blind see and blessed is he who believes in Nicola Sturgeon.
All of the power in the SNP was gathered together in
the greatest political union since Isabella married Ferdinand. They controlled
everything in Scotland. They knew everyone. They centralised everything so that
there was only one person who needed to be called.
And then the adulation increased still further when
Nicola Sturgeon campaigned for Remain and even the English began to love her.
Someone with sense needed to whisper in Sturgeon’s ear
about the danger of absolute power and the sense that you can do anything, but
there was no one, there were merely people willing to follow her orders no
matter what those orders were.
The case against Alex Salmond should never have even
been investigated. The time for investigations was in 2013 and 2014. But no. The
First Lady and the First Gentlemen couldn’t resist the temptation to kill King Duncan
while he lay asleep in his bed after foolishly accepting their hospitality. Everything
follows from this.
It is as if MacBeth and Lady MacBeth got away with the
murder of King Duncan. Well, if we can get away with murder despite there being
an inquiry and despite there being lots of evidence to suggest our involvement,
what can we not get away with?
And then it came to pass that Sturgeon got to play her
healer of the sick, curer of the lame role and once more she was greeted with
adulation not only from English people, but from Scots who opposed
independence. Thank goodness that oor Nicola was in charge rather than that
vulgar Boris.
All the while that she was healing the sick support
for independence was growing and we had pictures of Nicola Sturgeon with a
halo. At this point I knew that her head had been turned. Who agrees to
position themselves so that a photo makes it seem that she is a saint? Not once,
but a few times.
Everything was secret. There were no WhatsApp messages.
The First Lady and First Husband controlled everything. Indeed, only they knew
anything about what the party needed to fund this campaign or that initiative,
this advertisement or that trip to a conference.
We are all tempted, but most of us don’t have the
opportunity. The key to giving into temptation is also having the feeling that
I will get away with it. Who would know if I took just one sweetie from the
pick and mix? Who would know and moreover who would dare question me? Once you
have taken one sweetie and you get away with it, you begin to be tempted to
take something bigger.
The sins of the SNP go back many years and involve
many more people than appear now to have been naughty. There are all those who
saw something but didn’t say anything. There are all those who accepted power
being concentrated in an unhealthy way because they hoped it would deliver
independence. There are all those who acquiesced in a cult of personality that was
dangerous. This may all now begin to unravel and be exposed. It must be or we
will never reach cleanliness.
Scotland is recovering from its hysteria in 2014. It
took ten years, but now the tiny band of warriors gathered in George Square
merely demonstrate the lack of support for the SNP.
But let us be clear it was Scottish nationalism and
those who voted for it who are responsible for everything that happened. That
was the original sin.
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