Scotland's Parties Share a Modern Vision of Independence

The news that the SNP and Greens have been holding talks on possible future
coalitions is welcome. It makes sense that these parties who both seek
normal national status for Scotland should work together.

Both parties are of course already working together along with the Scottish
Socialist Party within the new Independence Convention.

While there are political differences amongst the Scottish parties there are
also very substantial areas of agreement, not least a concrete mutual
commitment to unilateral nuclear disarmament.

There is also common ground on a fair way to raise local government finance,
on free school meals and prescriptions and the genuine provision of
comprehensive education and a national health service, all of which are in
danger from the English orientated Conservative/Labour axis.

What unites all the Scottish parties of course is their desire for Scottish
independence and their rejection of the unionist parties cap on Scottish
ambitions.

Labour's Scottish vote is justifiably crumbling and they can't count on
their partners in the Lib-Dems saving them for ever as their coat is on a
shoogly nail as well.

As the UK looks at even more Conservative rule (I'd hesitate to describe
Tony Blair or his bedfellow Brown as Labour men) it becomes more and more
obvious that Scotland's natural left of centre political ethos is
incompatible with parties whose policy emanates from London.

It's rather unfortunate that England still appears to be stuck in an
imperial past where weak chinned public school boys act as proxies for 'Her
Majesty' and do nothing positive to change society. Nowadays British
politics doesn't even bear favourable comparison with the USA as the two
main parties have became just as indistinguishable and irrelevant as their
American counterparts.

However much the Palace of Westminster enjoys weakly sparring over nothing
the fact is that it's cozy vision of Blair and Cameron cuddling up to each
other across the despatch box is not shared by many people up here.
Personally I find nothing more horrifying than this pair of simpering
excuses for Thatcherism and I have a feeling I'm not alone.

Scotland's parties can make the break from the outdated British union and
the more they work together with one another the more likely it is that
their positive modern vision of independence will become reality. Let's
leave England to 'enjoy' their own unique brand of political soft soap, we
don't need it or want it and we never have.

Yours faithfully,
Joe Middleton