One more for a trend
A couple of weeks ago we noted something rather curious in the Daily Record. Interpreted a certain way, it seemed as if the ultra-Unionist paper was tentatively preparing the ground for a possible seismic event. Some readers poured scorn on the assessment, but we’re not sure it’s going to be as easy to dismiss a second time.
Today’s edition carries a lengthy piece by political editor and fervent SNP-basher Torcuil Crichton, based around the “Home Rule” vision of iconic 1920s Labour MP James Maxton. You can read the whole thing here, but the key passage is hiding at the end – in fact, in the very last paragraph.
“But increasingly, independence, as defined by the SNP leadership, and the devo-max proposals being worked up by Labour are beginning to resemble home rule without full independence.”
Now, let’s keep in mind at all times that this is the Daily Record. What possible end could be served by its saying that an SNP policy and a Labour one were to all intents and purposes the same thing?
In context, the article’s highly questionable assertions about the strength of Labour’s commitment to devo-max (and a slew of outright untrue claims like “an independent Scotland [would] stick with the UK welfare system”) are neither here nor there.
What’s important here is that the Record is directly equating “independence as defined by the SNP leadership” with Labour’s alleged devolution policy. And since the paper is an enthusiastic advocate of enhanced devolution, what would that lead readers to conclude about how they should vote in the independence referendum?
The accompanying “Record View” leader on the same page talks of a “middle way”, but there’s no middle in a Yes/No vote. It also outwardly attacks the idea of voting for independence, because you have to slow down before you turn round.
But the Record is inescapably, unarguably, going further and further in blurring the distinction between “devo max” and independence, minimising the fear factor attached to the latter (and trying to give it a coat of red Labour paint at the same time). And it makes no sense to do that if you’re going to tell people to vote for the status quo.
I think the “Scotland would use the UK Welfare system” is to try undermine a strong argument against the Neo-Liberal Parties at Westminster, the disgraceful removal of a safety-net for the worse off.
I’m not as convinced as you Rev.
I feel this is part of a campaign of misinformation, suggesting a No vote will bring ‘Home Rule’.
Piss in the wind.
Flying a kite
Whistling in the dark
Well I never, the Daily Record is making indications of moving AWAY from the “vote NO or for ever live in a hell run by Thatcher” approach to one of “you know what this Independence lark might have some merit to it after all!” Now of course they can NOT just jump from one extreme, vote NO, to the other, vote YES, so obviously they are trying to find the middle ground, Devo Max, approach. Unfortunately for the D.R. there is NO middle ground so it will be interesting to see how long they can keep the current level of enthusiasm up before there is anther seismic shift in their political outlook for the future of Scotland!
“I’m not as convinced as you Rev. I feel this is part of a campaign of misinformation, suggesting a No vote will bring ‘Home Rule’.”
Tell you what – let’s just call it “keeping their options open”.
EDIT: CITE TAG RAGEDELETE
Looks to me like the former Prime Mentalist flying a kite. It’s all bluster because A. Labour will not get elected in the UK to implement Home Rule and if they were remotely sincere about implementIing it, why did they move heaven and earth to get it off the ballot?
Rev,
Just to play devils advocate – and I might be wrong here, so please correct me if I am – but could they be paving the way for a SLAB announcement on a future Devo max proposal (or at least something they will present as Devo max).
At that stage the Record would trumpet the ‘Why vote Yes when you can get something almost the same by voting No and getting SLABs super (pretendy) Devo Max offering?’ ??
No. The opposite intention. Divert Yes voters to a No-and-you’ll-get-devo-max option. Anything to secure a No vote.
“What possible end could be served by its saying that an SNP policy and a Labour one were to all intents and purposes the same thing?”
Vote Labour in 2015/2016 and we will give you what the SNP couldn’t deliver.
