We have all spent the past decade and more trying to
defeat Scottish nationalism. We have largely succeeded with the result of the
General Election reducing the SNP to 9 seats, putting independence support at 30%.
But just as we have achieved that victory some of us seem intent on giving
Scottish nationalism another chance.
Imagine if there is a largescale “Pro UK” demonstration
in Glasgow with elements from the far right, the dregs of what remains of the
English Defence League plus others with Union flags misbehaving and perhaps
rioting. Imagine if there is a counter demonstration with independence
supporters fighting a latter-day Battle for Cable Street to defend Scottish values
against English fascists. Who do you suppose is going to come out of this clash
with the most Brownie points rather than the most Brown shirt points?
I think it was me that popularised the use of “Pro UK”
as opposed to unionist as I thought that unionist helped our opponents, but I certainly
would not describe the EDL as “Pro UK”. These people are English nationalists.
I also wouldn’t describe people who riot against the police as Pro UK. We need
the police to investigate and stop crimes such as the murder of three little
girls, rather than waste time and effort trying to stop hooligans burning cars
and trashing businesses. Damaging the reputation of the UK as being a place of
peaceful coexistence, respect for law and the rights of individuals is not Pro
UK.
We just had the largest demonstration possible of public
opinion. It happened on July 4th. The result was a large Labour majority. I see
no point in demonstrations a month later. In general, I see no point in demonstrations
at all.
The people most likely to demonstrate in the past year
in favour of Gaza won I think four seats at the election. The far right won
zero seats. That is as it should be. All of the demonstrations up and down the
country, all of the riots do not change the fact that the far right has almost
no political support in Britain.
So, what do the demonstrations demonstrate? They
demonstrate that an apparent majority on the streets whether they support
terrorists in Gaza or far right extremism in Britain does not represent any
majority here.
This is the whole problem with demonstrations. I
understand there is a right to assemble and to march peacefully. But such marches
invariably are designed to distort rather than clarify public opinion.
What matters is not how many people you have on a
march, let alone a riot, but how many you can get to put an X on a piece of
paper and put it in a box.
The Pro UK argument has succeeded because it has been
able to appeal to people who vote Labour, Lib Dem and Conservative. It has
remained mainstream and moderate.
It is the Scottish nationalist side of the argument
that has flirted with ideas of a unilateral declaration of independence, an
unauthorized referendum, hijacking the result of an election and sometimes even
rebellion. It was SNP supporters who were invariably angry and tending to
demonstrate in the streets and shout at opponents. Meanwhile we quietly sat at
home and defeated them at the ballot box when it mattered.
The only way to achieve any political goal is by means
of peaceful persuasion and by showing that your side of the argument is better
than your opponents.
If we are to eventually achieve a right-wing government
putting forward free market economic policies and limiting migration, we will
do it by behaving better than the Left and by winning the argument.
But we are not going to be able to do this if the Left
is able to portray the Right as a bunch of extremist thugs.
It is perfectly legitimate to be concerned about the
level of migration into Britain and it is also legitimate to be concerned about
crime, but we are only going to win this argument if we are able to appeal to
everyone in our society and if we treat everyone fairly as individuals first
rather than representatives of any group.
It is particularly obtuse and stupid to blame Muslims
for the actions of someone born in Britain to parents who arrived from Rwanda.
This is unjust, unfair and contrary to our historical traditions.
The wish to limit migration must not involve any hostility
to anyone who lives in the UK legally. These people have the same right to
equality before the law and have the same rights to live here as anyone else.
To attack someone because of his religious beliefs, his race or where his
parents came from is likewise contrary to our historical traditions and is
therefore not Pro UK.
After we won a victory in 2014 a few far right nutters
gathered in George Square Glasgow and made fascist salutes I spent the next ten
years being shown pictures of these people whenever I made arguments against
the SNP.
So too after defeating the SNP in 2024 a few far right
nutters are liable to repeat these scenes. I hope I am not going to be shown
pictures of these people for the next ten years nor of the heroic clansmen who
defended Scotland from fascists.
The moderate right must rebuild in order to provide an
alternative to Labour, but we must also as democrats respect that Labour forms our
legitimate government and that the result it won at the election is worth more
than every single demonstration combined.
Labour must show fairness and demonstrate there is equality
before the law. It is disastrous to our country that there is a perception that
you will be treated by the law differently according to your race or religion.
I would urge everyone to stop demonstrating or counter
demonstrating. It achieves nothing. The only result of the Gaza demonstrations
is to show that some people living in the UK sympathise with terrorists. The
only result of the recent far right riots is to make it harder for the
mainstream right to win the argument.
The same applies in Scotland. Above all else we must
avoid the Pro UK cause becoming associated with thugs and rioters. If you are
tempted to take part or support these people cease. These people do not share
our values they oppose them. They are not Pro UK. They are anti-UK.
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