THE TRUTH ABOUT THE BRITISH UNION

The people of Scotland will not find out the truth about the British Union
from the two biased documentaries produced by the BBC. Both presented by
unionists, both present their own 'spin' on the events.

Everyone and their dog knows what the British union really was anyway, a
shotgun marriage of convenience which suited England because it
(theoretically) closed the door to a possible Scottish based invasion and it
suited the 'Noble' families of Scotland who (I) regained the money they lost
on the Darien expedition and (II) ended English economic sanctions which
would have lost them their lands in England and also opened the way to make
money in the newly emerging English (soon to be renamed British) Empire.

Just in case the Scots rejected English plans a large army was based on the
border and since Cromwell's New Model Army (he ruled Scotland directly while
in power) there was no hope of Scottish victory in a direct confrontation.

The peoples views were very different from their ignoble 'leaders' - they
saw this for what it was the end to the glorious days of Scottish
independence and effectively the virtual end of Scotland as a distinct
entity.

Post union the English renamed Scotland as North Britain on official
documents (England remained England of course) leading Robert Burns to write
some years later:

"Alas, I have often said to myself what are the boasted advantages which my
country reaps from a certain Union that counterbalance the annihilation of
her Independence, and even her name!"

So could union have been avoided? The people of Scotland hoped so with over
seventy petitions containing 20,000 names calling for the nobles to respect
the will of the people and remember the Declaration of Arbroath.

Unfortunately the truth is probably not, a huge part of the sovereignty of
Scotland had been given away one hundred years before with the Union of
Crowns in 1603. James VI had no interest in his native land whatsoever and
like every other traveller to London Government since preferred to sit in
London and sook up the gravy train than come home to his country.

James VI was a traitor. We know this from his own words, he said Scotland
would: "with time become but as Cumberland and Northumberland, and those
other remote and Northern Shires... they as other Northerne Countreys will
be seldome seen and saluted by their King, and that as it were but in a
posting or hunting journey"

This is the man who would later divide and rule Northern Ireland by sending
in loyalist Scots settlers to rule it on behalf of England. The monarchs
after him were no better.

James VII was removed because he didn't suit English plans and every one
since has considered his bread well buttered by England and completely
ignored Scotland accordingly.

Our current monarch followed this tradition with her choice of Elizabeth II
of England rather than Elizabeth I of The United Kingdom.

The reformation didn't help matters either putting a wedge between Scotland
and our Catholic allies in Europe. Some writers believe John Knox was
specifically sent into Scotland by Elizabeth I to divide and rule us and
this success is why she is so venerated today by Britain. Certainly, the
Catholic Church was a lot more patriotic about Scotland and risked
ex-communication as a nation to back their King and Country during the long
wars of independence. The Church of Scotland had the power to foment
rebellion against union but as long as their rights to maintain their
religious freedoms were maintained they were simply not interested.

So effectively in reality we have been controlled by England for 400 years
rather than 300. Darien proved this as King William of Orange backed
England's imperial interests over Scotland's. The Scots were well sick of
him and their desire to get rid of the Union Of Crowns and restore full
sovereignty to Scotland eventually led to them being finagled out of their
parliament.

There were huge riots in all Scotland's major cities against the union so we
definitely know that the ordinary people didn't want it.

Of course this historical stuff is all very interesting but what relevance
does it have today? Well today Scotland has a devolved parliament but it
remains powerless because sovereignty is still at Westminster. In this 300th
year anniversary of the forced union we have a golden opportunity to make
our voice heard very loudly on the international stage. We can have our own
seat at the United Nations, we can have our own Scottish Olmpic Team and we
can put Scotland right back on the international map.

Today, we the people have the power and we are not reliant on easily bribed
nobles to represent us. To do so however we must ignore 300 years of blatant
British propaganda and say "we are as good as every other country and we
deserve the same right to rule our own affairs".

Current polls show a clear majority in Scotland for independence.

If you want it, vote for it this year.