Maybe knees are beginning to wobble … and not only at the Record but hopefully at the ‘Scottish’ BBC too….. I mean when we are Independent who’s going to want to buy their nonsense, who’s going to forget the position they took … if I were one of them I too would be thinking about my job prospects in a land I didn’t want and tried so hard to stop being born …. maybe my position might be in doubt!???
The only thing to glean from the Record article is the deplorable quality of today’s Labour politicians compared to Scottish socialists like Maxton.
What the Record is trying to do here is persuade people that Devo Max is still on the ballot, but in two forms: there’s the Labour flavour, called ‘No’, and the SNP flavour, called ‘Yes’. So don’t listen to the voices in your head whispering ‘independence’ – it’s not available. Vote Labour (No) as usual and you’ll get all that’s on offer anyway.
Speak to your GP, Rev, see if he can give you something for that unbridled optimism. It’s naive to think that Record oped copy is written without careful consultation with Labour/BT.
Maybe covering all bases. After a Yes vote they can then claim Scotland still really ‘belongs’ to Labour, and voters should reinstall them at the earliest vote.
“No is the same as Yes, but without all that scary sovereignty. So vote No”
– Rabidly anti independence editor of Daily Record.
Roddy
I think the unionists wanted the middle ground removed to force the inbetweeners to vote no as their poll data would no doubt have told them this would have been the likely scenario.
It’s only now beginning to dawn on them that it may have been a gigantic tactical error, which will usher in, as the Rev said earlier today, a flood from No to Yes.
The Daily Record may now be adjusting their position for life in an independent Scotland.
“Just to play devils advocate – and I might be wrong here, so please correct me if I am – but could they be paving the way for a SLAB announcement on a future Devo max proposal (or at least something they will present as Devo max).”
Can’t see it, because Labour simply isn’t going to offer a devo-max proposal.
If the DR was a Scottish newspaper, and not part of Mirror Group, it might wash.
“Vote Labour in 2015/2016 and we will give you what the SNP couldn’t deliver.”
Why bother, though? You can say “vote No for devo-max” without saying “devo-max is what the SNP are offering now as independence”. Why confuse people in a way that might lead them to vote Yes?
Thanks Rev,
On reflection I think you are right.
London Labour (and the SLAB MPs) wont allow a Devo Max option to surface.
I’ll sleep better tonight.
To be pedantic, Maxton was an Independent Labour Party MP. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party until 1932 when they split. There’s a telling thumbnail sketch by Orwell about Maxton being sneered at and patronised by Labour MPs during WWII.
One of the many contemptible facets of the modern Labour party is their habit of appropriating heroes of the old Left like Maxton, Hardie and Maclean to try and hide their centre-right nakedness.
Slightly o/t – how are our friends in Labour for Independence doing as regads membership etc? Not heard much recently. Never, ever, ever trust the unionist controlled press!
@Ivan.
I agree that London Labour won’t allow a Devo Max option. However, the media will do it for them if needed. Most of the don’t knows probably don’t have internet access, and will take their news from TV and print.
The don’t knows are the battleground. If most of them are Labour voters, they might be persuaded by the media that No=Yes, if they are already hesitant.
I found this piece in the Record much more fun :
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/stunned-pm-david-cameron-quizzed-2017525
One official said: “You go halfway around the world and what’s the first thing they want to know about – Alex Salmond.”
Sorry Rev but I think the whole ‘Together with Labour’ shenanigans and this “independence is just devo max” kite flying are intertwined to distance Labour from ‘Better Together’ and go for the Vote no and we’ll give you Devo Max in 2015…
Disclaimer – Offer only valid if Labour win 2015 GE, the rest of the UK are allowed to ratify it in a UK wide referendum and the House of Lords approve the bill…
“Why confuse people in a way that might lead them to vote Yes”
Yup, there is that risk. But they’re probably looking at keeping people in their comfort zone with a No vote. Maybe Labour’s polls are showing a move to Yes – there is a lot of (admittedly anecdotal) evidence from activists to this effect. Let’s see if Labour and other elements of the media start to push this ‘No=Devo Max’ in the coming weeks. We know it’s a lie but FFS, when did that ever stop them.
