Plaid Cymru and SNP member Paul Valente offers his impressions of the recent SNP conference in Aberdeen
LAST weekend I travelled from my hometown in South Wales to Aberdeen in Scotland to attend the Scottish National Party’s spring conference.
When I tell people I am a member of the Scottish National Party, the reaction I get is usually one of complete bewilderment.
“But … but … you’re not Scottish.”
Scots don’t need me to tell them about the excitement and hope surrounding the referendum; even in Wales I felt the positivity and genuine desire for change, and I lived and breathed the independence campaign as much as I could.
I usually try and offer a brief justification (my son is a quarter Scottish! Scotland is a part of Great Britain!) but the real reason is fairly straightforward.
My politics are centre left, and as regards my national identity, I see myself as Welsh rather than British. I’ve been a member of Plaid Cymru, which advocates Welsh independence, since 2011. In 2011/12, when the Scottish independence referendum was on the cards following the historic SNP majority in Holyrood, I joined Plaid Cymru’s sister party, the SNP, as a token gesture to make a small financial contribution towards the independence campaign. I’ve remained a member ever since.
Scots don’t need me to tell them about the excitement and hope surrounding the referendum; even in Wales I felt the positivity and genuine desire for change, and I lived and breathed the independence campaign as much as I could through Twitter, Facebook and the national media coverage.
The final polling made it clear that we hadn’t quite made it, but the disappointment following the result was replaced by renewed hope following the huge increase in SNP membership and the major electoral successes it has achieved since.
Nicola Sturgeon has done much to revitalise the Yes movement and generate further support for independence by being such a popular and credible leader.
Nicola Sturgeon has done much to revitalise the Yes movement and generate further support for independence by being such a popular and credible leader.
After Brexit, independence is once again back on the cards, but this time the polls start off much closer. The recent declaration by the first minister at Bute House confirmed that a new drive for independence was being launched.
I wanted to be a part of things this time; not just to be a token member, but to see first hand how the party is working towards its goal. So I took the plunge and booked the 10-hour train ride up to Aberdeen. I was struck by how beautiful the coastal landscape is on the sunny train ride from Edinburgh to Aberdeen.
There are miles and miles of empty land and sea, on a scale of which I’ve not seen before on my travels around the British Isles. It has a desolate beauty to it. For the first time on my journey, it felt like I was in a different country.
On arrival, I thought I’d keep my reason for visiting low key, as a Welshman sticking his nose in to contentious constitutional issues might not sit well with the locals.
The cab driver who picked me up in Aberdeen wasn’t bothered, though; he worked out quickly why I was there and wasn’t shy in telling me that he “hated all politicians”, but supported independence.
I wanted to be a part of things this time; not just to be a token member, but to see first hand how the party is working towards its goal. So I took the plunge and booked the 10-hour train ride up to Aberdeen.
Suit or casual clothing for the conference? I went somewhere in between, but I needn’t have worried; the dress code ranged from ultra casual to ultra wacky. There were a few kilts on show, lots of Yes/SNP badges and clothing, and a fair few flags. A lady with two Scottish flags as antenna seemed to be a particular focus of the photographers.
The conference schedule followed a fairly straightforward pattern over the two days. There were updates from four MSPs on finance, health, infrastructure and education. There were four ‘moving equalities forward’ sessions incorporating women, the disabled, ethnic minorities and the LBGTI communities.
The main body of the conference featured 16 resolutions put forward to conference which delegates, councillors, MPs/MSPs and candidates debated.
I was expecting some great speeches, and I wasn’t disappointed. Nicola Sturgeon’s speech to conclude the conference was a professional masterclass as usual, and you can only marvel at how far her star has risen since she took over the leadership of the SNP.
I won’t go into the ongoing battle of wits between her and Theresa May, but she made quite a statement, and gave the prime minister a lot to think about. Mhairi Black and Humza Yousef also gave great speeches while supporting resolutions. They both seem to have the common touch and manage to be stylish speech makers while not sounding like politicians, which is quite a talent.
A lot of things are written about the SNP, but it’s clear from the conference that those who try and link the civic nationalism of the SNP with the bigotry and hate of nationalist parties such as Ukip are simply politically motivated fantasists.
All three of the above had standing ovations following their speeches, but other standing ovations followed genuinely moving stories of difficulties and hardships that ordinary people spoke about.
We heard emotional stories about the effect of benefit sanctions on the disabled, including a passionate plea for action to stop people from dying. There was a very moving account from a lady called Fiona about the horrors of prostitution and how she was finally able to escape from the trade after years of abuse.
Councillor Rosa Zambonini gave a heart rending personal account of her daughter’s struggles with gender identity. Paul McNeil told us the story of his struggles with dyslexia. Others told us of the bullying they had received in school for being gay.
What struck me about all of these people is how they had overcome incredible hardship to survive, and how inspirational their stories were. Some mentioned independence, and many are standing as candidates in the local elections. All seemed empowered with the acceptance they had experienced in the party.
A lot of things are written about the SNP. It is accused of being a party of grubby nationalists, obsessed with independence above all else. But it’s clear from the conference that those who try and link the civic nationalism of the SNP with the bigotry and hate of nationalist parties such as Ukip are simply politically motivated fantasists.
Nicola Sturgeon gives the speech that the media report, but the beating heart of the conference featured the people who don’t make the headlines but whose stories inspire us and show us how things could be better in a fairer and more progressive independent Scotland.
There are undoubtedly people in the party whose main motivation is independence. But those who are passionate about equality and diversity, about human rights, disabled rights, gay rights, EU citizens’ rights, for these, independence is not the end goal, but a means to an end.
An independent Scotland can shake off the shackles of a Westminster government that is indifferent to the rights of the disenfranchised, and forge a new Scotland which prioritises those who need help and support from their government.
I came to the conference to witness at first hand the SNP’s drive toward independence, and see speeches by its high profile stars, but I come away with a different perspective.
Nicola Sturgeon gives the speech that the media report, but the beating heart of the conference featured the people who don’t make the headlines but whose stories inspire us and show us how things could be better in a fairer and more progressive independent Scotland.
I’ve only been to Scotland twice, but I’ll be coming back for the next SNP conference in the autumn.
Diolch yn fawr Aberdeen.
Picture: CommonSpace
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