Anyone who’s followed the UK political media over the last decade or so with specific reference to Scotland will know that in a very crowded field, the standout poster boy for arrogant, condescending metropolitan cluelessness is the Independent’s chief political commentator John Rentoul.
For reasons which escape us, Rentoul – who was born in India and as far as we know has spent not a single day of his life resident in Scotland – identifies as Scottish. And yet he doesn’t appear to even recognise the concept of Scotland as a political entity, and today he demonstrated that fact in a manner so stark and striking that it’s worth recording for posterity.
Over the last few days, for want of anything more interesting happening in Scottish politics, we’ve been reviewing some of the entertainingly fluid criteria by which Unionist politicians used to assert that Scotland could supposedly achieve independence. But we hadn’t seen this one before:
A view apparently “almost universally shared among English Tory backbenchers” back in the late 1980s was that independence could be won by the SNP securing a majority of Scottish MPs at not one but two successive UK general elections.
Given that that line has now been crossed in THREE Westminster elections in a row, we’re all agog to find where Boris Johnson will move the goalposts to in his keenly-awaited response to the Scottish Government’s second Section 30 request, which he’s due to deliver any minute now.
We’ve never been able to actually confirm the oft-cited “quote” from Margaret Thatcher suggesting that the SNP winning a majority of Scottish seats at a UK election would constitute a mandate for independence, but here’s a verified more recent one from a then-serving Conservative PM.
“[John] Major has made it clear that a majority of SNP MPs after an election would serve as a mandate to begin negotiations for separation. There are no plans to hold a referendum”, said former Thatcher minister and party chairman Norman Tebbit a few months before the 1997 election.
It was a position the Tories held right up to 2010 – the last election at which the SNP didn’t win a majority of Scottish seats, at which point the goalposts magically shifted. Now, of course, the rule is that a majority of MPs doesn’t count, but you also can’t have a referendum.
Scotland is a prisoner without hope of parole. Time for a breakout.
We couldn’t help but raise a quizzical eyebrow at this assertion from SNP MP Pete Wishart in today’s Sunday National.
It was said in the specific context of securing a second indyref in 2020, and since such a referendum has NOT in fact been secured – and looks extremely unlikely to be – we wondered which other definition of “success” might be being used to justify the claim.
The 2010s end in a matter of hours, and everyone and their genderfluid dog is writing retrospectives of the 10 years just past. This site, which came into existence in the second year of the decade, has very little interest in following suit – we’ve always been about the future.
But a cursory glance over the shoulder does reveal one immediately striking fact that’s worthy of passing note.
sam on Learning Insanity: “Lorna, You are right. Some studies do find that some children with gender dysphoria grew out of it. In Ireland,…” Jan 16, 14:01
James on Learning Insanity: “Site Prick; Jeezo, cunty, can’t you get ANYTHING right? “..If you intend to invoke the words of history’s greatest physicist,…” Jan 16, 13:26
James Cheyne on Learning Insanity: “The trade union are public bodies, and often supported by government also a public body. She could use article XV111…” Jan 16, 12:28
Hatey McHateface on Learning Insanity: ““Postcolonial theory also confirms” “what we are dealing with in any colonial society” If you intend to invoke the words…” Jan 16, 12:26
James Cheyne on Learning Insanity: “If the treaty that England states still has any legality to it, then it can be tested by all the…” Jan 16, 11:50
Marie on Learning Insanity: “Re:Darlington nurses victory – no muddying of the waters there. Thank you Judge Sweeney. Listen and learn Kemp.” Jan 16, 11:38
PC Foster on Learning Insanity: “https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/why-i-am-suing-my-trade-union/” Jan 16, 11:27
Alf Baird on Learning Insanity: “Following on from the Rev’s title above (‘Learning Insanity’), we are reminded that the definition of insanity is ‘doing the…” Jan 16, 11:04
James Cheyne on Learning Insanity: “Learn that one law / article of the treaty of union ( if the union is to hold) and knock…” Jan 16, 11:00
James Cheyne on Learning Insanity: “This is where we are failing ourselves here in Scotland on all these issues, The SNP and the devolved governance…” Jan 16, 10:42
TURABDIN on Learning Insanity: “IN ENGLAND, it’s all hooray for the Blackshirts whereas in Scotland it’s rabbits caught in the headlights of a clapped…” Jan 16, 09:33
Young Lochinvar on Learning Insanity: “I think it was channel 4 news I overheard (not 100% sure though) tonight that NHS England was quoted as…” Jan 16, 01:22
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Learning Insanity: “NI UNIVERSITIES ACCUSED OF CENSURING GENDER-CRITICAL STUDENTS Universities in Northern Ireland risk “silencing” students who uphold the reality of sex,…” Jan 15, 23:02
PC Foster on Learning Insanity: “Order of the Bollox Expounders (OBE)” Jan 15, 20:27
Hatey McHateface on Learning Insanity: “Nah, TURABDIN. Wearing a burqa should obviously fall to the minister with responsibility for postal deliveries. BTW, why your capitalisation…” Jan 15, 20:07
Hatey McHateface on Learning Insanity: “Seeing as how Rev Stu has inspired us all by his article to look closely at the real meaning of…” Jan 15, 20:02
Hatey McHateface on Learning Insanity: “Don’t all women experience a tiny frisson of excitement when they think of those mighty pistons thrusting in and out?…” Jan 15, 19:45
dearieme on Learning Insanity: “@Cynicus: I use “female impersonator” and “castrato”. The latter is a bit approximate but, as the Yanks say, good enough…” Jan 15, 17:31
Alf Baird on Learning Insanity: ““SNP Scottish Government has been corrupted and controlled” Yes indeed, as Fanon wrote: the dominant national party is ‘co-opted by…” Jan 15, 16:03
TURABDIN on Learning Insanity: “The great thing about the Burqa is that no one can tell what you are or what you’re hiding or…” Jan 15, 15:51
lothianlad on Learning Insanity: “Excellent piece again Stu. Without you, we would be rudderless. An SNP Scottish Government has been corrupted and controlled.” Jan 15, 14:29
Lorna Campbell on Learning Insanity: “The Jewish American author, Ira Levin, wrote “The Stepford Wives” in 1975. On one level, it can be viewed as…” Jan 15, 14:23
Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Learning Insanity: “STONEWALL REPORTS ‘SPECTACULAR FUNDING IMPLOSION’ Stonewall’s annual report reveals its income has fallen by 40 per cent in four years.…” Jan 15, 14:06
Lorna Campbell on Learning Insanity: “Recent studies have found a large correlation between brain and body, James, so it would seem that they are interlinked…” Jan 15, 14:01
James Cheyne on Learning Insanity: “OT, I see Italy is to change their rules based to indigenous populations preference, as France and many other Countries…” Jan 15, 13:09
James Cheyne on Learning Insanity: “Regardless of my own dyslexia and appalling education I still would not want to be sticking my neck out claiming…” Jan 15, 12:54
TURABDIN on Learning Insanity: “ONE DAY AI might provide the means to be anything or anyone you choose in a cyberpunkish universe. No need…” Jan 15, 12:25
James Cheyne on Learning Insanity: “Not so far fetched a scenario as the Scientist and government already consider experimenting on children, babies in the womb,…” Jan 15, 11:52
TURABDIN on Learning Insanity: “IN DEFINING SEX AND GENDER, it seems hormones and a thing called brian dimorphism are involved…maybe also a touch of…” Jan 15, 11:43