It seems to me to be a tactic to disincentivise undecided voters…
“Why bother voting yes… its only the same as Devo Max and Labour are going to give you that anyway… later… so they say…”
I think the tactic is to put people off voting, stifle turnout and reduce the yes vote by letting apathy and blind trust in “Jam tomorrow” letting ‘No’ win
Juteman,
just can’t see that strategy working over the long haul that is this referendum campaign. It may have helped fudge a very short, negative and purposely confusing campaign but thanks to the SNP, that’s definitely not the campaign we are fighting.
There is also criticism of Better Together’s campaign by the Daily Record. That too gives credence that Labour are trying to distance themselves from the official campaign.
Could it be that Labour are actually fearful that the SNP are attempting to claim all the political ground from Devo Max to full independence leaving Labour no room to re-position itself if does perform a u-turn on Devo Max.
Is the Record volunteering to be the sacrificial lamb of the disappearing Unionist media in Scotland?
I’m particularly glad the DR conversión is doubtful, it would be a disaster if they started to support Independence.
Can anyone imagine the discredit it would represent for the YES Campaign if suddenly the like of Watson, Foulkes, Grey, Lamont, Baillie, etc started to try to join?
Rev. Stuart Campbell says:
“Can’t see it, because Labour simply isn’t going to offer a devo-max proposal.”
Have you seen this from Prof. Tom Devine (about 53 mins. in)
http://youtu.be/asMPMceNWpY?t=53m24s
Prof. Devine’s scenario, if true, would go a long way to explain what is happening with regard to “the ultra-Unionist paper (was) tentatively preparing the ground for a possible seismic event.”
Perhaps it’s all part of the plan to ‘offer’ the promise of ‘jam tomorrow’ we continue to be spoonfed by most of the media here in Scotland.
My granny used to say that all the women in the town were feart of Maxton. She said he was really quite intimidating, but he just had a presence when he entered a room, and the place would fall silent.
“Rev. Stuart Campbell says:”
PLEASE don’t paste entire comments into a new one including the byline.
Article starts by painting a picture of Home Rule as being in Labour’s bones for a century. Goes on to paint independence as a recent and unusual, almost un-Scottish development. Then pokes the usual ‘not real independence’ holes in SNP proposals. Finally, it implies that Labour’s upcoming plans will be a consistent sensible advancement in home rule, as opposed to the mess we’d get with a Yes vote.
And yes, Labour aren;t going to offer Devo Max, but that doesn’t matter as long as this messaging is effective.
“Have you seen this from Prof. Tom Devine (about 53 mins. in)”
Don’t buy it. We’ve spent a lot of time on this site observing what “One Nation Labour” means, and Lamont simply won’t be allowed to present even a lie of devo-max. There’s not a hope in hell that Miliband will let her say “We will devolve welfare”, say, because that would be totally toxic in England. And without that – let alone defence or control of oil revenue – nobody’s going to swallow that any meaningful powers are coming our way.
We’re already getting more income-tax “powers” through the Scotland Act, and nobody gives a shit about them because they know they’re worthless. Promising slightly more of that won’t fool anyone.
Another have you seen, sorry.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/at-war-edinburgh-and-london-ministers-clash-over-sending-indy-scotland-troops-to-sandhurst.1372783968
I for one would love to have your opinión over the encounter.
Max,
I think YES coupled with the SNP have just about managed that already. Come the white paper, if it is as Devo maxish as I suspect, then the trap will have been sprung.
The more complaints by the Labour party shouting that what SNP are offering is not full Independence the better, all the while the Greens, SSP, Labour for Indy and radical Indy can push the ‘common weal’ concept for those that want a YES for full fat Indy.
Bobs your uncle and just about everyone but the 30% hard NOs are in the YES camp.
