BILLY CONNOLLY LOVES 'HONOURS' MORE THAN DEMOCRACY FOR SCOTLAND

Billy Connolly recently commented (on the election results and the prospect of independence) :

"I don't like it. I don't like chauvinism, I don't like nationalism. I think history proves it to be an incredibly dangerous thing. I think it's time in the world for getting together, not separating."

So Connolly doesn't like nationalism even when it's of a civic type like Scotland's. Strangely enough however in the same interview he adds that he is very proud of his CBE which entitles him to the title of 'Commander of the British Empire' and a place in Burke's peerage.

So Scottish nationalism is bad, but British nationalism is A-OK! Clearly Mr Connolly loves the idea of posing as an imaginary Commander in a long dead and fundamentally racist British Empire but is rather less keen on the idea that his own country might like to run their own affairs.

It's rather sad that just because people have a comfortable lifestyle with the status quo, they feel threatened and alarmed by change even when that change reflects an important democratic advance. While Connolly is entitled to his opinion it is grossly hypocritical to wax lyrical about an honour from the Queen that represents Britain's imperial past and at the same time claim to dislike nationalism!

Connolly obviously quite likes jingoistic nationalism of the British type, even though this is exactly the type he affects to despise. The civic nationalism of the SNP and others however is somehow worthy of contempt. While one is tempted to suggest that Mr Connolly suffers from a post colonialist mindset, I think perhaps its simpler than that.

The British state has bought Connolly cheaply with a second class honour (he's not even a Sir) and now his head is so big that he thinks he can look down on Scots who want something more for Scotland.

In fact he should realise exactly what he is - a hypocritical court jester who laughs at his own folk and sneers at their ambitions. In this regard he has a lot in common with his fellow celebrity Brits, Michelle Mone, Alex McLeish (if the British state had got their way completely there would be no Scottish team for him to manage!) , Ian Rankin and Duncan Bannatyne. Comfortably rich they all want to keep their pot of money and want 'no change'.

What they all share is a stifling lack of ambition for their people and their country. Independence is normality. Scotland is no better than any other country and nor are our people. However we should be EQUAL to every other nation and we have the absolute right to demand that equality at every opportunity.