In the best Twitter tradition, Spear’s sentiments were unnuanced, unhelpful and uninformed. But, just for one second, let’s lighten up and admit what we all know: the UK is annoying.
unionism
A recent poll gave Galloway a fighting chance of winning a seat. But, in all likelihood, his presence will merely pinch votes from an already demoralised band of Scottish Conservatives.
Source Direct Election Profile: All for Unity
The case for Scotland remaining in the Union will partly depend on the credibility of Westminster’s opposition. Can we even imagine a non-Conservative government?
Source Direct: Prince Charming
“Faced by the humiliation of Scottish democracy, we can choose either to hope that the Tories and the central British state will fail to press their advantage, or we can demand change in Scotland.”
David Jamieson: Tory attacks on Scottish democracy are cynical, but point to real problems
There were further resignations from Boris Johnson’s “Union unit” last week. As with the ongoing SNP soap opera, personality clashes masked a deeper crisis of purpose. Nobody seems capable of telling a story of what Britain is about.
Source Direct: You Won’t Get Me I’m Part of the Union
What does Boris Johnson think he’s doing in Scotland? Perhaps he hopes that showing a little gallantry at the coalface can charm our national pants off. But few political leaders are so ill-equipped for a charm offensive.
Source Direct: Johnson’s Jaunt – Kamikaze Unionism?
The prospect of state collapse, whether orderly or disorderly, remains very real. That said, theoretical possibilities are one thing. Making it happen is quite another. States of Britain’s standing don’t just topple of their own accord. Any breakup of a venerable old imperial power requires concerted political agency – a plan, in short.
Source Direct: Roadmap to Nowhere?
“The truth is, in their heart most on the Scottish Liberal Democrat, Scottish Labour and Scottish Conservative benches hate the SNP because they ain’t the SNP. Independence aside, they love the party and would emulate it if they could.”
David Jamieson: Why we should worry about the stupidity of unionist arguments
“The defence of the Union may make strange bedfellow, but in this chaotic world many causes do. What the British state has proved masterful in time and again is uniting sections of the political right and left to the work of reaction.”
Are we witnessing the beginning of a Unionist counter-offensive?
“Unionism remains instrumentally powerful through the state, and some committed unionists must be beginning to ask why that power isn’t being deployed.”