It is interesting. Part of me thinks they’re just trying to position themselves nearer to the Sun’s more neutral stance in an effort to recover their position as Scotland’s best selling tabloid. Then again I do think there has been a wider change of mood and it may well be the Record is simply aiming to reflect that more.
For years the ‘party-line’ from the No camp has been to view independence as this terrible, scary sudden break with border controls being thrown up overnight and Scotland being plunged into anarchy but as details emerge which show it to be a more gradual change with a decent, negotiated transition period, it may be more than a few Devo-Maxers are starting to look more favourably on it.
I can’t see a Labour u-turn happening on Devo Max (Jam Tomorrow!) without the caveat that they will also legislate to stop Scottish MPs voting on affairs that don’t apply to Scotland and I can’t see them doing that until they’re certain of a comfortable majority. Which with Milliband at the helm, seems unlikely.
YES is the new ‘no’ and ‘no’ is the new YES? You can fool some of the people some of the time, but….
Rev. I agree with you that at the moment there is no chance of that happening. What I fear is that … a year or so down the road… and if things are (as I suspect) not looking so ‘clear cut’ for the NO campaign what Prof. Devine said and perhaps what The Daily Record is ‘nuancing’ is being done in the hope of keeping open (at least in peoples minds) the idea that there is more on offer than what you and I know to be the case… ( i.e. nothing )…Worth keeping an eye out for more of this type of ‘article’ in the future.
It seems to me the DR could be playing, both ends against the middle in order to keep sales up, after all sales is what matters, is it not. throw a little crumb of comfort to the YES mob, and see if sales increase, afterall, its got all of us talking about it, hasnt it.
How does more Devo Max sit alongside something for nothing? A Mirror group newspaper isn`t going to change its spots,it`s just going to try and paint prettier pictures,nobody should fall for it.
Of course all of this effort by SLAB will amount to diddly squat when the polls next year show a Tory government is a stick on 🙂
Newspapers are in the business of making money, if the Record thinks it can make more sales by being, lets call it less anti independence, then it will.
Sorry Rev I am with Juteman on this one “I feel this is part of a campaign of misinformation, suggesting a No vote will bring ‘Home Rule’.” I have the Daily Rag here in front of me (only because my wife likes to do the crossword on a Tuesday and Saturday, otherwise I wouldn’t use it for toilet paper!) and for the life of me I cannot see where you are coming from on this one. The Rag talks about “Devo Maxton” and the search “for a middle way”. It is nothing more than a promise of maybe (if Labour’s commission plays ball and Miliband gets elected in 2105) jam tomorrow. Juteman is right vote No and you might get home rule. It is a call to vote No.
Just a wee story to back up my cynicism. I watched Newsnight Scotland last night. Simon Pia ex-Labour adviser and some hack called Clegg from the Rag were on. Pia was being his usual smarmy, Nat hating, self righteous self. Taking every opportunity to launch personal attacks on Salmond. At one point Pia called Salmond a “shallow” politician and I thought Clegg was about to wet himself. The whole interview revealed the cosy relationship between Labour and the Rag. The DR is nothing more than a mouthpiece for London Labour and as Big Eck would say, the rocks will melt in the sun before that changes.
All well & good, but where did Maxton buy his hats?
What’s it all about? Deception. Vote no and get further devolution.
Newspapers are in the business of making money,
Not if you’re the Scotsman!
All well & good, but where did Maxton buy his hats?
Probably the Co op
Tom Devine, at the recent lecture/debate at Edinburgh University made some very broad hints about sections of the unionists working on a substantial ploy that ‘will be revealed in the coming months’. My guess is a SLAB Devo Max proposition, to be used to encourage a ‘no’ vote.
Rev. Stuart Campbell St”And it makes no sense to do that if you’re going to tell people to vote for the status quo.”
Well don’t tell they’ve made a mistake!
@roboscot
No. The opposite intention. Divert Yes voters to a No-and-you’ll-get-devo-max option. Anything to secure a No vote.
Agreed. Do not trust the Daily Record. They share the Unionist SLAB mentality.
ronald alexander mcdonald says:
2 July, 2013 at 10:06 pm
“What’s it all about? Deception. Vote no and get further devolution.”
Correct! As a few on here have pointed out, this will be the Records way of saying vote no and Labour will give you Devomax.
Labour’s idea of devomax would be along the lines of a little more control of income tax, say 11.5% and more powers like air gun licences, which in the big scheme of things is nothing really.
The only shift they are doing is trying to put some clear water between themselves and the tories.
As usual it will be a Labour confidence trick of promises that won’t really be delivered.
@Len Northfield
Tom Devine, at the recent lecture/debate at Edinburgh University made some very broad hints about sections of the unionists working on a substantial ploy that ‘will be revealed in the coming months’. My guess is a SLAB Devo Max proposition, to be used to encourage a ‘no’ vote.
Devine has been saying this for at least 6 months. SLAB cannot promise Devo Max because their leadership in London will not support it. I have no idea why Tom Devine keeps on bringing Devo Max up.
@Iain Henderson
“Newspapers are in the business of making money, if the Record thinks it can make more sales by being, lets call it less anti independence, then it will.”
This logic falls down entirely when you look at the Scottish press. The Scotsman and Herald’s equivalents in Ireland are the Irish Times and Independent. Both papers individually outsell their Scottish counterparts’ combined total.
If the Scotsman was the “newspaper of record” in an independent Scotland (and was competently managed), it would be selling 100k copies daily, easily. Yet its owners choose to deliberately invite competition onto their doorstep in the form of London papers.
If or when labour proclaim vote no and get devo max —the question to be asked of them is –who gets the oil revenues
The only thing I think about this is that Jimmy Maxton will be spinning in his grave even for being mentioned in the same article as new labour. Maxton’s whole time as a politician was spent trying to agitate for Socialism and he wanted a revolutionary approach to be adopted worldwide. He was a great orator and advocate on behalf of those who had no voice. He consistently argued that benefits paid should offer more that subsistence and starvation, was against the means test, and thought Westminster was only really good for propoganda purposes. Unfortunately there is no such beast as a modern day Jimmy Maxton…
As for the DR supporting anything other than the union, can I have a pint of whatever you are drinking…
Sorry Rev, but you are completely missing the point here. This is a softening up for SLAB to announce a devo-max option with their devolution commission. Ian Murray hinted at this tonight in Newsnight Scotland, “still on the road to devolution”, “devolution commission still to report” and so on.
SLAB won’t have to deliver anything they promise if there is a no vote as most likely they wont be in power in 2015 anyway. Even if somehow they get power they will water down the powers to be meaningless. A no vote to them is the most important thing here and they will do and say anything to get it.
The fact is that SLAB can’t offer anything at all without the approval of Westminster. As we have seen in Falkirk, they simply don’t exist as an independent party. So, whatever devomax fudge they come up with will rapidly be shown to be bollox. No, I’m with those who think the DR has looked carefully at the increasingly pro-indy Sun, and is wondering whether it is missing a trick….
No mystery; no softening on independence; no change in tactics.
Just more muddled rubbish to convince voters to tick NO on the basis that there might be some sort of Devo Max.
That Labour probably wont be in office to deliver or that a Tory government wouldn’t even entertain the thought is neither here nor there; just so long as the DR aids and abets their die hard unionist chums in convincing stupid, fact free or brain dead voters into ticking NO.
I have to agree with the posters who think this is part of Labour’s ploy to convince the ‘Don’t Knows’ that if they vote ‘No’ they will still get something close to ‘Devo Max’
Now this is very very interesting, if it proves to be true, as it shows that people within the BT movement are fully aware that they are losing voters to the ‘Yes’ side, or why would they feel they needed to make such a risky and dramatic policy announcement?
So folks, it’s up to the grass roots movement to pre-empt this deception by BT, by making sure that every voter in Scotland is aware that in order to give Scotland devo Max, the English would have to agree to it, and how unlikely this would be.
My view is simply …………………….
“BEWARE GREEKS BEARING GIFTS”
…………… and no offence to Greeks intended !!!
“Yes we did promise more devolution during the last campaign but that was then and now on reflection at this current delicate time, its simply not possible and it is best we all work together to get out of this mess” – Any Unionist Party 2015/16 following a NO vote.
I have to agree with others above, that any change is merely a run up to a ‘jam tomorrow’ scenario.
I would be truly astonished, if we did NOT see each and every unionista party line up, prior to the referendum, with oodles of ‘jam tomorrow’ bullshit.
There is only one way for Scotland to have further powers, and that is to vote YES for independence. Anything promised by the unionist cabal, will be denied at Westminster. It will never happen.
The good news I have found, is that people I speak to are much more open to the notion of independence, and as expected, are starting to (like we have done from the beginning) realise the Bitter together campaign, is a sham. The scare stories are getting ridiculed.
There is NO positive case for the union, and if Westminster is really a friend of Scotland, they would not seek to stimy a free and democratic choice of independence, and being our ‘friends’, they would be most helpful following a YES vote. I mean, that is IF Westminster is GENUINELY a friend of Scotland – something which I doubt very much.
Never forget, that following independence, Darling, Brown, Ian Davidson, Margaret Curran, Danny Alexander, David Mundell, Michael Moore and all the rest of that group, will LOSE their rather cushy and lucrative careers. They will also lose their promised ermine robes. To say the unionist cabal have a vested interest in ensuring a NO vote, is an understatement. These people care about nothing but their careers and money in westmidden.
Vote YES in 2014 to get rid of unionist Westminster troughers.
There’s utterly no logic in the proposition that Labour/BT won’t offer Devo Max because they can’t deliver it. Think of all the sweeties that have been offered by various governments in the past couple of decades, clearly with not the slightest intention of delivering any of them. At present BT encounter not the slightest pang of conscience in telling us that the Union is good for us, and marshalling a swarm of little lies to back up that big one. Why on earth would they balk at one more lie?
Perhaps this is Labour trying to redefine what Home Rule and Devo Max is in order to find wriggle room to re-position themselves. Perhaps that is why the Daily Record called upon the ghost of John Maxton to rise up and speak again.
A Devo Max option on a referendum ballot paper could not be ignored by Westminster, but a re-defined party policy can be by simply lobbing it into the long grass. It is also dependent on Scots voting No in the independence referendum. Scots and English both voting for Labour in 2015. Scots voting for Labour in 2016, and for the party north and south of the border being committed to implementing such a u-turn.
That is a lot of ifs and buts – however it would do the nationalist cause no harm in actually in reminding voters from here to Sept 2014 that Labour are moving towards adopting the Devo Max option as this would clearly cause a split and open spat in Labour ranks as they would be unable to deny or confirm such a move after these two pieces in the Daily Record.
Putting Labour and Devo Max in the same sentence was a big mistake by the Daily Record. Voters expectations of Labour have been raised, they can only fail to disappoint.
A year from now, there will be a second Edinburgh agreement signed to ensure further devolution for Holyrood by BT ahead of the referendum. It is the only way stop independence. I think the FM sees this. The image of independence projected by the SNP is a comfortable one – specially tailored for the voters, it has the added comforts of no new currency and the back of the BoE. This padding provides a mould that BT has trouble with, basically Devo-max that anything less on offer from Westminster, will not cut the mustard. Especially if it is not signed and sealed. I think the model provided by the FM is the best piece of political play for the people of Scotland I have ever witnessed.
Hi guys
My first post here on this excellent website , I have been lurking for some time now but thought I would take the plunge and make a comment . I am a committed YES Supporter and find it refreshing to be able to read and make comment without fear of being flamed .
I am hoping that the press in Scotland , may take a more neutral stance as the days tick by towards next Sept.. hoping ..
If the YES Side gets a landside , Again hoping … as others have said people will remember the Lies / smears and the papers could lose all their readership .. and money lots of money.
And maybe they have already noticed a downward spiral in revenues …
O/T
I wandered in anyone (including Rev) has thought about the after-effects of a YES , not the doom and gloom but the massively positive side.
Remember the *progressive beacon* talk by Alex.. stirring stuff .. ridiculed by the No’s but I think its something that should talked up ..
independence will put Scotland truly on the MAP !
In every country around the world , it will be on everyone’s lips , every news station and paper .
People who (do not know about Scotland, Not Many!) will be enlightened about the fair and just country we have become , interested in maybe starting a business or importing goods / services.
There is a Tourism Landslide , direct flights to capitol cities around the world .
Business investment grows exponentially , exports double in the first years ..
Scotland becomes WMD free and shows the rest of the world that IT CAN BE DONE .
With control over the revenues , Scotland pays its debts and starts investing for future generations ..
A progressive beacon indeed ..!!
I look forward to a brighter future and will work hard to send out the positive message.
@Craig Watt-
Splendid inaugural post there mister.
Welcome aboard.
Craig Watt,
enjoyed your comment. It is sad with all the negativity from the No Better Together camp that people cannot see the bright future Scotland has as an independent country. I’m not suggesting it will be milk & honey from day one, but how exciting it will be to watch our country grow, instead of festering under Westminster rule.
They just can’t help but harp on that AS lost the option for devomax
Cheers Guys
As the day draws closer , more and more of the undecided will get the facts and will see that YES is the only way forward .. Then the party can get started ..
No , it’s not going to be easy and mistakes made . But mistakes made by a government WE elected .
Standing on our two feet , a proud Nation with World beating potential ..
Tom Devine, at the recent lecture/debate at Edinburgh University made some very broad hints about sections of the unionists working on a substantial ploy that ‘will be revealed in the coming months’. My guess is a SLAB Devo Max proposition, to be used to encourage a ‘no’ vote
I think the key words used by the Prof were “a plan to shoot the SNP fox”
So I truly believe it is another smoke and mirrors by the union loving DR and Labour Party in Scotland.
They did similar lies in the 70s only to renege on Devolution.
Independence was guaranteed from 2007 only the timing is in question.
The unionists also know that and will use delaying tactics as they have always done.
From the Regions to Holyrood ,all delaying tactics and hopes of killing the SNP fox.
I am certainly no media expert, but this looks like deliberate blackwhite to me, designed to add confusion to the FUD.
The idea that SLAB United or BetterNO might try to fudge a DevoMax offer of Jam tomorrow just before the referendum, worries me less and less the later they wait.
It seems to me, that the polls are showing devomax, as an option, to be losing support the more folk think about what it actually means.
SLAB and BetterNO may find that they are chasing only the ghost of a popular idea by the time they finally get round to unveiling it as their master plan to undermine, what will have become, a popular and verifiable electoral move towards a YES vote.
I do prefer that there is no devomax option on the ballot paper, but at the time I was confident that selling Independence to the electorate, with a defined offer of Devomax as the alternative, would simplify the arguments in favour of full independence not against it.
In my experience, folk who profess support for devomax, when questioned, care deeply about the very issues devomax denies us the powers to deal with. Trident, Illegal invasions, foreign affairs and Macro Economics.
Devomax’s power and popularity is and always has been in it’s non defined, whatever you want it to be, but without the hassle of change option.
It’s a mirage of an option that evaporates under questioning, even in the minds of most of it’s professed supporters never mind a Westminster that couldn’t even countenance the most basic version of it (ie Full Fiscal Autonomy).
Nope…. to paraphrase the great Ian Gray, I do think ‘that boat is sailing!’, and will have definitely sailed by the time they get round to trying to use it.